Is it worth the effort to try to match up head-space on two different rifles

[hockeyref]

So I just received a Shilen Savage prefit with a .223 Wylde chamber.... I also have a .223 Tikka T3 that my daughter uses for mid range F\TR. Do I want to just set up the Shilen with a minimum head-space or try to match up with the head-space of the Tikka? It's not a question of brass life as I have probably 10k LC cases (I think all are 90's head stamp) sitting around and a couple hundred virgin WW from the late 90's. It's more not wanting to mess with multiple die sets or settings. As it is, I'll need to segregate some of the brass for the AR's.

I have a couple thoughts in mind at the moment:
1) I am leaning towards setting it up minimum head-space, segregating fired brass, getting appropriate neck bushings for each rifle. and develop totally separate loads which would likely maximize the potential of each rifle.
2) Set them up close, bump the shoulder .002", and develop a "common load" to maximize what little time I have to reload.
3) I could invest in BHA reman and deal with what I get accuracy wise if I can find it at a price I'm willing to pay... (not likely)
4) It would be hard to go wrong with 24ish grains of RE15 behind anything 75-80 grains @ mag length or just short of the rifling in the shorter chamber....
5) 24ish grains of I4895 behind anything 75-80 grains might not be too bad either.

Things to consider....
The Tikka appears to have a really short throat which seems to be designed for Mag length 77's (I forget what I measured, but I believe that it's shorter than a CLE based on where an 80 SMK touched). It shoots BHA reman 75 Hdy BTHPM pretty good out to 500 yards (farthest we've shot it).

I have not yet measured the OAL for the Shilen yet, but it should be a bit further out there than the Tikka. I have no qualms with jumping bullets. In fact, I've had some pretty good loads that jumped a good ways....

Bullet choices - most of these I have at least 500 in the bench:
80 SMK
77 SMK
77 Nosler
75 Amax
75 Hdy BTHP

Bergers? Love 'em but can't afford them at the moment

Powders on hand in order of my preferred use:
RE15
I4895
AA2230

VV N140
VV N540

Don't even suggest Varget, I won't use it...

 

[Erik Cortina]

Have you tried Varget? ;D Sorry, couldn't help myself!

I would set them up as close as possible to each other so that you can use the same die setting on both. I have all my barrels set up the same way. Once you do that, I would work up a load for each barrel and get the most accuracy out of each. You will probably end up with similar loads on both anyway, but you will not know that until you try.

 

[memilanuk]

I'd say take a fired case from the Tikka, decap it, and use it to headspace the barrel on your Savage. Screw it down hand tight to a snug fit, then tighten the barrel nut to take up the slack in the threads (which should pull the barrel forward just a fuzz). Stick some masking or painter's tape on the case head and carefully trim to fit, and use that as a NO-GO gauge (the tape is typically 3-4 thou thickness) to check that you got it right. At that point your headspace should be within 0.001" between the two barrels... maybe 0.002 at the worst. You should be able to bump the shoulder 0.001-0.002" during sizing and get the case to chamber freely in either gun without having to over-size it.

Of the powders listed... I'd probably lean towards RE-15 first, and then maybe N140, followed by N540. AA2230 is a little on the fast side... AA2230C (an off-lot that fell between AA2230 and AA2460) worked okay with 77s, and some people like H4895 so I'd imagine I4895 should work as well. If you can't / won't use Varget, N150 has been *very* good to me in a .223 Rem bolt gun (and .308, and 6 BR, and 6 Dasher...). For newer powder options, you might check out Aliant 2000MR... dense ball powder, reasonably temp stable (not quite as good as Varget, sorry) and people are reporting some incredible speeds with heavy bullets in .223 and .308. I've only used in .308 so far; just haven't had time with everything else going on to test *every* thing... Do a search on here for 2000MR and I think you'll get some hits.

 

[bigedp51]

Your Wylde chamber will have a throat longer than any AR rifle and chamber dimensions more generous than the military chamber. Standard practice for shoulder bump is .001 to .002 on bolt actions and .003 to .004 on semi-automatics like your AR. Using these methods you will still have two shoulder bump standards and die shim washers or custom shell holder will be needed anyway if you do not have two sets of dies.

 

[memilanuk]

Your Wylde chamber will have a throat longer than any AR rifle

...except ARs that come with a Wylde chamber, such as a modern AR Service Rifle or Match Rifle, or a similar barrel.

Just sayin'... they do exist and aren't exactly rare.

 

[hockeyref]

Very funny Erik... 8) I have my reasons for not using Varget....

memilanuk..... That procedure is about what I was thinking of doing. Nice to have a confirmation.... my standard AR RE15 load is 24.3gr with 75, 77, and 80's.,,, I'll probably start there.... I used 25gr for JLK 90's - yeah that one is a bit HOT!.... I'd have to go back and look at my notes for the other powders... By any chance did you post on the dutyroster back in the late 90's, early 2k?

BigEd.... I have that drawing..... Interesting to see the variations between the different reamers. FWIW I generally bumped my shoulders back .002" for my AR loads.... That said, I'll most likely be getting a fresh set of dies for the bolt guns.... My loading process for the AR has been established for 15 years.... I had one of those Eagle extra heavy AR barrels back in '97. It shot well but died on the 600 yard line of Viale in '99..... I forget where I seated the 80's at but they were out there a ways...

The throat on my AR that Holliger set up for JLK 90's goes out there a ways.....

 

[memilanuk]

dutyroster... don't think so. Maybe over on nationalmatch.us in the early-mid 2000s... I'm thinkin' I recall your moniker over there.

 

[hockeyref]

Definitely on the NM and LR boards.... and I probably asked you about the DutyRoster before too (several times maybe? : )...
Sorry, I'm suffering from increased "CRS" these days.... But after 15 years on these boards they all seem to run together....
I try to keep the same Handle so in most cases if you see a "Hockeyref" on a shooting board it's me...