Page 6 of 7 FirstFirst ... 4567 LastLast
Results 51 to 60 of 64

Thread: Fitting a bolt to a barrel

  1. #51
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    309
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by patrick sweeney View Post
    The headspace is set when the barrel extension is screwed onto the barrel, not when the barrel is installed in the receiver.
    This got me wondering about something. I've watched some upper assembly videos lately, and they've all checked headspace after mounting the barrel. I've even seen it in all the written barrel-mounting instructions I've read that discuss headspace. But if you're planning to mount a barrel to a receiver, why wait until after you've mounted it to check the headspace? Isn't the upper receiver itself irrelevant to headspace?

    Instead, couldn't you hold the unmounted barrel vertically, drop in your headspace gauge, insert your bolt (without ejector and extractor), and see whether you can turn it or not? After all, when using a field gauge on a mounted barrel, the carrier is supposed to stick out behind the receiver because the bolt can't turn in the barrel extension, right?

    I'm just thinking how I'd hate to go through all the barrel mounting procedures before discovering the barrel was out of spec. A lot of guys buy parts over a long period, and to discover your barrel is out-of-spec several months after you bought it might cause some problems if you need a replacement.
    Last edited by Whytep38; 01-20-13 at 15:41. Reason: For clarity.

  2. #52
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    XXX
    Posts
    1,847
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by majorleaguekennels View Post
    Making tolerances extremely tight sounds like a receipt for a failure to extract, also could limit your choices of ammo. Not to say I know it does these things, I would rather stick to a milspec spacing and call it a day. That could just be me however.
    Clearance and tolerance,,, For example the clearance is one inch to the wall the tolerance can be 1 inch to 1 and a 1.250 .

  3. #53
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Alaska
    Posts
    3,523
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Whytep38 View Post
    This got me wondering about something. I've watched some upper assembly videos lately, and they've all checked headspace after mounting the barrel. I've even seen it in all the written barrel-mounting instructions I've read that discuss headspace. But if you're planning to mount a barrel to a receiver, why wait until after you've mounted it to check the headspace? Isn't the upper receiver itself irrelevant to headspace?

    Instead, couldn't you hold the unmounted barrel vertically, drop in your headspace gauge, insert your bolt (without ejector and extractor), and see whether you can turn it or not? After all, when using a field gauge on a mounted barrel, the carrier is supposed to stick out behind the receiver because the bolt can't turn in the barrel extension, right?

    I'm just thinking how I'd hate to go through all the barrel mounting procedures before discovering the barrel was out of spec. A lot of guys buy parts over a long period, and to discover your barrel is out-of-spec several months after you bought it might cause some problems if you need a replacement.
    If you watch the Noveske shop tour video on YouTube you will see that they check headspace on the barrels before they are mounted. They hold a 2 thousandths tolerance and the .mil tolerance is 6 thousandths.

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    309
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    Thanks, I'll have to check that out.

  5. #55
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    122
    Feedback Score
    0
    I realize this is an oldish thread, but I have a follow up question.

    If you buy a barrel and don't have access to a drawer full of bolts, is there any other way to do this? Has anyone ever modified the shoulder on the barrel or the front of the barrel extension?

    For me, a gunsmith with a lathe is easier to find than an assortment of bolts.

  6. #56
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    VA/OH
    Posts
    29,630
    Feedback Score
    33 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Ty_B View Post
    I realize this is an oldish thread, but I have a follow up question.

    If you buy a barrel and don't have access to a drawer full of bolts, is there any other way to do this? Has anyone ever modified the shoulder on the barrel or the front of the barrel extension?

    For me, a gunsmith with a lathe is easier to find than an assortment of bolts.
    No and you don't want to remove any material.



    C4

  7. #57
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Texas (and sometimes Central Virginia)
    Posts
    113
    Feedback Score
    6 (100%)
    I just bought 5 bolts (all same kind) and between those and the few others I already have there were two that headspaced the same as my Noveske matched bolt/barrel set.

    Sell the rest of the bolts on the interwebs and you end up with no extra cost. Just need to wait and jump on the bolts when they're available.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ty_B View Post
    I realize this is an oldish thread, but I have a follow up question.

    If you buy a barrel and don't have access to a drawer full of bolts, is there any other way to do this? Has anyone ever modified the shoulder on the barrel or the front of the barrel extension?

    For me, a gunsmith with a lathe is easier to find than an assortment of bolts.

  8. #58
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    AZ
    Posts
    27,214
    Feedback Score
    14 (100%)
    This is so stupid.
    "You people have too much time on your hands." - scottryan

  9. #59
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    216
    Feedback Score
    0
    Back in the day we used to run into headspace problems a lot more.

    The simple answer is that you don't have a lot of options. If your barrel is carbon steel or stainless (not chrome plated) you can adjust headspace by carefully using a finish reamer. Only, however, if your starting point is under, not over. If it is over, you are SOL.

    Ditto chromed chamber/bores. Using a finish reamer on a chromed chamber is a good and fast way to ruin a reamer.

    These days, there are a lot more barrel and bolt makers who stay within spec. And truth be told, if you've worn out the bore, you've probably used up most of the useful life of the bolt. buy a gauges set, barrel and bolt.

  10. #60
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    2,681
    Feedback Score
    16 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by markm View Post
    This is so stupid.
    ......

    Quote Originally Posted by markm View Post
    If you make an actual contribution to the thread, I'll piss myself in shock!

Page 6 of 7 FirstFirst ... 4567 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •