I could use some adive on head space

[glwenzl]

I finally got me another frame (actually two) and installed my barrels on the frames to see how they fit....

Started out by putting layers of scotch tape on an empty case one at a time. it appear to have excessive head space to me. They took 4-5 pieces of tape before they close with resistance or would not close at all. then I decided to try the same thing on the hinge pin and it only took a couple? Then I tried my original frame with the original barrels and found the same results.

Is there a better way to determine if these frames will shoot my barrels ok???

The one frame I got is dedicated to shoot my 44 mag barrel  so I got a camo laminated stock for it. my 12 year old son wants to deer hunt with it this year.

The other frame will be for a 243 and 223 and I am making my own stock for that project. This will leave me with my plastic stock 22 K-Hornet.

[quickdtoo]

Read the barrel fitting info in the FAQs. Sounds like your chambers are cut too deep, a not uncommon "feature"! How to solve that issue is explained in the fitting instructions, that needs to be done before fitting the barrel with shims or cutting the underlug pivot deeper.

Tim

[glwenzl]

Tim I did check the FAQs barrel fitting first but didn't have access to a feeler gauge last night so I used the scotch tape to get an ideal of what was going on and if I could safely shoot it today. I have use scotch tape to get an ideal of how much head space I have with my bolt riffles.

No room for error so I was on my way out this morning to retrieve all four sets of feeler gauges that I had loaned out to a friend when I remembered one other Starrett set I had stashed.

I could not get any of the actions to lock up on a .0015” so I believe my barrel fit is good with em all but it looks to me like they ran the reamer in just a bit too deep??? I think that I will start all over with low loads and see if I can fireform my brass to fit the sloppy chamber by seating the bullet into the lands (or make my own brass).

The original question in my mind was will these frames work with my barrels so I could shoot them today. I felt like they would both work as I had about the same barrel fit with all three using tape but just wanted a peer check...

Using a sharpie I also check to see how they are locking up and that looks fine too. Looks like I got lucky on both frames, the one frame is a H&R and the trigger pull is 2lbs 14 oz, very nice but it does have a slight bit of creep and after travel that is easier to put up with then the hefty trigger pull they original one had even after NEF done their TJ.

Very excited to go shoot em and happy with how things are turning out….. Now to get this darn stock finished!

[quickdtoo]

The SAAMI max "safe" headspace is .006", but having that much isn't good for case life nor accuracy, that's why the first step in barrel fitting is to make sure the chamber face of the barrel is flat and a sized case or unfired factory round is flush with the chamber face. As you have seen first hand, you can have tight lock up, but too much headspace. 

You can seat bullets into the lands and use start loads to fire form, or use a false shoulder which if the best route since seating into the lands can still allow cases to stretch, depending on the bullet used. A Handi doesn't have much force in closing the action like a bolt rifle does, so you may end up with an action that isn't locked up well. I would recommend using Win or Rem primers that are a bit softer than others so the pin strike doesn't move the bullet tighter into the lands, that should help a bit.

Tim

[glwenzl]

Never gave the primers much thought in that aspect, thanks a bunch!!!