Short version: I played musical barrels with a pair of Howa actions/barrels, and installed a .308 barrel that began life on action X onto action Y, and not only was the head space in spec, it was tighter than a nun's.... habit. Go gauge went in and chambered without a hitch, while the bolt handle baaaaaarely begins its downward travel with the no-go gauge in place.
Longer version: I recently took advantage of a sale that Brownell's was having on a hunter-weight 6mm Creedmoor barreled action (22 inch barrel). Already having a 6mm Creedmoor built on a Howa action (with a hunter-weight barrel... finished at 22 inches...) that began life as a .308, I have been arguing with myself over what to do with this new barreled action. Build a duplicate of the one I already have? Eh, maybe. What about a 22 Creedmoor? Nah, not feelin' it... already have a 22-250 that doesn't get shot. 6.5 Creedmoor is a base that's already covered with another rifle. 7mm-08? Nah, got one of those, too. Oooooh, I know... what about .338 Federal? Yeah, that has possibilities... except the more that I looked at it, the more I concluded that (most) .338 projectiles are intended to be driven faster than a short-ish barreled .338 Federal can drive them, and while they might still function as intended (for hunting purposes) out to 200-300 yards, I really want to have more flexibility than that. What about something kooky? Like, something that NO ONE is doing?? What about.... wait for it.... .308?
I can get a pre-fit barrel, and I already have the head space gauges, and I already have a muzzle brake/ASR mount, and I need to order scope rings, and which stock should I run, and.... hold on. Did I *really* conclude that I could get a pre-fit barrel in .308? When I have a perfectly good Howa takeoff barrel in .308 (left over from my 6mm Creedmoor build) sitting in a closet in a silicone sock? What are the odds that... nah. I'm not that lucky. Besides, nearly everyone who sells pre-fits for Howas uses a barrel nut architecture; there's gotta be a reason for that, right? Well, as it turns out, either I *am* that lucky, or Howa is just that consistent... take your pick. The head space, as I checked it, is just as tight as I set them when I install a barrel with a barrel nut, and while I would (for this rifle) prefer a lighter barrel profile (this one is Howa's #6/heavy contour), I'll take a .5-ish pound weight penalty to save a few hundred dollars (over buying a pre-fit in a lighter contour).
So, because fate likes to yank my chain, I am going to end up with a Howa in 6mm Creedmoor built on an action that began life as a .308, and a Howa in .308 "built" on an action that began life as a 6mm Creedmoor.
Longer version: I recently took advantage of a sale that Brownell's was having on a hunter-weight 6mm Creedmoor barreled action (22 inch barrel). Already having a 6mm Creedmoor built on a Howa action (with a hunter-weight barrel... finished at 22 inches...) that began life as a .308, I have been arguing with myself over what to do with this new barreled action. Build a duplicate of the one I already have? Eh, maybe. What about a 22 Creedmoor? Nah, not feelin' it... already have a 22-250 that doesn't get shot. 6.5 Creedmoor is a base that's already covered with another rifle. 7mm-08? Nah, got one of those, too. Oooooh, I know... what about .338 Federal? Yeah, that has possibilities... except the more that I looked at it, the more I concluded that (most) .338 projectiles are intended to be driven faster than a short-ish barreled .338 Federal can drive them, and while they might still function as intended (for hunting purposes) out to 200-300 yards, I really want to have more flexibility than that. What about something kooky? Like, something that NO ONE is doing?? What about.... wait for it.... .308?
I can get a pre-fit barrel, and I already have the head space gauges, and I already have a muzzle brake/ASR mount, and I need to order scope rings, and which stock should I run, and.... hold on. Did I *really* conclude that I could get a pre-fit barrel in .308? When I have a perfectly good Howa takeoff barrel in .308 (left over from my 6mm Creedmoor build) sitting in a closet in a silicone sock? What are the odds that... nah. I'm not that lucky. Besides, nearly everyone who sells pre-fits for Howas uses a barrel nut architecture; there's gotta be a reason for that, right? Well, as it turns out, either I *am* that lucky, or Howa is just that consistent... take your pick. The head space, as I checked it, is just as tight as I set them when I install a barrel with a barrel nut, and while I would (for this rifle) prefer a lighter barrel profile (this one is Howa's #6/heavy contour), I'll take a .5-ish pound weight penalty to save a few hundred dollars (over buying a pre-fit in a lighter contour).
So, because fate likes to yank my chain, I am going to end up with a Howa in 6mm Creedmoor built on an action that began life as a .308, and a Howa in .308 "built" on an action that began life as a 6mm Creedmoor.
