Biged - sorry I PO'd you - have many years of loading experience too. Load for the 303 Brit in several Enfields (including a Savage - I can reach the throat of all but one of them with 174 grain SMKs BTW) and a Winchester 95, also load for 577/450, 40-72, 40-82, 50-70 and many others in rifles quite a bit more than 67 years old so don't think I was bad mouthing your cartridge or rifle.

[img width=600 height=449]http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd314/erbeckerdite/USN-1.jpg[/img]

[img width=600 height=449]http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd314/erbeckerdite/dane1.jpg[/img]

[img width=600 height=372]http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd314/erbeckerdite/hunting2.jpg[/img]

Your method certainly works for your application - so does putting tape around the case head of 45-70 brass when forming it in a Danish Rolling block chamber, same thing using 32 Long in a Nagant revolver, a whole host of methods to form 7x57 brass in No1 Remingtons, etc. etc.

But it has little to do with what the poster asked and is not something I would reccomend to a new guy asking about setting headspace with his rimless cartridge (particularly on a gun like a Savage where you CAN set the headspace).

As trappst said - buy, rent or borrow the gauges. You can also use a fired and FL sized piece of brass (sized in your dies) if you want (assuming you are using rimless, non-belted cartridges).

And I will take on your 67 year old enfield with my 1867 Dane roller any time you want!