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Rebarreling Question

Dwedemeier

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Mar 21, 2017
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Can you headspace a new savage barrel with hand loaded dumby rounds? I know this might not sound like the brightest idea but gauges are crazy expensive. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks! gun)
 
What caliber? Someone here might have one to loan out, imo your best choice. To answer your question, yes it can and has been done. Don't use loaded ammo. Brass is soft so don't go heavy when you screw the barrel on you can compress the brass. Removing the ejector will help with feel. Virgin brass is almost always on the short side so you may end up with headspace to short. The reason not loaded ammo is there is a chance the bullet may contact the lands and give you a false headspace reading. Again please try to get a real headspace gauge.
 
Can you headspace a new savage barrel with hand loaded dumby rounds? I know this might not sound like the brightest idea but gauges are crazy expensive. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks! gun)

I would highly recommend AGAINST doing this. Just go buy yourself a set of Go/No-Go gauges...They're not that expensive compared to the cost of a new barrel...
 
Not that I'll admit to doing it because it'll elicit howls of protests here, but you can easily do it with a couple of pieces of virgin brass. Do NOT load them or seat a bullet, you only need the brass itself. Take a piece of scotch tape and put it on the head of one piece & trim it around the edges with a knife, this becomes your NO-GO gauge (scotch tape is about .003" thick). Use the other piece for the GO gauge. Screw the barrel into the receiver with the bolt closed until it stops then back it out a couple of turns, put the piece without the tape in the chamber (the GO gauge) then gently screw the barrel down until it stops. Take that piece of brass out and insert the one with the tape on the face (the NO-GO gauge) and gently try and close the bolt. It shouldn't close. Tighten the barrel nut down and recheck them again to see if anything has moved. There really isn't a need to remove the ejector, it'll retract just fine.

Theoretically I might have done this multiple times and every one of them has worked perfectly. The first time I rebarreled a savage I bought the headspace gauges, after that I decided it was a waste of money. Attempt at your own risk.
 
It has been suggested that one could use an epoxy filled fired case if you are concerned with empty brass "giving'.

I've used this method but prefer go no go gauges.
Luckily for me the majority of my cartridges are belted magnums, they use the same Guage.
 
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