I for one, won't be hard on you, I just don't agree with you. Maybe you've never had a problem, and I sincerely hope you never do. More is the danger that someone new to the barrel nut Savage will read your endorsements of using brass, and not fully understanding what they're reading, or the implications, will try it, get it wrong, and have a KABOOM.

Not worth it at all in my book. I don't even remember what a Go gauge costs, like $25 or $30? That is dirt cheap life insurance in my book. I have bought a gauge each time I've swapped a barrel in a new cartridge. I have them for 204, 22-250/250 Sav, 223, 243/308, 257 Rob/7x57, and 6.5x284/284. If I do a cartridge that I don't have the gauge for, I wouldn't hesitate to just buy the new gauge.

I will gladly lend any one of these gauges to any paid forum member here, all I would ask is that you pay the return postage when you're done installing your barrel.

I truly, don't get it that this is something folks will go cheap on and try to save a buck.

One of life's great mysteries.