If a person is a handloader, wouldn't you want to have a barrel chambered based on your handloaded ammunition rather than a go guage, due to the fact that the dies one uses to handload are probably not going to be exactly the same as the chambering reamer.
The reason I ask is becasue I see a lot of manuals say to measure with a go guage in the chamber to determine headspace, but since the go guage and the reamer aren't the same as the reformed case it would just seem to make sense to use a reformed case to measure for headspace when chambering.

I don't know where you are headed here but it sounds like you are trying to eek out a bit more performance that in the end won't amount to jack squat.

As soon as you shoot a round in the chamber, you have the same thing, n'cest pas? Also, if your handloads are a bit long in headspace you are asking the 'smith to create a liability if the gun changes hands or, if your round are short, someone may end up with a gun one day that won't chamber factory ammo.

Either way, it makes no sense to go to that route when cases will fireform so readily.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:
If a person is a handloader, wouldn't you want to have a barrel chambered based on your handloaded ammunition rather than a go guage, due to the fact that the dies one uses to handload are probably not going to be exactly the same as the chambering reamer.
The reason I ask is becasue I see a lot of manuals say to measure with a go guage in the chamber to determine headspace, but since the go guage and the reamer aren't the same as the reformed case it would just seem to make sense to use a reformed case to measure for headspace when chambering.

If I understand the question, the only time I could see it beneficial to set a chamber based on a customers piece of brass is if it is a wildcat cartridge where there is no gauge available. The slight difference between go and no go with a piece of maleable brass shouldn't cause any chambering problem so long as the other case demsions are the same.

If the handloader has a problem fitting his brass in a "gauged" chamber, all he has to do is adjust his dies until they fit and then fireform everything to that chamber.

quote:

f a person is a handloader, wouldn't you want to have a barrel chambered based on your handloaded ammunition rather than a go guage,

I have several that I've chambered that way.....buy a set of dies and FL size a fired (in a different rifle) case and use it as a go gage.....Typically I shoot for .002" clearance.....

The problem is that if you ever sell the gun you have actually screwed the buyer because it's not a standard chamber and he may (someday) have trouble with it.

It's best in the long run to just do it right day-1 and adjust the sizing die to suit the headspace you want.

Good idea.....no cigar.

if you want to go that way...

fire the brass to the chamber
necksize only (back dies off 1/4 to 1/2 a turn)

and there ya go.

but, unless you are willing to have "well-it-is-close-to-a-3006" chamber on a nice rifle, no way

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
buy a set of dies and FL size a fired (in a different rifle) case and use it as a go gage.....Typically I shoot for .002" clearance.....

The problem with that is that not every Die body is the same length. I see quite a few guns come into the shop displaying signs of excess headspace only to find that the fault lies with the die.

A shorter than normal bodied die, or, an out of spec shell holder, when set up in accordance with the instructions by the novice reloader, will push the shoulder too far back creating an unsafe, excess headspace condition.

So unless the person doing the chambering uses a case gauge to verify and check the sized case against prior to firing up the lathe, I would be careful using anyones cases as a gauge. It just isn't worth any potential problem.

I've most definitely had several chambers made to fit ammunition samples. Primarily in regard to chamber throating for a specific bullet seated to a particular depth. But since the factories sometimes change the shape of the ogives of their bullets, this can thwart your ideas......

Another option is to send a fired case to a diemaker and have a set of custom dies made to match your chamber. Pricy, but some shooters swear by this. (usually competition shooters)

quote:

Originally posted by James C Scott:
Another option is to send a fired case to a diemaker and have a set of custom dies made to match your chamber. Pricy, but some shooters swear by this. (usually competition shooters)

With a little careful measuring all one needs is a feeler gauge between the shell holder and his standard dies.

The only time that I headspace tighter than a go gage is with belted magnums & I personaly kmow the customer & he request that the headspace be determined by the datum line instead of the belt. Othewise with belted mags I chamber to minumum headspace useing a belted magnum go gage.