Gunsmithing Remage prefit take plunger out for headspace?
- Thread starter Schw15
- Start date
It is good practice to remove the ejector when measuring headspace, regardless of barrel configuration. Having said that, it seems that some people don't.
I hardly ever take it out. Just be sure if you don’t that you are for sure feeling the hard stop of the bolt face hitting gauge hitting chamber and that you don’t stop when you start to feel spring pressure from the ejector. Definitely a best practice to go ahead and remove though.
So basically you can turn it and you can feel the spring give and once the spring bottoms out then you are fine? It seems like you could do it without taking it out but I'm not a professional at all LOL
It's just a risk... If there's a piece of grit or whatever that causes it to bind and not depress all the way, it can give you a false headspace. They aren't too hard to remove, I've skipped small stuff like this in the past and it bit me in the ass... YMMV.
I remove them always, it's easy work for my peace of mind.
I remove them always, it's easy work for my peace of mind.
I plan on removing them just wanted to see what ever one does or if theres any secrets but i think with that sinclair tool make it pretty slick and easy
Yea the removal tools make it a breeze... I haven't tried the Sinclair tool but I have a PTG ejector tool that I'm pretty sure is identical. They definitely make it easier to reinstall the ejector retaining pin.
If your changing barrels like tires in a circle track race, one workaround to help expedite is to simply grind a clearance notch into the head of the gauge. Certain companies years ago used to do this pretty routinely and they worked fine. I would still make the effort to remove the fire control out of the bolt before doing it this way.
My cousin was complaining about having to do it so I timed myself removing the plunger
"34 seconds to walk to the jeep and get the hammer out and walk back in the door, 11 seconds to grab a nail out of the box, 14 seconds to walk over and take the bolt out of the rifle, 12 seconds and the ejector is out and everything is set down and I stop the phone."
Just dont pull the punch or nail out until you have your finger covering the spring loaded ejector so it doesnt fly out.
To reinstall its basically the same thing, start the pin in first with some gentle taps so it holds itself in position before you insert the spring and ejector to make it easy on yourself.
"2 minutes 10 seconds to put it back in and put the hammer up, that includes 20 seconds looking for the nail I dropped on the carpet"
Hook a case under the extractor and rock it over to depress the plunger when you send the pin all the way in. Make sure you have the scallop in the ejector facing the right way so that it makes room for the cross pin.
Removing the firing pin is as easy as hooking the firing pin tab under your shoe lace and pulling while twisting. 30 seconds for that.
You dont need any special tools.
"34 seconds to walk to the jeep and get the hammer out and walk back in the door, 11 seconds to grab a nail out of the box, 14 seconds to walk over and take the bolt out of the rifle, 12 seconds and the ejector is out and everything is set down and I stop the phone."
Just dont pull the punch or nail out until you have your finger covering the spring loaded ejector so it doesnt fly out.
To reinstall its basically the same thing, start the pin in first with some gentle taps so it holds itself in position before you insert the spring and ejector to make it easy on yourself.
"2 minutes 10 seconds to put it back in and put the hammer up, that includes 20 seconds looking for the nail I dropped on the carpet"
Hook a case under the extractor and rock it over to depress the plunger when you send the pin all the way in. Make sure you have the scallop in the ejector facing the right way so that it makes room for the cross pin.
Removing the firing pin is as easy as hooking the firing pin tab under your shoe lace and pulling while twisting. 30 seconds for that.
You dont need any special tools.
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I never removed the plunger when setting headspace on a barrel nut setup.
All my headspace gauges have tons of firing pin clearance.
All my headspace gauges have tons of firing pin clearance.
I just get barrel about 3/4 in, hook gauge under the extractor and push gauge straight with my finger and send it home.
Then screw in barrel til it stops.
You don’t really even feel any resistance from the plunger.
You WILL feel it stop when gauge gets tight.
I always measure the gauge against the brass.
if brass is a thou or two short that’s perfect.
if it’s the same as the gauge there a super easy cheat to accommodate that scenario.
if brass is a thou or two short that’s perfect.
if it’s the same as the gauge there a super easy cheat to accommodate that scenario.
As i said you barely feel resistance from the plunger.
when the shoulder hits on the barrel it stops
What’s so difficult about stop?
Doing this I’ve never been able to close bolt on a go gauge with 1 layer of 2 thou packing tape.
On initial firing my brass grows less than 2 thou.
Doing anything the wrong way is unwise. How do you bend the pin? Were you using a 5lb sledge hammer?
For setting headspace I don't bother removing the plunger.
For checking actual case headspace by feel or finding lands I remove it. It's so easy I don't see why you wouldn't.
For setting headspace I don't bother removing the plunger.
For checking actual case headspace by feel or finding lands I remove it. It's so easy I don't see why you wouldn't.
So i called mason and talked to dave he said they do not offer the cut outs for the belted mags i need 7mm rem mag. He also said you dont need a cut out and theres no need to take plunger out with any go or no go so everything should be fine thats what he had said. Might have him make me me a reamer now lol 7mm rem mag 197 smk.
No one said you have to have "special" tools. There's nothing wrong with having a tool that makes a job easier. You can screw a deck together with a screwdriver but there's a lot of other tools that make it easier. Just because you can grab a hammer and finishing nail to knock the pin out doesn't really make it the end all be all of solutions.
The firing pin thing is cool. But I like the tool, it makes removing the pin easier for me so I recommend it. Beats trying to hold your finger over the ejector and knock the pin out all at the same time. The tool keeps the ejector right there while I tap the pin out and when I tap it back in. Don't have to worry about it flying across the room anymore either.
It's personal preference, it can be done either way.
Schw15, yea I recommend a decent pin punch set. They will come in handy for more than just this job. Nothing wrong with having decent tools to work on this stuff.
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