Is it nessecary?

He said it's a factory built new upper & a new BCG, not something somebody hammered together in their garage.
Should I check the headspace on every rifle I buy? Do you?

Nice visual aid though.
This.

Also, as long as the lugs engage, the case will be supported. Assuming factory ammo and not some jackasses home brew with 5x too much powder, if the lugs engage, you will be fine.
 
In an AR the difference between the GO and the NO GO are 0.003", the difference between the GO and a FIELD Gauge are 0.006". If the barrel and the bolt are from the same manufacturer or it came as a complete unit then I wouldn't be too concerned, however if you are mixing and matching barrels and bolts (Not Carriers, just bolts) it's not a bad idea to pick up a set of gauges and check. Excessive head space can cause case head separations, extraction problems, and case splitting or rupturing. Too little head space and you will probably not be able to chamber and fire a round properly. It's worth the time an money if you do a lot of DIY AR Builds to invest in a set of gauges. Only a small percentage of the ARs that I've had through my shop have had head space issues, but the trouble and damage it causes makes the head space gauges worth the money. Much cheaper than a catastrophic case failure.
 
I know what both he and I said.

The guns we buy from manufacturers are checked by the manafacturer. Are we to presume that we don't need the same check just because we used a factory's parts, when the factory themselves checks those same parts when they use them?
 
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I know what both he and I said.

The guns we buy from manufacturers are checked by the manafacturer. Are we to presume that we don't need the same check just because we used a factory's parts, when the factory themselves checks those same parts when they use them?
He didn't build the upper; he bought it complete. I assume the manufacturer checks the headspace on every upper they build, whether it's being sold on a lower or not.
 
Im almost done with an ar build, it's an aero prescison complete factory assembled upper, and going to use a Aim surplus v2 nitrated bcg. I've read you need to check head space, then seen many people say just slap it together and shoot it. It's all new stuff, so any advice? This is the first non complete rifle I've had. If I need too check it, how do I do it?


Reading the post reprinted above:

I see "aero precision upper" and "AIM surplus v2 nitrated BCG"

Are they not made by two different manufacturers?

I thought they were.

It is the bolt and the barrel chamber that have to be fitted correctly as a pair.
 
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Im almost done with an ar build, it's an aero prescison complete factory assembled upper, and going to use a Aim surplus v2 nitrated bcg. I've read you need to check head space, then seen many people say just slap it together and shoot it. It's all new stuff, so any advice? This is the first non complete rifle I've had. If I need too check it, how do I do it?


Reading the post reprinted above:

I see "aero precision upper" and "AIM surplus v2 nitrated BCG"

Are they not made by two different manufacturers?

I thought they were.

It is the bolt and the barrel chamber that have to be fitted correctly as a pair.
What? Since when?
 
Borrowed this from a bonafide industry expert:

3) A little knowledge is dangerous, but if you must mess around with a headspace gauges get a FIELD gauge. That is the only one you will need. That is the only one you will need. Not just any field gauge, get the NATO one that Colt recommends (.1.4736”)(Brownells #319-418-033). You are not building barrels, you are not fitting bolts. You are in “the field”, and that is your gauge.
Double check the measurements on your gauge. I have seen many gauges with text and not marked with a numeric measurement and even mismarked dimensions. Get rid of them. Just keep the Colt FIELD Gauge

Not trying to belittle anyone on the ODT but I'd rather get info like this from the people who build AR's for a living and have the reputation to prove they know what they're doing.
 
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