New Barrel But No Gauges

[Old Navy]

More kudos to James Briggs at Northland Shooters Supply. I ordered a new Shilen pre-fit in 6mm Creedmoor this morning. Had a UPS number by mid afternoon. Barrel is due here Thurs. Have a couple problems though. Jim was out of head space gauges. I have a friend that has them but he is off deer hunting. Second problem is I won't have new Lapua brass for a week after the barrel arrives. What I do have is some used 6.5 CM that has been fired several times in a gas gun. I full length resized three cases to 6mm and took some measurements. I compared what I got to the Saami drawing. They are +.001" at the .200" area and -.002" at the neck shoulder junction. Loaded rounds are -.002 under advertised chamber neck diameter. The only thing I don't know is what to do about headspace. I have replaced several Savage barrels and I have the tools. I would like to get this shooting ASAP using this brass as a go gauge if this is possible. I do have the Hornady comparators #375 and #350. Your opinions please. Thanks.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

As long as your die will bump em theres no issue- you can set it where you want

 

[gman47564]

old navy with the hornady 375 comparator my go gauge measures 1.5535 .. you could use your case and add tape to the base of it to get to that number and use your case... i would still recheck it when you get your new brass but that would get you started till then...

 

[std7mag]

4D Reamer Rental.

Just say'n....

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I have, when building wildcat guns used a sized case. But filled it with epoxy to prevent crushing. Works OK, but no great substitute for the real thing. If you are using a barrel nut, adjustments could be made after firing

 

[Old Navy]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. You told me exactly what I wanted to know. The un-sized brass out of my Aero M5 measure 1.560" with the 375 comparator. I scrounged around in my reloading room and came up with two pieces of range brass head stamped Peterson 6mm Creedmoor. They both measured 1.559". Looks like I have what I need. Thanks again. Frank

 

[Twicepop]

I had a 'smith put together a rifle of mine with a brand new Lapua case as a substitute for a head space gauge. It seemed to shoot very well, then I checked the fired cases against a new Wilson case gauge and a depth mike, they were all -.005" below the zero on the case gauge.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I had a 'smith put together a rifle of mine with a brand new Lapua case as a substitute for a head space gauge. It seemed to shoot very well, then I checked the fired cases against a new Wilson case gauge and a depth mike, they were all -.005" below the zero on the case gauge.

It seemed to shoot well, or it did shoot well? If you reload how big of an issue was this to you?

 

[PatMiles]

PM inbound.

 

[kelbro]

You asked for opinions...I would just wait until I had the proper tools. What's the rush?

 

[Dgd6mm]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. You told me exactly what I wanted to know. The un-sized brass out of my Aero M5 measure 1.560" with the 375 comparator. I scrounged around in my reloading room and came up with two pieces of range brass head stamped Peterson 6mm Creedmoor. They both measured 1.559". Looks like I have what I need. Thanks again. Frank

Well, is it screwed on and headspaced?

 

[Texas10]

Something to do before you screw the barrel on the action is to take your brass and fit it in the chamber. Does it fit with no interference? Then seat a bullet long and drop it into the chamber, giving it a good tap with your finger, then pull it back out using your fingernails. Seat the bullet a bit deeper and repeat until you can pull the case back out with just a little effort. That's your "touch" measurement for that bullet.

I found that by plugging the muzzle end with my finger tip and popping the case into the chamber that it would pop back out on it's own as the bullet reached the light touch point due to air inside the barrel being compressed. That became a very reliable method to establish touch.

 

[Webster]

More kudos to James Briggs at Northland Shooters Supply. I ordered a new Shilen pre-fit in 6mm Creedmoor this morning. Had a UPS number by mid afternoon. Barrel is due here Thurs. Have a couple problems though. Jim was out of head space gauges. I have a friend that has them but he is off deer hunting. Second problem is I won't have new Lapua brass for a week after the barrel arrives. What I do have is some used 6.5 CM that has been fired several times in a gas gun. I full length resized three cases to 6mm and took some measurements. I compared what I got to the Saami drawing. They are +.001" at the .200" area and -.002" at the neck shoulder junction. Loaded rounds are -.002 under advertised chamber neck diameter. The only thing I don't know is what to do about headspace. I have replaced several Savage barrels and I have the tools. I would like to get this shooting ASAP using this brass as a go gauge if this is possible. I do have the Hornady comparators #375 and #350. Your opinions please. Thanks.

As long as you can size and chamber a new cartridge, fire it resize it and it chambers I don't think you need any gauges. my impression is that the gauges just insure you can chamber factory ammo. In a sense you have created a wildcat cartridge maybe a few thou different than a SAAMI spec round.

 

[Old Navy]

Well, is it screwed on and headspaced?

Barrel will be here Thurs. afternoon. As far as waiting and what is the rush? A new barrel sitting on the bench and not playing with it is just like Xmax morning when I was a child.

 

[Twicepop]

We

It seemed to shoot well, or it did shoot well? If you reload how big of an issue was this to you?

Well honestly I haven't spent much time with it. I bit off more than I can effectively chew this year, I mow ditch banks for two townships, I take care of my own property and my oldest brother died this year and I've been managing his property/estate also. Oh and by the way I do reload so it probably won't be a big deal to "adjust" for the head spacing being off a bit. It's a Savage so resetting the head space isn't rocket science either, getting a head space gauge and making the time to do it are the issues. MY point was using a Lapua cartridge case isn't always a reliable replacement for the proper tooling/gauge.

 

[M-61]

MY point was using a Lapua cartridge case isn't always a reliable replacement for the proper tooling/gauge.

I agree 100%. There seems to be many ways to be short cut a method but I am a firm believer in the proper tools to do a job.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

I have used a fired case in the past with perfect results. An old timer at the club told me if using new brass put 2 layers of cellophane tape on the primer end and use it as a headspace gauge.

 

[LVLAaron]

EABCO carries Head Space Gauges, Go and No-Go and Field Gauges

Precision headspace gauges for precise rifle chamber measurements. Find the perfect fit for your firearm at EABCO. Shop now!

www.eabco.net

 

[Old Navy]

Ok! The barrel is on and I think properly head spaced. The 6mm CM case I sized to us as my go gauge measures 1.554" with my #375 comparator. Loaded three rounds of 107s over 40 grains of H4350. After firing two measured 1.5555 and one was 1.556". I think I will go with this for now. Thanks for all the input guys.

 

[Uncle Ed]

At Savage Shooters you can read about someone using a cartridge case and scotch tape to set their headspace.

The next post you read from the same poster is "Help my sizing die will not bump my shoulder back". Meaning the headspace was set shorter than the GO gauge and the resizing die had no effect on the case shoulder.

After sizing you need head clearance or a little air space between the rear of the case and the bolt face.

Full length resizing will squeeze the case body forward and make the case headspace longer than the chamber. And your die must be able to bump, setback or move the shoulder back down shorter than the chamber.

P.S. If you are only neck sizing I will tell ‎Erik Cortina and you will end up on his shit list.