Ruger Precision - new barrel install - Go Gauge?

[CA_Shooter]

Hi Everyone,


Tightened down the barrel on my RPR with a new Krieger 6.5 Creedmoor


For the No-Go Gauge, bolt won’t shut = good


For the Go Gauge, bolt will shut. It will close using just my fingernail very lightly. However when removing the firing pin assembly I feel a bit more tension with the Go Gauge vs nothing in the barrel.


Per Brownells IMPORTANT section below, they say I should feel the same tension with the Go Gauge as with nothing:


Open and close the stripped bolt on an empty chamber several times to get a feel for the amount of resistance the bolt has to closing. Slip the GO gauge into the chamber and with the pressure of only one finger, attempt to close the bolt. If you are working with a Remington rifle, or any rifle where the extractor cannot be readily removed, slip the rim of the gauge under the extractor on the bolt, and push the bolt and gauge forward to chamber the gauge. Attempt to close the bolt handle. IMPORTANT: If you feel any resistance to closing greater than you had with the chamber empty, stop right there. Don’t force the bolt closed. The bolt handle gives you a tremendous amount of leverage, so to avoid damage to the gauge or rifle, use only minimal pressure to close the bolt.

http://[URL]https://www.brownells.com/aspx/learn/learndetail.aspx?lid=12555

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Should I reconfigure or am I good to go?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Most gunsmiths want a very slight drag on the go gage. Not sure what the difference is with an rpr but if it was any other rifle it sounds perfect

 

[shortgrass]

You should be checking head space with the firing pin removed. If the bolt has a spring loaded plunger ejector, it should be removed, also. Make sure you are not "fighting" the extractor as you close the bolt. With any pre-fit, make certain the bolt is not contacting the end of the barrel.

 

[tobnpr]

It's likely fine- and preferable, esp if you handload. Shouldn't be an issue getting enough shoulder bump from your die.
If you shoot factory, I would (safely) try chambering a few rounds. Should also be fine- but sometimes it seems there can be issues with brass being a bit out of spec.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

It's likely fine- and preferable, esp if you handload. Shouldn't be an issue getting enough shoulder bump from your die.
If you shoot factory, I would (safely) try chambering a few rounds. Should also be fine- but sometimes it seems there can be issues with brass being a bit out of spec.

Actually a short chamber means dies are usually too long and this even harder to bump being short

 

[CA_Shooter]

Most gunsmiths want a very slight drag on the go gage. Not sure what the difference is with an rpr but if it was any other rifle it sounds perfect

Good to know

You should be checking head space with the firing pin removed. If the bolt has a spring loaded plunger ejector, it should be removed, also. Make sure you are not "fighting" the extractor as you close the bolt. With any pre-fit, make certain the bolt is not contacting the end of the barrel.

Firing pin was removed. Ejector was not removed and I am not sure about the ejector spring but there was a big spring in the firing pin and mechanism. Bolt didn’t seem to contact the barrel.

It's likely fine- and preferable, esp if you handload. Shouldn't be an issue getting enough shoulder bump from your die.
If you shoot factory, I would (safely) try chambering a few rounds. Should also be fine- but sometimes it seems there can be issues with brass being a bit out of spec.

I did test with a dummy round that was built for my old barrel. The throat was very eroded so the round is so long it doesn’t fit in the factory magazine. The dummy round loaded without any issue.

 

[CA_Shooter]

Coming back to update:

I’ve now shot over 100 rounds through barrel without any pressure signs going up to max powder per the hornady book.

Groups are pretty great thus far (for me).

First 6 shots I used a wheeler trigger pull scale to fire at distance so my hand was away from the rifle (considering this was my first barrel install)

Appreciate all the advice on the go gauges!

 

[jepp2]

First 6 shots I used a wheeler trigger pull scale to fire at distance so my hand was away from the rifle

I would have worried more about where your face was than where your hand was.

Did you measure the case head to datum for the rounds fired in your new barrel and compared that measurement for how the brass measured with your previous barrel?

 

[CA_Shooter]

I would have worried more about where your face was than where your hand was.

Did you measure the case head to datum for the rounds fired in your new barrel and compared that measurement for how the brass measured with your previous barrel?

I moved my face as far back as possible too

Didn’t measure the case. Where is that measurement and what do I look for?

 

[jelenko]

If the bolt won't close on a no go gauge and does close on a go gauge [regardless of how it feels], what is the concern?

 

[Doug Beach]

There are some useful reasons when loading for multiple identically chambered rifles, to desire the headspace to be at some relatively exact number. If you only have one rifle of a given cartridge, and it closes on the go, but not the no-go, it is correct. No further thought needed, as far as headspace goes.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

There are some useful reasons when loading for multiple identically chambered rifles, to desire the headspace to be at some relatively exact number. If you only have one rifle of a given cartridge, and it closes on the go, but not the no-go, it is correct. No further thought needed, as far as headspace goes.

Unless you need it a bit longer for short dies to be able to bump shoulders without camming over, but those are probably not prefit guys to start with.

 

[Mark W]

I’ve been guilty of setting up prefits on the tight side and not being able to size my brass enough.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I’ve been guilty of setting up prefits on the tight side and not being able to size my brass enough.

Thats the issue. If youre not trying to match another chamber put it loose. Nothing but positives come from that. As long as the no go gage stops it cold itll be fine

 

[Doug Beach]

It’s funny, SAAMI gives a .010” range for case head to datum on many cartridges. Go/NoGo gauges generally cut that range in half, or smaller. Then people want some exact number inside that range. Somebody needs to start making Mr. Picky gauges, with only .0002” between the Go & NoGo. Probably sell a bunch.

 

[carlsbad]

two things can happen with a chamber at the short end of the range:
1. your dies may have trouble bumping the shoulder as discussed above.
2. If a manufacturer makes factory ammo at the long end of the range, it may be hard to close. this is not likely and you probably don't shoot factory ammo anyhow. But brownells may be thinking along these lines.