headspacing question

[Smokepoles]

I have a question about setting headspace I'm hoping one of you can answer for me.
If one were to take a take off barrel with a known proper chamber from say a 700, and install it on another 700 action could the headspace then be set using nothing more than recoil lug thickness? I'm not a smith and am not saying this is a good, bad, or safe idea but it sounds like it would work to me. I'm not asking about anything being perfectly true, just about the basic theory. With all the switch barrel and barrel nut set ups it sounds like it could be an easy way to do it with lugs of different thicknesses or being able to precision grind one to your needed thickness. If this is a stupid question I apologize, but unless I'm missing something I cant think of a reason it wouldn't work. Thank you for helping me understand this

 

[toddc]

Tag. Seems 100% legit but I'm a Savage guy not a Remmy guy.

 

[J E Custom]

I have a question about setting headspace I'm hoping one of you can answer for me.
If one were to take a take off barrel with a known proper chamber from say a 700, and install it on another 700 action could the headspace then be set using nothing more than recoil lug thickness? I'm not a smith and am not saying this is a good, bad, or safe idea but it sounds like it would work to me. I'm not asking about anything being perfectly true, just about the basic theory. With all the switch barrel and barrel nut set ups it sounds like it could be an easy way to do it with lugs of different thicknesses or being able to precision grind one to your needed thickness. If this is a stupid question I apologize, but unless I'm missing something I cant think of a reason it wouldn't work. Thank you for helping me understand this

Actually, Many rifle makers do exactly that and have different thicknesses of recoil lugs to correct head space that is beyond spec.

The barrels are pre chambered and threaded before assembly and are not always exactly dimensioned. There are standard recoil lug thicknesses and the 700 Remington normally uses a .187 thick lug. And the factory assembler has many different thickness to chose from in .0005 increments to bring the head space in spec. Aftermarket replacements are normally .186 to .500

It is also common when facing of the receiver (Part of the blueprinting process) the smith removes just enough to replace the factory lug with a .200 thick lug and headspace the factory chamber correctly.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Smokepoles]

Thanks JE, I figured that was probably common practice somewhere unless I was missing something. Thanks for clearing that up for me.