Head spacing 223AI
- Thread starter Ruger007
- Start date
Then make up a dummy round using an unfired factory case.
You want a standard cartridge to be held in place, shoulder in contact with the chamber.
This insures that the case will fireform without the case stretching.
Use the GO gauge as a NO GO. The bolt should not close on the GO.
When you close the bolt on a factory round, you should be able to feel it.
You want a standard cartridge to be held in place, shoulder in contact with the chamber.
This insures that the case will fireform without the case stretching.
Use the GO gauge as a NO GO. The bolt should not close on the GO.
When you close the bolt on a factory round, you should be able to feel it.
Remove the firing pin... and it is perfectly safe.
Or drill a hole below the shoulder of the case and dump the powder out and then stand the case up and put a little solvent in it... let it stand and the primer will get killed.
You can always remove the firing pin from the bolt.
I set up a McGowen Howage in .223 AI this spring and used FL sized and prepped cases. I set the barrel until my bolt closed to my desired feel, voila. I approximate the amount of crush on a FL sized case out of my die at .005-.007. I went through 3 cases to do this, because I didn’t want to close the bolt on the same case twice. All 3 cases were measured before and after with a comparator to confirm consistency. I’ve fire formed ~600 rounds since building the rifle and am thrilled with the results.
So this is what I did.
I happen to have a few fired 223ai cases. I ran a couple through my AI full size die. Also ran a few regular cases.
My GO guage will not chamber at all.
Factory white box Winchester will close with some resistance. Some more than others.
My sized and loaded 223 ammo will close but takes a bit more force. The unloaded but sized feel similar.
Fired 223 case will not close without excessive force.
The sized 223ai cases chamber with ease. As will the regular 223 case sized with the AI die.
Sized AI case with 2 layers of blue masking tape gets tight.
Which measured .004
Seem correct?
I happen to have a few fired 223ai cases. I ran a couple through my AI full size die. Also ran a few regular cases.
My GO guage will not chamber at all.
Factory white box Winchester will close with some resistance. Some more than others.
My sized and loaded 223 ammo will close but takes a bit more force. The unloaded but sized feel similar.
Fired 223 case will not close without excessive force.
The sized 223ai cases chamber with ease. As will the regular 223 case sized with the AI die.
Sized AI case with 2 layers of blue masking tape gets tight.
Which measured .004
Seem correct?
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