Headspace Advice Needed

[winmagman]

I need a little advice on where to headspace a .243 on a Savage action that I'm putting together for my sons to shoot. I've done 3 other barrel installs on Savages so this isn't completely new to me , but I usually just use a case since the other 3 are wildcats or never see factory ammo.

This time I will be using a Go Guage since this one may have some factory rounds put through it. So what I need to know is, would you just turn the barrel in until it hits the guage and trust that tightening down the barrel nut gives you enough headspace? Or shim the back of the guage, and if so how much, then tighten down the barrel and barrel nut?

Thanks for your input.

Chris

[bigngreen]

I recently re-head spaced my Savage 270WSM and I went with the go gauge plus one piece of tape which added .002. I made it snug on tape and when I checked factory cases I had .004 of head space on new cases with the same bolt drop as I had on the head space guage plus .002 of tape.
That's all I know

[Loner]

It's a go gauge, if your bolt closes you have enough headspace.

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by winmagman

I need a little advice on where to headspace a .243 on a Savage action that I'm putting together for my sons to shoot. I've done 3 other barrel installs on Savages so this isn't completely new to me , but I usually just use a case since the other 3 are wildcats or never see factory ammo.

This time I will be using a Go Guage since this one may have some factory rounds put through it. So what I need to know is, would you just turn the barrel in until it hits the guage and trust that tightening down the barrel nut gives you enough headspace? Or shim the back of the guage, and if so how much, then tighten down the barrel and barrel nut?

Thanks for your input.

Chris

With the savage action , use a go gauge and just snug the barrel against the gauge (Do not
tighten) as you tighten the barrel nut it will loosen the headspace just a little. when you are
though tightening the nut you can check it buy placing a .001, .002 , and a .003 thousandths
shim behind the go gauge with a touch of grease to hold it to the gauge.

When it wont close on a shim with out pressure it is head spaced the size down from the one
that it doesn't want to close on .( The thickest it will close on with out forcing it).

It should end up between .001 and .002 thousandths.

If you use a factory round it can end up to tight or lose because factory ammo varies up to
.010 to .012 thousandths in length.

Use a head space gauge and make it right.

PS; some use scotch tape with good results but if you are not use to doing it this way the tape
will compress and give you false results.

J E CUSTOM

[Gene]

I buy only go guages. For no go, I cut a small circle of self adhesive mailing label - about .002" thick - and place it on back of the guage.

[winmagman]

Thanks guys,

Wasn't quite sure about setting things up to accomodate factory ammo, appreciate the help. Now as soon as the go guage gets here I'll be putting the info to good use.

Chris

[winmagman]

Well, things turned out about as well as I could hope for.

Opted to use the Go guage without shimming, and am very pleased with the results. The calipers read 3.620 when I measured the Go guage with a head and shoulder guage. On brass that measured 3.621 the bolt closed as if the chamber were empty and on brass that measured 3.623 I had a slight crushed fit.

I will say using the Go guage is a heck of alot easier and less time consuming than using brass.

Once again thanks for the input.

Chris