EMTrescue6
thanks for the compliment. I'm glad Indiana decided to allow certain "modern" calibers. Now that I built this I'm sure they'll open it up to bigger calibers but oh well.

FW Conch
The original gauge itself presumably wasn't larger, it was just the rim that was larger. I just finished checking the headspace with the shims and the fired brass and I'm showing .009" (bolt would barely close on .009 and wouldn't on .010) so I think I'm going to ditch the gauges and go back to square one with the cartridge and shims. I'm sure that will take care of at least some of the fouling.

Also I found the culprit for the sticking extractor. It was a bur right on the edge, I buffed it out with some emery cloth and now it function flawlessly.