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How to adjust barrel for headspace?

Hi,

I've watched several videos and read articles about putting on a new barrel and have a question. Does the barrel face have to be trimmed to get the correct head space?

I'm thinking about getting a LH Tikka t3 varmint in 260 as a tactical rifle and putting a heavier barrel on when the first barrel wears out.

Thanks.
 
ba_50 said:
Hi,

I've watched several videos and read articles about putting on a new barrel and have a question. Does the barrel face have to be trimmed to get the correct head space?

I'm thinking about getting a LH Tikka t3 varmint in 260 as a tactical rifle and putting a heavier barrel on when the first barrel wears out.

Thanks.

Who makes prefits for Tikkas?
 
Preacher said:
Headspace will be off the shoulder of the tenon...

What does that mean? I don't know about pre-fits for Tikka's. Never paid much attention to them until there were people saying the actions were well trued, had very good triggers, and 60 degree bolt throws.
 
ba_50 said:
Preacher said:
Headspace will be off the shoulder of the tenon...

What does that mean? I don't know about pre-fits for Tikka's. Never paid much attention to them until there were people saying the actions were well trued, had very good triggers, and 60 degree bolt throws.

Find a gunsmith to do this for you. Your question has been answered and you are still lost.
 
Honestly bud, I gotta tell ya. Unfortunately this is probably a bad place to ask such a question. You will no doubt get cheap jabs and insults thrown your way for personal entertainment, because most folks on a forum know that they probably never meet you in person.

On a lighter note regarding the headspace question, the precise headspace dimension is determined off the shoulder of the cartridge (.206 Rem) to the breech face or the bolt face. This dimension is achieved by the machined shoulder of the barrel where it meets the action face or recoil lug surface. If the shoulder dimension is set back, then so must all of the other dimensions be set back as well, which will require a proper chamber reamer as well as setting back the the face of the barrel for proper breech face clearance.

Now for a more serious note, if you are this unfamiliar with the process, for safety's sake, I would strongly stress that you contact a qualified gunsmith who can take care of this job for you.

Good luck,

JS
 
Jscandale,

I figured that was the way it worked but wasn't sure. I am familiar with most of the terms you talked about. Sometimes terminology makes the difference. I know a rimless case headspaces on the shoulder but don't know what a tenon is. If I need a lathe, than yes it would be too much of a project for me. In spite of that, I am still interested in how it works.

Yes it's too bad some people get their kicks putting others down to make them feel better about themselves or just get plain nasty for whatever reason. Sometimes you have to develop a thick skin on the net.
I just try to focus on the ones who try and explain what I want to know the easiest way possible. If they don't want to answer the question, that is ok too.
 
[J S } thank you as i have asked a lot of questions on here and for the most part have gotten good answers. BA-50 the very best advice was to read a lot of books and underline what is important to you go back read the parts that you marked and see if you still get it. find a good loc. smith or another well shooter and just set down and talk you can even buy the drinks bet it will be a really good curve. take care and be safe to you and others. rick just my 2 cents
 
50,

A tenon is the section that is turned down to a specific diameter. A threaded tenon is that section with the addition of threads cut on some portion or all of it in order to accept an action or barrel extension. Here is an example of a threaded tenon before and after the chamber is cut.
9DB1D1D6-2078-40D7-A53A-01F3CBD26E37_zpsx5tzdilk.jpg


00e412ac273658b6b8a74b018045747a_zps3e72500b.jpg


In order to accomplish what you want, you will most assuredly need a lathe, good measuring tools, and a bit of experience to tackle the job. Not impossible, just not a ground floor kind of operation.

JS
 
There are several measurements considered when the headspace is being set, and they are relational. The barrel is adjusted to fit the action. Then the chamber is cut adjusting the relationship of the chamber and bolt face. There must be clearance between the barrel tenon and bolt face/lugs (+003" - .0010"). The chamber (SAAMI spec) is cut to allow the bolt to close on the case or Go gauge and not close on a No Go gauge. (+.0035") . There are three types of headspce gauges one type measures off the case rim, one type measures off a magnum belt, and the third type measures of an imaginary line (datum line) half way between the shoulder and case neck and the rear of the case-head.

Frank de Hass book "Bolt Action Rifles", 4th edition Edited by Dr. Wayne Van Zwoll has as good of explanation of headspacing as any I have ever seen.
Nat Lambeth
 
Thank you for the explanations. I do have a book coming on rebarreling actions and ordered Frank De Haas book from the library.

My M70 target rifle barrel was canted enough to throw off a Unertl scope off a lot. I asked the local gunsmith about fixing it and he said it was like opening a can of worms. I have a receiver mounted scope on it now.

I am not a machinist and don't have the equipment anyhow but this information is useful. Too much knowledge is better than not enough.

Thanks again.
 
It's only a can I worms for a 70 with a claw extractor provided the screw holes were not drilled 90° from the extractor slot. Even then, it's not that hard to fix with the right stuff. In any case. A finish reamer is needed.

JS
 
Erik Cortina said:
ba_50 said:
Preacher said:
Headspace will be off the shoulder of the tenon...

What does that mean? I don't know about pre-fits for Tikka's. Never paid much attention to them until there were people saying the actions were well trued, had very good triggers, and 60 degree bolt throws.

Find a gunsmith to do this for you. Your question has been answered and you are still lost.
:-[


Thank You jscandale for answering a question with such helpfulness.
 
ba_50 said:
Yes it's too bad some people get their kicks putting others down to make them feel better about themselves or just get plain nasty for whatever reason. Sometimes you have to develop a thick skin on the net.
I just try to focus on the ones who try and explain what I want to know the easiest way possible. If they don't want to answer the question, that is ok too.

Don't let people like that discourage you from participating on this and other forums. Everyone was a newb once, and asking questions is how you learn. Good luck.
 
ba_50 said:
Hi,

I've watched several videos and read articles about putting on a new barrel and have a question. Does the barrel face have to be trimmed to get the correct head space?

Thanks.

ba-50, I have suggested some forums decorate their home page with toys, seesaws, and merry go rounds, the toys and playground equipment could warn unsuspecting visitor when they attempt to participate. I have had some exciting days dealing with business and individuals that gave no warning that that doing business with them would require dealing with adults that behave like children. The exciting part came when I accused them of behaving like children.

Douglass furnished instructions with their barrels they identified as 'finished barrels'. It was not implied the barrel was finished, it was understood the barrel required fitting. Fitting the barrel could require removing material from the front of the receiver or from the shoulder at the end of the barrel shank/threads.

Measuring the receiver: I believe there are participants on this forum that can measure a receiver as in from the 'C' ring down to the bolt face and from the front of the receiver to the 'C'/torque and furnish the measurements to another member for the purpose of having a furnished barrel made to fit their receiver.

Bolts, Same thing. There could be 2 people I know that I could order a bolt from that would fit based on my measurements. A collector/builder/reloader built a period correct 1911 Rock Island 03. Problem, he had no fewer than eight 30/06 head space gages, none of them fit. I was purchasing a mill from him when he explained the problem. He also explained dealing with head space on a gun forum 'just worn him out'. I explained to him we would make a head space gage, one that would measure the length of the chamber in thousandths. I also explained to him there were three different ways and not one of the three involved a head space gage.

The length of his chamber was .0025: longer than a go-gage length chamber, his chamber was .0075" longer than a minimum length/full length size case/factory ammo. I have no fewer than 40 03 Springfield type bolts, he had/has no fewer than 90 Springfield type bolts, not one of the 130 bolts would correct the head space/length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face and "STILL BE PERIOD CORRECT". Meaning we had 4 straight handle bolts between us and my straight handle 03 bolt was and is being used.

The collector/builder/reloader owns and operates the only hydraulically operated reloading press I know of. While building it presses were destroyed, the press itself had to be built from scratch.

F. Guffey
 

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