First post and savage belted magnum barrel question

JFriesen

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Nebraska
Hi y'all. I've been reading this forum for years and enjoyed it. Finally had a reason to join. I've got a savage 300 win that I put together with a mcgow'n barrel on it. I recently put a new bolt face on it because the other one was all etched out from leaky primers/ hot loads/ shot ejector. My new head spacing is tighter. My go gauge doesn't want to close much at all. My old 8+ fired win brass doesn't close well. But all my newer fed and Norma brass and brand new win brass closes easy. Am I better off to keep it tight for head separation issues (as long as my loads chamber) or tear it down and back it off a bit? I neck size and minimal shoulder bump after a few fires normally.
 
Hi y'all. I've been reading this forum for years and enjoyed it. Finally had a reason to join. I've got a savage 300 win that I put together with a mcgow'n barrel on it. I recently put a new bolt face on it because the other one was all etched out from leaky primers/ hot loads/ shot ejector. My new head spacing is tighter. My go gauge doesn't want to close much at all. My old 8+ fired win brass doesn't close well. But all my newer fed and Norma brass and brand new win brass closes easy. Am I better off to keep it tight for head separation issues (as long as my loads chamber) or tear it down and back it off a bit? I neck size and minimal shoulder bump after a few fires normally.
Savages tear down very quickly with the correct tools. If it were mine I would re-headspace it to close correctly on the go-gauge. That will insure all ammo and brass will fit. Being your old brass fits that chamber it would allow you to use it also.
Imho,
Randy
 
Thanks Randy. Kinda being lazy with not doing it, but my justification to myself is. "Maybe I'm saving needless head stretch on my cases going forward?"
And I don't necessarily have the right tools. I do have a barrel nut wrench but my barrel vise was an oak block I drilled out, cut in half, and clamped in my giant vice in the shop. Not sure where the pieces went. Maybe the wood stove
 
J
You should correct the headspace for several reasons. A belted mag headspaces off the belt. So you now have a out of spec chamber and it will always give you difficultly. Yes some new brass may fit and some may not. The reason the old brass doesn't fit is because it is headspacing off of the shoulder. Also if you sell or pass the gun on then someone else will have problems and not know the history. I assume you have a barrel marked 300 Win Mag so make it a correct 300 Win Mag and avoid all future problems.
Just my .02 cents worth.
 
Tail officially tucked. Will loosen it up to spec. To clarify though. The 8+ times fired brass that wouldn't chamber was full lengthed sized. My less used brass that would chamber easy was all fired before my bolt change and not resized. So I'm not running into tight shoulder headspacing. It's all that dang ol belt. Not trying to argue. Just found it interesting that brass could grow from face to belt that much. Thanks guys
 
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