Case head squaring

goodgrouper · #1 01-09-2005, 10:02 AM

Is anyone currently doing this and what has been your experience?

I have a friend who makes a good argument for doing it, but I never have done it, and we've both attained good groups from our rifles. I can see the logic behind it but do you think it really does anything?

#2 01-09-2005, 10:09 AM

You must be doing this at work? OLD BEAR

Varmint Hunter · #3 01-09-2005, 02:41 PM

I can't see the logic behind it. You can make a case head perfectly square but it will only stay that way if you don't fire it. The first time that you fire your "squared" case it will conform to the chamber and only be as square as your bolt face and chamber is to begin with. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

#4 01-09-2005, 05:26 PM

Varmint Hunter is right , if you square your case head then fire it in a rifle that has bot been "blueprinted" so that the lugs and bolt face are square with the bore of the barrel then you just going to end up with a fired case that is gonna need squaring again !
How the hell would you square a case head anyway , what do you use as your index ?

goodgrouper · #5 01-09-2005, 06:23 PM

VH, and J Jones,
Let's suppose the action has been blueprinted. My friend's argument is that squaring a bolt face would especially help when squaring case heads. In other words, a square bolt is squared for straight cartridge alignment but it only works if the case is square. It is a two part system and both parts must be done to gain any benefit.
I kinda think that it is picking fly crap out of the pepper as I have seen many a small group without the cases being squared, but his theory does make good sense.
As far as how to do it, he turns his heads on a wilson trimmer that has been altered to trimming on both ends of the case. I have seen his setup only a few times, and I can't remember exactly how his trimmer has been altered, but I know that he ordered ALL the parts from Sinclair. I believe he is indexing off the Wilson case gages. Of course they only make those things in certain calibers so if you have a wildcat you probably can't do it. I would think that you would only be able to do this technique before your gunsmith threads on and headspaces your barrel or else your headspace would be off several thousandths.
Anyway, I'm curious what you think. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

bchannell · #6 01-09-2005, 07:48 PM

I tried it several years ago for a couple of custom rifles I had Shilen build. The guns both shot awesome, and I thought it would make them shoot even better. I couldn't really tell any difference between 1/4" groups at 100 yards. By the way a Wilson case trimmer is used to square them. You simply turn the case holder around, and take as little as possible off the head to clean it up all the way around.

jb1000br · #7 01-10-2005, 09:41 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I tried it several years ago for a couple of custom rifles I had Shilen build. The guns both shot awesome, and I thought it would make them shoot even better. I couldn't really tell any difference between 1/4" groups at 100 yards. By the way a Wilson case trimmer is used to square them. You simply turn the case holder around, and take as little as possible off the head to clean it up all the way around.

[/ QUOTE ]

THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE FOLKS AT WILSON!!!

jb