Go no-go gauges

[shortgrass]

Ya, he's cool isn't he. But liability insurers don't think so.

 

[J E Custom]

No more than GO + .002, I like GO + .001 even better! Much depends on the ammo that will be used. If the rifle will be used with off-the-shelf factory ammo, I'll use Go to the middle of the tolerence. .30/06 class has .006" from GO to NO-GO, so I like GO +.003", but no more than that. .308 class has .004" between GO and NO-GO, I like GO + .002 in that. Weatherbys use a 'tighter' tolerence on their belted mags, I use the same as they do. Factory Creedmore ammo made by Hornaday or Win. have both been compatable with minimum headspaced chambers,,,, s far...Handloaded ammo can be made to 'fit' the tight headspaced chamber/barrel, factory made ammo is what it is. Most factory made ammo will fit in a minimum headspaced chamber, but I've met up with a few that won't. If a customer who'll use only factory ammo wants a 'tighter' headspaced chamber, I will accomodate that with the factory ammo on hand that he plans on using.

+1

I prefer to use brass shims and a go gauge to set the head space. the shim stock thickness is marked and/or can be measured with a micrometer for an exact head space.

The shims don't compress and give you a false reading and can be stuck on the bolt face with a touch of grease (To miss the ejector and the extractor so you don't get a false reading,)

Head space is not the place to take short cuts, so exact dimensions are necessary in my opinion.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[FEENIX]

Ya, he's cool isn't he. But liability insurers don't think so.

I agree, but in all fairness, I do not think he's advocating the use of it.

Quite honestly, I don't think a man of his stature has any shortage of any gauges.

 

[shortgrass]

I agree, but in all fairness, I do not think he's advocating the use of it.

With the number of times I've seen the "tape" referenced, there seem to be many people who believe he is! He doesn't go on and insert a ground steel headspace gauge, after using the GO+tape. I'm surprised you've not noticed the mentality of the general public, today. "You've gotta' learn to walk before you can run". Few are willing to "walk" first, anymore. Too many are willing to live their lives as directed by their phone! "Who needs practical experience" when I can look it up on the web and be an 'instant expert', never having touch or handled what I am now an 'expert' at.

 

[Edd]

So what is the problem with using a piece of .002" thick tape on a go gauge? Other than the tape staying in position better, I don't see much difference between using a piece of tape and a piece of greased shim stock.

 

[FEENIX]

I'm surprised you've not noticed the mentality of the general public, today. "You've gotta' learn to walk before you can run". Few are willing to "walk" first, anymore. Too many are willing to live their lives as directed by their phone! "Who needs practical experience" when I can look it up on the web and be an 'instant expert', never having touch or handled what I am now an 'expert' at.

Believe me, I do. That's why I responded as I did. I am very fortunate to have access to at least 5 excellent gunsmiths within an hour's drive.

 

[J E Custom]

So what is the problem with using a piece of .002" thick tape on a go gauge? Other than the tape staying in position better, I don't see much difference between using a piece of tape and a piece of greased shim stock.

Good question Ed : And I will give you my opinion on the question using the tape.

First = How do you measure a piece of tape that is sticky on one side and Is not perfectly the same
thickness depending where and how it is measured.

It is also compressible and after a few uses/tries, it is not the same as when you first started.

All it will tell you is that the head space is more than the go gauge.

Also as I stated earlier, I like to place the shim on the bolt face and shape it to clear the extractor and the ejector to prevent a false reading. (I normally remove the ejector from the bolt to prevent
any false reading while head spacing and the shim clears the extractor preventing problems with
it.

To me it is just as easy to use shim stock and know ''exactly'' what the head space is, also on used rifles, using the shim stock I can measure to 1/2 thousandths in stead of .002 increments (Or what ever the tape is). In fact I normally don't buy a no go gauge because It is for rejection and different go gages vary in what it expectable for that round. besides I want to know if I am within a few thousandths of rejection or I am past the acceptable limits .

In the video, he closed the bolt on a go gauge and after placing tape on it, it wouldn't close. what was the actual Head space ? go + .00001 or go + .002or .003 depending on the tape.

There is nothing wrong with using the tape if you are not concerned with actual head space and only close.

Many people probably use the tape as a short cut to get close, But many smiths prefer to measure/
control head space very precisely and know exactly what it is to get best results for its use and type of case.tape just wont do that.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[Clark]

I have go gauges for many of my 65 cartridges, but I only build rifles for myself, so....

1) if I have a lifetime supply of brass, like in 7mmRM that is all 0.215" or less, it would seem unwise to me to chamber to the SAAMI minimum of 0.220".

2) if I have a lifetime supply of brass, like in 303 Brit that almost all is less than 0.061", it would seem unwise to me to chamber at the SAAMI minimum of 0.064".

3) If i have a lifetime supply of Lapua 6mmBR brass all from one lot, it would seem unwise to me not use the brass for the go gauge.

4) If I have a lifetime supply of Lapua 7.62x54R brass......

 

[Pdvdh]

Perhaps I'm uniformed. My thoughts are this: What one does for his/her self is one matter. What a commercial gunsmith does for paying clients is another.

If you build something abnormal (out-of-spec) for yourself, no worries. Most people don't file civil lawsuits against themselves.

 

[Barrelnut]

Perhaps I'm uniformed. My thoughts are this: What one does for his/her self is one matter. What a commercial gunsmith does for paying clients is another.

If you build something abnormal (out-of-spec) for yourself, no worries. Most people don't file civil lawsuits against themselves.

+1. Also the OP says the Smith was wanting to use factory ammunition. I have a couple Savages set up for barrel swap, so I bend the rules a bit from time to time also, but wouldn't do what the Smith was doing.

 

[J E Custom]

Perhaps I'm uniformed. My thoughts are this: What one does for his/her self is one matter. What a commercial gunsmith does for paying clients is another.

If you build something abnormal (out-of-spec) for yourself, no worries. Most people don't file civil lawsuits against themselves.

In truth. Anything chambered with anything other than a SAMME chamber "MUST" be identified
on the cartridge description stamped on the barrel.

Example: SAMME Chambered (338 Lapua). (338 Lapua improved 37o) shoulder. (338 Lapua .369 neck) diameter. (338 Rouge) this tells anyone that this is a wildcat and may have many changes from the parent case. These IDs tell everyone what chamber the rifle has.

This ID is required for any gunsmith, but every rifle/firearm should be marked correctly even if it is your personal weapon for safety. I have found many chambers that were not properly identified that
was causing the new owner problems (The original owners passed away or got a divorce and the rifles were sold at auction)

Some of the rifles were re chambered and not re marked with the new cartridge.

Don't commit rifle chambers to memory, mark the changes from SAMME on the barrel. If it is a wild cat, at least give it a name so one knows that it is different.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Pdvdh]

Don't commit rifle chambers to memory, mark the changes from SAMME on the barrel. If it is a wild cat, at least give it a name so one knows that it is different.
J E CUSTOM

Agreed. I'm not a gunsmith, but you provided some common sense arguments and examples for safety-based practices and procedures. My brother is a gunsmith. He's mentioned coming across a few unmarked barrels in the past that were real puzzlers.