Chambering a rifle at home

[birdiemc]

Got it done! Ended up cutting a 11degree recessed crown.
I pulled a .223 apart for a donor stock and scope just to see how I did. Bore sighted and 1 shot to verify I was on paper then put up the 3 shot group below...It's far from perfect but I'm happy with how it shot today.
Shilen 9twist #5 contour
6.5 creedmoor
Savage action
Stock from a Savage 12FV
Red field scope.
It will eventually get a new stock and scope for sure, and probably cerakote...but for now I just wanted to be able to pull the trigger.

 

[ThrdKllr]

Congratulations! You've drank the Koolaid. I've done 3 so far and it's addicting. Looks great. I did one on a Savage 12 FV also but a 6.5 Creedmoor. I also used a Shilen barrel but a #17 contour. Have you measured your fired brass to see how tight your chamber is?

 

[birdiemc]

Not yet, I was just so excited the thing shoots ok. Now on to load development

 

[ThrdKllr]

Have you worked with the Creedmoor much? They will shoot just about anything. I have 3 of them. Don't have 1 zeroed right now. I just can't quit monkeying with them. The #5 contour is the same contour as my 3b Bartlein. What length did you go with? I cut mine @ 26" but I'm thinking about cutting it back to 24. I have it on a Howa action. Metric threads. Tuff but doable. Anyway, if you need some loading info I can pm you some. Just let me know.

 

[tobnpr]

I finally got that chamber cut that I mentioned. It's for a savage action and I toyed with the idea of ditching the barrel nut, but was scared since it's my first time to ever do this and the barrel nut provides a little margin for error on threading depth. But I have to say, next one I do is definitely going to be shouldered instead.

Can I throw out a few numbers just to verify I got everything right? I had Hinnant's book on the table, Gritters book, my phone with articles pulled up, drawings I had done, as much resources as I could get.
For my final reaming/fitting, I threaded on the barrel nut, lug and action, bottomed out onto the bolt head, then tightened down the nut against the action. Then held the nut in place while unthreading the action enough to get the go gauge in. Tightened the action down against the go gauge, checking the feel of the bolt, then once I had it where I liked it, checked the gap between the barrel nut and the lug with a feeler gauge. Got .042, so cut the chamber another .037 deep to maintain a .005 gap between the ends of the bolt and barrel. Sound correct? It sure makes sense in my head.

You lost me on this...there is no "checking gap" on a Savage like you would on a "typical" turnbolt like a M700 with a fixed tenon length/shoulder- you don't have a thread tenon per se, nor a shoulder. No idea what you were trying to do here.

Savage chambers (with a nutted install) are cut to a depth so that there is .125-.130 thou of go-gauge protrusion.

That's the only number that matters. Too much protrusion results in an excessive unsupported case head and can cause catastrophic failure- even though "headspace" might be zero...

What is the go-gauge protrusion from the chamber??

 

[ThrdKllr]

The way I checked mine was I screwed the barrel in until it hit the bolt face. Put a mark on it, unscrewed the barrel, inserted the go gauge and screwed the barrel down to it. 20 tpi is.050 so a quarter of a turn is .0125. Set mine on about 3/16 of a turn which is right at.010.
I used a PTG bolt head on my bolt and they are deeper than the Savage bolt head. I don't have a factory pull off to fit my go gauge in to measure the factory protrusion.

 

[birdiemc]

You lost me on this...there is no "checking gap" on a Savage like you would on a "typical" turnbolt like a M700 with a fixed tenon length/shoulder- you don't have a thread tenon per se, nor a shoulder. No idea what you were trying to do here.

Savage chambers (with a nutted install) are cut to a depth so that there is .125-.130 thou of go-gauge protrusion.

That's the only number that matters. Too much protrusion results in an excessive unsupported case head and can cause catastrophic failure- even though "headspace" might be zero...

What is the go-gauge protrusion from the chamber??

Basically treating the nut as the shoulder. Both are there to stop the action from threading on any farther, so checking the savage against the nut the way you would on a 700 just makes sense in my little brain. Since neither book I have specifically addresses the savage, I chose to do it that way vs. trusting what I can find on the internet. By cutting for a .005 gap I believe after tightening everything down properly it should open up to about .008 as many on here state you'll get about .002-.003 crush.
The problem I have with cutting for .125 protrusion and calling it good is I dont know for sure what the distance is from the end of the barrel to the bolt. When I tear it all back down I will check what the go gauge protrusion is though because if it is as simple as setting it based off that measurement it is a lot simpler.

 

[birdiemc]

Have you worked with the Creedmoor much? They will shoot just about anything. I have 3 of them. Don't have 1 zeroed right now. I just can't quit monkeying with them. The #5 contour is the same contour as my 3b Bartlein. What length did you go with? I cut mine @ 26" but I'm thinking about cutting it back to 24. I have it on a Howa action. Metric threads. Tuff but doable. Anyway, if you need some loading info I can pm you some. Just let me know.

I bought my wife a 6.5creedmore last year, but haven't messed with any load development for it yet, so this will be my first time with this cartridge...thinking about getting some hammer 117g to try in it. I hear they are magic bullets

 

[shortgrass]

Measure the depth of the bolt face. Now add .005-.006". That's how far the GO should stick out of the chamber when using a nut. When the nut is tightened, it'll add a few more thou gap between the end of the bolt and the end of the barrel depending on barrel to receiver thread fit. The opposite is true when a shoulder is used instead of a nut, the gap would be reduced. Make sure you have enough gap that the extractor can engage. You don't want the end of the barrel and bolt to contact each other at any time. It's basic mechanics, don't make it complicated.

 

[birdiemc]

Thank you shortgrass based on that I need .114 protrusion, so had I followed the recommended .125-.130 it would be sticking out .010-.016 too far. But I will definitely tear it back down and double check to be sure.

 

[ThrdKllr]

Measure the amount of space you have from the bolt face to the end of the recess and add what clearance you want. Have the go gauge protruding that amount and you're good to go.

 

[shortgrass]

Thank you shortgrass based on that I need .114 protrusion, so had I followed the recommended .125-.130 it would be sticking out .010-.016 too far. But I will definitely tear it back down and double check to be sure.

The first Rem 700 I de-barreled in '91 had a full .015" gap between the end of the bolt and the barrel. It shot well, until I wore it out. When I installed the new blank, I closed the gap to .010". I have plenty of supported brass in the chamber and the bolt/barrel don't collide. Over the years I have tried to get closer and closer. Too close is almost as bad as too far away as you start to get malfunctions.

 

[ThrdKllr]

I've read that too little gap was bad in the event there was a case failure. The extra gap made room around the bolt to relieve the pressure to the vent holes in the receiver. Just saying....

 

[tobnpr]

You might have an out of spec bolthead.
What's the depth from rim to boltface?
Stating you "need" .114 protrusion would mean your bolthead depth would be only .108-.109 max. Should be around .115.