Headspace Check - .223 & .308

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Hey guys, I'm located in Athens. Couple of recent builds in 223 wylde and 308 that I'd like to have headspace checked. I don't have gauges and don't build enough to warrant buying sets of them. Can anyone recommend a local smith that can check them? I realize that's probably a half hour trip for 30 seconds worth of popping through a set of go/no-go gauges but better safe than sorry.

 

[ReservoirDawg10]

AR's are pretty simple and SHOULD be a drop in fit. I'd be more concerned about torque values. Have you shot them? If you haven't, does the bolt on into and out of battery with smoothly?


May just go over to Clydes and see if they can confirm headspace. Accurate Ordnance should be able to confirm as well, but they would be a bit of a drive.

 

[Greybeard]

I would agree with dawg10, 15 is mil spec and should not be a problem. Drop a loaded shell in it and see if it goes into battery, if so, I would shot one and look at the spent case.
Ar10 well that’s a little different. A go/no-go gage is about 25 bucks, smitty would charge about the same, I would just purchase one. I have one somewhere, or I lent it to someone, really have to look for it.
See if someone local has one you could borrow, just my thoughts.

 

[Greybeard]

Should have noted remove the firing pin from the bolt carrier when you drop a round in it, dah...just in case.

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Both of the recent 15's went in and out of battery smoothly and I've since fired both. No issues with either and no signs of problems with the ejected brass. Barrel nut torque I'm really careful about and follow military armorer specs/procedures. That just leaves this AR10 which I've still not fully assembled as I've been contemplating what color to cerakote the receivers and guard. I did order SoCom Blue intending for a bluish finish but after spraying it on a 15 as sort of a test, I wasn't quite happy with the color. It's fine and everything.....just looks almost black, more akin to traditional blued steel finish and I was hoping for something just slightly lighter. Still debating and meanwhile tinkering with USMC Red and Corvette Yellow for different things.

Nothing to do with headspacing to be sure, I've just been sort of stalled on this 10 for a while now so I guess I'm not really in a hurry. I'll probably finish the next couple of 15's before I get to the 10!

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

As for removing the firing pin, sound advice. Usually out of sheer laziness I just take er out back and point it at an old stump just in case.