You are welcome, you posted a question on a forum, I responded. When comparing information provided by other members, I disagree with your "has no value" I believe you are better off than you would have been had I not made a contribution and I believe this thread would have gone on being explained in lofty terms that would have would qualify under the umbrella of "has no value"
"Fguffey no matter what knowledge you have it you load it with sarcasm it has no value. And oh by the way the rifle I do have is headspaced at 1.631 how do I know this. If you have experience with the weapon other...."
"headspaced at 1.631 how do I know this" there is an outside chance there are others that do not have a clue what you are talking about. In the real world when talking to someone and the they start talking about head space and datum line the conversation always takes the ugly turn, because? They use the term head space and datum in lofty terms they do not understand, their "Repertoire". is solely based on memory work, they have no working knowledge of head space or datum lines.
I make that statement to qualify a question. "how do I know this"
How do you know the head space (at) is 1.631? Based on the information provided:
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/58127-55.html
Guaranteed! A head space gage will not chamber in a chamber with less than .005 thousands clearence, and that is the reason I make cases for short chambrs.
"BTW my rifle is a FN SPR A3G" Guaranteed! and do not forget the part where I said the head space gage if fragile? or, if you want to stretch the action of a rifle chamber a head space gage that is too long then check to see if the action has spring back, memory or recovery, legend has it one gunsmith during his army days checked all 30/06 chamber with a field reject gage, and he may have had enemies because he was blamed for all the rifles with long chambers, but then it could be legend, some have trouble distinguishing the difference between fact/fiction and legend.
Lynn, First, I ask if you meant to say etc., then I added a post that stated all my shell holders have a deck height of .125 meaning I have 4 Rock Chuckers, 2 with Piggy backs,7 Herters, in other words I collect and use reloading presses, there is absolutely no distinguishable difference between presses when moving a shell holder from one press to another because the sizer die is adjusted to the shell holder, and I do not grind the top of the shell holder or bottom of the die because it is not necessary, it would be mindless but not necessary.
Back to the confusion, the use of the feeler gage, Herter shell holders, I have lots of Herters shell holders, Herter shell holders are among the best but not for someone that forms cases before firing or for someone that cuts chambers, the Herters shell holder is #ONE for someone that shoots heavy loads,to explain that I would need another week.
RCBS shell holders are loose, for a purpose, centering the case in the die when the ram is raised, I would need another week to explain what happens when the ram gets to the top, anyhow, when a 30/06 case is placed into the #3 shell holder there is .012 thousands space between the deck of the shell holder and bottom of the case head, meaning I can place a .012 thousands thick feeler gage (Redding calls it a thickness gage) between the deck of the shell holder and head of the case, means nothing to someone that does not chamber rifles or forms cases but when shimming the case up with a feeler gage I reduce the length of the case from the head of the case to it's shoulder by .012 thousands (that is .017 thousands shorter than a go gage chamber when measured from the face of the bolt to the shoulder of the chamber. When forming cases for short chambers the feller gage allows me 17 options from -.012 thousands shorter than a full length sized case to .001 thousands head space or .004 longer than a minimum length/full length sized case.
You insist a small base die is required and the feeler gage is a foreign tool, also foreign to reloaders, transfer, standard and verify. The feeler gage is a transfer, it is a standard and I use it to verify.
The feeler gage and the small base die and Speers definition of a small base die? The answer is in the book under definition of terms. I took a picture of my gages and micrometers the other day, the picture weighed 400lbs.
The case is tapered, the tapper creates a cone, the cone when measured has varying diameters (I believe it would take me 2 weeks to explain that one), It has been decided the deck height of the shell holder of .125 prevents the case head from being sized because the the die sizes, not the shell holder, then their is the radius, around the opening of the die, meaning the bottom of the die adds .025+ to the un-sized case head +., Case head protrusion, the Mauser has .110+ head space, the Springfield 03 and M1917 has .090 when measured from the bottom of the extractor groove in the coned faced barrel.
Back to small base dies, I have small base dies that go back to BAR in 300 Win Mag, 270 Winchester and 30/06 Springfield, measuring the difference between small base and standard dies goes back to Speers definition of small base dies, but when the feeler ages is used on a cone shaped case with vering diameters the bottom of the case is sized and the diameter is reduced, the same for the shoulder, a foreign term for me is 'BUMP' because I am a case former, not a fire former, after firing a case my cases become once fired cases, others fire to form. A term I do not care to use is relative as in everything is relative but when using a versatile full length sizer die with the feeler gage when sizing everything is relative, the case at the web is reduced, the taper is reduced and the shoulder is moved back, as to back, we go back to the OP problem, he could have used a feeler gage to reduce the length of the case and reduced the diameter of the case at the web ONLY to determine if the case required additional sizing from the die.
Distinguishing the difference between fact and fiction, truth from nonsense, in my effort when I question the answers and question an OP to clarify the question some understand my intent, others make left hand turns, never my intent to offend, my intention is to gain more information so I can more clearly distinguish fact from fiction and truth from nonsense.
Standards, there is nothing more 'standard' than the feeler gage, there is no better way to transfer a measurment than with the feeler gage, there is no better way to verify a measurment/adjustmen than with a feeler gage
feeler gage: The companion tool to the press.
F. Guffey
