jstewart336
02-18-2022, 08:24 PM
I fitted a new Shilen barrel in 0.222 Remington to my Savage Target Action. When I did this I had the proper go and no-go gauges. And I had some brand new unfired, un-sized Lapua brass. When setting the headspace with the gauges I set it at the tightest point where the bolt would close easily on the go gauge. Then I tried to chamber the new Lapua brass and it was hard to cam it over. It would close, but much more effort needed. I left the headspace there and when I shot the first rounds in the new Lapua brass they were hard to cam over, then after than I measured the shoulder. It was (on my gauges) 1.241-1.242. I can set the headspace back (Wilson FL with neck bushing) on my Frankford Arsenal press, no shell holders needed) about -0.001 to -0.002. Works fine. Have shot this brass about 15 times, no issues with it (anneal every time)
Now I got some Nosler brass and tried to chamber it unsized and it takes a lot of effort to close the bolt. Checked the shoulder and the Nosler is measuring 1.246, or about 0.006 longer than the chamber. I got two options. One is to load it as is, force the bolt to close and shoot it to form to the chamber. Other is to size and bump back the shoulder to start.
This got me to thinking back to when I set the headspace with the gauges. The new Lapua brass would not chamber easy, and now the new Nosler brass will not chamber easy. Even though the headspace is set to close easy on the go and not at all, no downward movement at all, on the no-go, maybe the headspace is set too short? Would it benefit me to reset the headspace a little longer so that the new Nosler brass chambers easier and still keep the no-go gauge setting so the bolt will not close at all. Maybe this would make my chamber length match up better with the Wilson sizing die so that bumping the shoulder back 0.002 would not be so difficult. Or, just leave it alone?
Now I got some Nosler brass and tried to chamber it unsized and it takes a lot of effort to close the bolt. Checked the shoulder and the Nosler is measuring 1.246, or about 0.006 longer than the chamber. I got two options. One is to load it as is, force the bolt to close and shoot it to form to the chamber. Other is to size and bump back the shoulder to start.
This got me to thinking back to when I set the headspace with the gauges. The new Lapua brass would not chamber easy, and now the new Nosler brass will not chamber easy. Even though the headspace is set to close easy on the go and not at all, no downward movement at all, on the no-go, maybe the headspace is set too short? Would it benefit me to reset the headspace a little longer so that the new Nosler brass chambers easier and still keep the no-go gauge setting so the bolt will not close at all. Maybe this would make my chamber length match up better with the Wilson sizing die so that bumping the shoulder back 0.002 would not be so difficult. Or, just leave it alone?