Recessed Receiver Faces

G

Gene Beggs

Active member
When fitting and chambering a barrel, it is common practice to use a thickness gauge to measure the gap between the receiver face and barrel tenon shoulder to obtain proper headspace. Some actions such as the Stolle Teddy have a recessed receiver face which prevents one from using this method. Can someone please share with me your method of taking this measurement. :eek:

Gene Beggs
 
How about?

The "plastiguage" method, as in the checking of bearing clearances in automotive engines.

Aloha Les
 
It's a lot easier if you have the old barrel. I use simple scotch tape as a gauge, it measures .002", at least the stuff I have does. A simple piece on the end of a go gauge will give a good feel how the old barrel was headspaced. If the bolt closes, you can add another one, two or three pieces to determine where it should be, then measure the old barrel and adjust accordingly.

Same with the bolt/barrel clearance. It isn't fancy, but it does work.
 
I have always used a depth micrometer and careful measurements with every action I have barreled and always a final check with the go gauge and the go gauge and tape...
 
Gene, make up a set of gaging tools like below. Make the sleeve longer than the longest tenon you ever expect to do.

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Start by measuring the old barrel, otherwise and with a new action, you must start with the new action unglued and work from the action face and bolt face.
 
Thanks Jerry, good suggestion. Time spent making good tooling pays off in the long run; doesn't it?

Later

Gene Beggs
 
Long ago Jackie posted a pic of a similar tool he made but with a depth mic permanently attached. He had made it out of delrin and said it was as repeatable as metal. I am pretty sure it was threaded to screw onto the tenon. He only used it for setting headspace

I love working with plastic :D so I made a similar threaded delrin sleeve except it's opened like Jerry's. It causes you to have to do a bit of math as opposed to direct reading of a mic. Having the end be open allows you to use the depth mic to check tenon length, bolt recess, headspace, etc. I have drop ports which have a Rem tenon so there is more to measure.
 
Gene

When I do a action I have never barreled, I use a depth mic to measure from the reciever face to the face of the bolt, then add a few thousanths.

On a Teddy, just measure from the aluminum face of the action to the surface where the barrel makes contact, then measure from the same spot to the bolt face. Subtracting the first from the second gives the depth of the second............jackie
 
I used to use a depth mic but for the last few years all I use is my Tessa dial calipers with a foot attachment. I do all my breech work and headspace with it.
 
Hate to bug you JerrySharrett but how do you use the button? I can only guess its matched to your rifle and I suppose that particular gauge.

I made a sleeve after you guys posted your method. Mine is 1.250 so the math is fairly easy, 1.000 was not enough.
 
PEI Rob said:
Hate to bug you JerrySharrett but how do you use the button? I can only guess its matched to your rifle and I suppose that particular gauge.

I made a sleeve after you guys posted your method. Mine is 1.250 so the math is fairly easy, 1.000 was not enough.
Click to expand...
As you probably guessed the button shown is made of Delrin. That particular button has a 30 degree cone for barrels that require a 30 degree bevel. The picture is kind of deceiving but that button is 0.030" shorter than the required measurement for a Panda. So, the depth micrometer measurement would be 0.030" for a Panda.

I have used it on a 25 degree BAT by taking the measurement off an existing barrel for that action. But, a button with a 25 degree cone would be some more accurate.

The beauty of using a sleeve is that there is no danger of measuring error as would be possible by just measuring from the base of the headspace gage to the barrel shoulder where the measurement would change if the depth micrometer were tilted even slightly.
 
Thank you Mr Sharrett, I didn't notice the coned barrel. I do factory stuff for friends and local members that can't/won't ship to a gunsmith and had flat breech face stuck in my head. Its a little obvious now that you tell me :eek: I like that tool and will make one some day when required.

Cheers,
Rob
 
I based my answer above on dealing with an action that was glued in, I should have clarified that. It hard to take depth readings when the action is in the stock, that's why I was referencing using the existing barrel, and checking it's fit.

I use measuring tools similar to Jerry's, but I use a 2" travel dial indicator mounted in a sleeve, a 30 and 25 degree button, and a stepped button which can be used in either direction. I find them very repeatable and accurate.
 

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Change Barrel Stolle Teddy

Hi,

I found this older thread when searching for information on the Stolle Teddy. I am looking to purchase a HV Short Range Bench Rest Rifle and would like to have it as a Switch Barrel 6ppc for Group and 30 BR for score shooting. Based on what I have read in this thread, is this a bad idea based on the issues with barrel changes, since the changes would not be when a barrel wears out, but often when shooting different matches.

Thanks, Bob
 
JerrySharrett said:
Gene, make up a set of gaging tools like below. Make the sleeve longer than the longest tenon you ever expect to do.

qp1hs3.jpg


3128yyo.jpg


2q1wdqf.jpg


Start by measuring the old barrel, otherwise and with a new action, you must start with the new action unglued and work from the action face and bolt face.
Click to expand...

I agree with Jerry. You can't beat good old measuring with the proper tools.
 
rkittine said:
Hi,

I found this older thread when searching for information on the Stolle Teddy. I am looking to purchase a HV Short Range Bench Rest Rifle and would like to have it as a Switch Barrel 6ppc for Group and 30 BR for score shooting. Based on what I have read in this thread, is this a bad idea based on the issues with barrel changes, since the changes would not be when a barrel wears out, but often when shooting different matches.

Thanks, Bob
Click to expand...

Bob, you have the original barrel, so all you have to do is duplicate the critical measurements.

This is done all the time, in fact, is common practice.

I would venture a guess that if you called Keblys today, and told them you had a unaltered Teddy,that they could furnish you a complete chambered barrel ready to screw on with no problems.
 
I built a device yesterday for measuring to a headspace gauge and for measuring cone clearance. It's pretty simple. It's made from the butt end of a barrel blank. The inside is bored to minor bore diameter for a 1 1/16-18 thread for a inside depth of 2". The front part of the hole is bored to 1.075" for .875" then a 1 1/16-18 tap is run in to thread about a 1/2" of thread past the .875" portion. The other end of the piece of barrel steel is bored for a 3/8" diameter hole. A 1" micrometer head goes in the 3/8" diameter hole and is held in place with three 10-32 set screws with weedeater cord under each set screw. The micrometer head is adjusted to read zero on a surface plate with the tip of the head sitting on a 1" diameter inspection ball. It works slick and is repeatable plus reads the same as a depth mike from receiver face to bolt face. A window is milled on each side of the tool so that you can see the head tip or hold the ball against the cone to get a relative measurement for cutting the cone. The tool slips over most of the barrel thread and them screws onto the tenon for just a few threads so that you only have to turn it about four or five turns to lock it down against the barrel shoulder. I had built one before that didn't thread into the tenon and just slipped over the tenon. With it being threaded it gets more consistent readings and is easier to make duplicate barrels when chambering more than one barrel for a benchrest rifle. I'll take some photos tomorrow and add them to this post. Simpler to see in a photo than to describe. The 1" diameter inspection ball is available from m MSC for about $5 or so. Dale Woolum makes a similar tool that he sells through PMA Tool. I don't know whether Dale's tool is threaded on the inside or whether it just slips over the tenon. The problem that I've run into using it with the B&S micrometer head is that if you tighten down the set screws too tightly, the micrometer head won't turn. I have a Mitutoyo digital head on my other tool that slips over the thread and that isn't threaded on the inside that will work no matter how tight the set screws are tightened. I'll switch heads and see if the head will make a difference. That head has to be tight in the sleeve when the tool is used or it will move in the tool when you adjust it.

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I made a couple of these a few years ago, using digital mics it is easy to zero the mic when measuring an existing barrel and use it to duplicate the new barrel.
I've also made a couple with 0-25mm micrometer heads, just as effective but these were for uncommon actions..........Ian

 
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