setting up head space with out go gages

[fguffey]

Wow

I agree, as someone said earlier: "I hope this does not turn in to 'some kind' of a contest".

I was looking for gun parts when a man with a magnificent rifle came to have the rifle's head space checked. The smith/parts store owner informed the man he could not check the head space because he did not have a head space gage for the chamber. The rifle owner left, I informed the owner of the fine establishment I could check the head space on any rifle without a head space gage. He responded with "HOW!?"

I explained there were 3 ways, I demonstrated the easies and fastest, He responded with: "I'll be darned ". He did say there were not many ways he could be missed when it came to head space gages. Problem, unless the chamber is short the bolt will always close on a go-gage head space gage. At that point I took the opportunity to explain why the field reject gage is my favorite gage.

And I will add, he had head space gages that were different,

F. Guffey

 

[Tim Singleton]

I'm in no way trying to enter into some sort of contest.

It just seems to me some are getting off track from the original question.

The OP was not asking about checking head space on a rifle. He was asking about Setting head space with a barrel nut system. Without Go gauges

For a lot of reasons that's not a good idea

 

[shortgrass]

Then the OP can use whatever "Bubba" method he'd care to. You've just got too many gunsmiths, who chamber for customers, who pay liability insurance, who follow industry standards to ask a question like that on this board.

 

[fguffey]

when using a full lenghted sized case(223),as a go gage,screw the barrel up tight against the brass,tighten nut,then put .002 or .004 shim on bolt head and the bolt shouldnt close? what size shim?.002 or .004? i want close to zero head space

I knew getting involved in this thread was not a good ideal, the thing I did not loose was a friend. I was asked the same question in the real world by a friend. I explained how difficult it would be to use a head space gage. I explained to him the head space gage is longer than the minimum length/full length sized case. MEANING, the gage would have to be shorter than a go-gage. Adding tape and or shims would only make the gage longer, 3M, duct tape, or my favorite the aluminum duct tape, adding tape makes the gage longer.

I did suggest a reloader learn to form cases, I form cases for short chambers, I form cases that are .018" shorter than a go-gage length chamber. I form cases for every length between -.018" short to .001" shorter than a go-gage length chamber.

F. Guffey