headspace of factory new Savage

barthowes · Feb 4, 2011

being I neck size my now once fired Nosler brass, I never checked it's headspace or set my FL die according. (I will now)It's a 30-06 accu stck/trigger. Using my RCBS MIC on once fired, it's -.013 below ANSI min standards. Which relates to 2.0357" if my math is correct. does this sound right. seems offly tight but the gun does shoot great. When I get home I'll check to see what the New Nolser brass is sized to. maybe I should have been FL sizing these down, bought nosler so I wouldn't have to. I noticed a couple of my cases after firing only 3-4 times have a shiny ring @the base

I hope I'm wrong and it isn't imminent CH separation.will post a picture this evening. Also seems some cases are shrinking in OAL, but I dont always measue them out of the box,but found Some are now below the recomended min and I haven't cut them.Any imput will be appreciated.

barthowes · Feb 4, 2011

found New nosler brass is -.017" smaller than Ansi or 2.0353".(.004" smaller than my once fired.) so that is not a problem. does this look like impending case head seperation or is it normal to get a small ring. Sorry if the picture looks bad. hard to get it to focus when it's this close

velvetant · Feb 4, 2011

Looks like the expansion ring to me and is no problem.
impending case head separation will be just a little higher then the expansion ring.

chet · Feb 4, 2011

looks fine to me as well.... keep shootin 'em

338winmag · Feb 6, 2011

I almost learned the hard way by just reading and performing FL die resizing according to manufacturer.

This is what incipient separation looks like. (umm. some are past the incipient stage)

My problem correction required throwing out the manufacturer's "touchy-feely-looky" process of shell holder just touching the base of the die and then backing off a slight turn. I was resizing with way too much headspace. This was the 5th firing of these shells. I threw the whole 50 out and started out correctly.

I know this is a proven debatable topic so I will just say I no longer use a FL body die (neck and body). I use a Lee neck resizing die (every reload) and a Redding body resizing die (every other reload). I headspace .001 - .002 maximum off the shoulder.

338WinMag

DrMike · Feb 6, 2011

Good visual.

barthowes · Feb 7, 2011

thanks for the help. the input and visuals are greatly appreciated. I didn't realize that the expansion ring would be so pronounced and CH separation would be that far up the case.

Guest · Feb 7, 2011

Great pics, 338!

Bart, what you're seeing in those pics is the thinning above the web area at the case head. That web can extend pretty far up, and it is surprising sometimes how much abuse the case head will take, but it's pretty thick brass.

For reference, I use neck dies a lot, and then partial-full-length-resize when chambering gets tight. When I pfl-resize, I measure the case for shoulder length (Stoney Point Headspace Bushing on Comparator Body) and then adjust the die to shorten this distance by just .001-.002" depending on the rifle and how tight the cases feel. I work through a few cases and check everything, including chambering, then after I'm satisfied I've got it right for the rifle at hand, I resize all cases and I'm set.

I'm sure the neck die/body die combo like 338 is using is as good or better than my method, so no flies on his loading technique.

338winmag · Feb 7, 2011

Nice Points Dubyam!

Being the frugal person that I am (wife calls me cheap

) I tried to make the Hornady Lock-N-Load Cartridge Headspace Gauge. If I had some additional tools I would have been more successful but ..... I luv this tool and it is money very well spent.

One needs the following to use this tool completely:
Hornady Lock-N-Load Cartridge Headspace Gauge
Hornady Comparator and custom bushing for your caliber
Hornady Custom Case

I did not mention this tool that I use in addition to Hornady Lock-N-Load Cartridge Headspace Gauge but I could not live without it.

Larry wilson's Digital Headspace Gauge
http://www.larrywillis.com/
I use it for both case resize and for bullet seating.

It takes the guess work or "super close but not exact" out of the reloading equation. It is worth every single penny you pay for it and makes your reloading that much more exact. Here's the reason: I don't want to cull my expensive premium bullets. Regardless of what some say, not just base to tip measurements, but also base to ogive measurements are not equal. By taking an additional 15 seconds and measuring every single reload, I have all reloads case base to bullet ogive the exact same. (give or take .0005).

I also use it for my case body resize and again resize to .001 and try to keep that deviation down to .0005.

Steps:
1. Using Hornady Lock-N-Load Cartridge Headspace Gauge, I get my rifle's OAL for that specific bullet.
2. Using Larry Wilson's Digital Headspace Gauge, I get my zero off of #1 OAL case and bullet depth.
3. Using my seater die I test for a reload that will give me that zero plus the seating depth that i want for that load. There after testing each load for exact seating depth per ogive. This way I get all reloads to be exact on case base to ogive and not -.004 off here and +.003 off there.

The combination of these gauges is not necessary but for me it sure makes it easier, more fun, more exciting, gives perfect reload measurement confidence, and for me makes me feel better that I won't ever have close calls like I did with pictures above.

338winmag

SJB358 · Feb 7, 2011

I am looking at that Digital Headspace gauge. Looks like a very nice piece of gear and seems much handier to have on the bench that having to keep switching the Hornday collets around for my calipers. Might have to look into it. Scotty