I’ve only built one AR and I’m working on my second. On my first I ordered a barrel from Shilen and they headspaced the bolt to that barrel. I’ve been looking at Bravo Co., Rainier, and others, for barrels and bolt carrier groups.
If I get a barrel from one place and a bolt from another will they need to be headspaced together? I’m thinking of getting a Rainier 16" ultra match barrel and a Bravo bolt carrier group.
If I get a barrel from one place and a bolt from another will they need to be headspaced together? I’m thinking of getting a Rainier 16" ultra match barrel and a Bravo bolt carrier group.
If you are putting new parts together, and they are from quality outfits, I wouldn’t worry about it. If I was putting a new bolt into an old gun, I would make it a point to check.
All you are doing when it comes to headspace on a AR-15 is checking. There is no adjustment. Headspace is set by the barrel extension and its relation to the barrel, to state it simply.
When you buy matched barrels/bolts, someone is checking many bolts to the assembled barrel to fit one that is, or what the person doing the checking considers optimal. When I ordered my custom Noveske barrel from MSTN, it was “headspaced” to 1.4646".
If I were buying a stainless barrel, meant for a more precision rig, I would look for manufactures that offer that combo, barrel & headspaced bolt. Most of them do. Just a little peice of mind.
For a typical chrome lined barrel, buy new, buy smart and it will be good to go.
So there’s no accuracy increase by having it headspaced? It’s just a matter of, it fits or it doesn’t. So I could do the same by using go, no-go gauges?
I believe Rainier does headspace a bolt with the purchase of one of their barrels. That’s what I am planning on getting, a Rainier UltraMatch. So then for a carrier, I’ll just get the Bravo carrier w/o the bolt. Sound good?
Thanks
I’ve never seen testing one way or another to indicate that it makes a difference. My theory is that it would help, but I’ve never tested it.
If I was going to spend the extra money to go for a precision type setup, I would get a headspaced bolt with it. If for nothing else, just peace of mind. If you’re getting a ultra match, then I would get the bolt from them too. BCM is good to go as well for the carrier.
When I was emailing Wes Grant back and forth just before I bought a barrel from him, he said he doesn’t use go, no-go gauges. He uses ones that read on a finer scale, hence the 1.4646". He even said for accuracy he goes for the tighter 1.4646", larger for general use. So there may be something to the accuracy.
I wouldn’t worry about headspace for a general use gun. Something meant to be beat up, something to abuse at a class.
I think you’re on the right track though.
bp,
Who is Wes Grant and MSTN?
MSTN is…http://www.mstn.biz/
Wes and Paul, the owners, make custom uppers/guns to put it simply. Recently Wes started selling 16" barrels with the intermediate (11.5") gas system, which is very similar to the gas system in the KAC SR15E3, but that’s a whole thread in its self.
Pretty well respected guys and good to go. The website is down, but they are still very much in busisness. I’ve sent dozens of emails abck and forth to Wes, and even spoke with him on the phone before ordering my barrel. He was very patient while I picked his brain on barrels.