How many AR's have you built AND headspaced?

[jakerz]

I find it interesting that other rifle communities are obsessed with headspacing (HK guys with "bolt gap" and the milsurp crowd having an aneurysm whenever someone wants to swap a bolt on a Garand or M1 carbine), yet most AR guys swap bolts and barrels at will and rarely even mention the word, much less check it.

I hear ya. I have quite a few under my belt and have never even considered checking headspace.

 

[Dr_Mitch]

Update: I swapped a barrel out six weeks ago on one AR, and then assembled a bunch of parts to make new carbine. Didn't even consider checking headspace on either of them. The good news is the barrel swap gun can shoot 1/2" at 200 yards. The bad news is I'm your new father. Go get me a beer.

 

[dennishoddy]

Jeeseee, this thread is still going on?

 

[Madpap]

I'm still not clear on this. Headspace or no?

 

[TonyRumore]

Well....first off, most guys aren't "building" anything. They are simply "assembling" an AR from parts.

Headspacing on an AR is done by the machinist that is machining the the barrel blank into a ready-to-assemble barrel. When first installing the barrel extention, the barrel is threaded and the distance from the bolt face to the barrel face is set. Usually around .006" on an AR. Then the barrel is chambered to set the headspace around .001-.002" off the go gauge.

You're not headspacing anything during assembly, other than swappping out barrels and bolts and hoping for the best.

Tony Rumore
Tromix

 

[dennishoddy]

Well....first off, most guys aren't "building" anything. They are simply "assembling" an AR from parts.

Headspacing on an AR is done by the machinist that is machining the the barrel blank into a ready-to-assemble barrel. When first installing the barrel extention, the barrel is threaded and the distance from the bolt face to the barrel face is set. Usually around .006" on an AR. Then the barrel is chambered to set the headspace around .001-.002" off the go gauge.

You're not headspacing anything during assembly, other than swappping out barrels and bolts and hoping for the best.

Tony Rumore
Tromix

This guy knows where of he speaks. ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks Tony.

 

[dentonrifles]

Couldnt agree anymore ,99 percent of the builders are just assemblers, there is no building involved, although I have never built one I have corrected excessive headspace problems in them, I have seen several that have headspce problems , everyone should be checked, and I f you dont properly know how then you have no business even assembling them, I worked on one last week that was " home built" that had enough excess head space that he sheared the bolt head off , sad thing was he sent the bolt and carrier and the brass back and the manufacturer just sent another bolt and carrier no questions ask, and to headspace one you have to consider the barrel extention like its an action, resolving headspace is pain in the a $$ on these, setting the shoulder back and indexing that gas tube sucks believe me ,