Bbled and headspaced my Hesse L1A1

[LAFAL]

Well, would you believe it. This thing just might work. ONly dremeling I have had to do so far is a small amt of relief work in the extractor gap in the front right side of the receiver. The bbl indexed, with the kit's breeching washer, to 10:00. Carefully filed the shoulder of the bbl a bit and it indexed to 11:00. Eeeeeeeh! Used a bit of Caterpiller blue loctite and dogged it down with an open end 1 1/8" wrench and a cheater bar. Had to borrow an Elliott's receiver vise from a buddy. I got it right on the first try! The parallel rod method works! and the gas piston dropped through with no binding. Can it get any better? Well, the hole gauge miked to 0.026 and the locking shoulder in the kit was the SAME! How often does that happen! Pounded it in with the ole deadblow hammer, dropped in a go gauge and it closed. No go was hard to seat. Field wouldn't. I think I've got it. Now I'm waiting on the replacement parts the kit had that aren't serviceable. Buttstock cleaned up nicely and has 3 coats of Tung oil on it. Handguards and pistol grip are trash. Come on Larry! Will post pics when I get in my new camera.

[Ricketts]

Guys, as some of you know, this is my first crack at this so--the only gauge I came up with is a field gauge. Won't close on the field gauge. That's good. I'm ordering the go/ no go tonight off Brownells website. BUT, for the hell of it, I put a dummy 308 in the rifle, and it won't close. It does on my STG. Does this mean I need to back my barrel out a thread or so and get a thicker breech washer? I know I won't do anything until I get the gauges, but should I mentally prep for another chore?

[FXE]

Originally posted by Ricketts:
<STRONG>Won't close on the field gauge... I put a dummy 308 in the rifle, and it won't close...Does this mean I need to back my barrel out a thread or so and get a thicker breech washer?</STRONG>

Ricketts
Sounds like your LS is a little bit big! There's only .008" difference between Go and Field(no go)! One full turn would be .0625", probably too much ;) ! Got any Gauge Pins? They take all the guess work out of it!
HTH
FXE

[gw11]

Ricketts
You need to come up with the correct Locking Shoulder to set head space.
check on past posts or see Gunplumbers work book for the correct way to set it.
You time the barrel first, then you check and set Head Space.
gw11

[Ricketts]

Gauge pins?? Like the plain ol' round ones I have a set by thousandths? Use those?? How? Gotta hate these newbies!! If the locking shouldsr is too big, shat side do you remove material from--probably the butt side, no?

[Ricketts]

GW11--So I gather the one I got with the kit isn't correct?? Do you grind these down, or can you purchase different diameters? Maybe I oughtta get Gunplumbers book. Wheres' that available from? I figure once I nail this, the next 20 will be easy!! :D It's been fun tho. I can't wait to parkerize. I've done that to way more than my share of guns. Never rebuilt one before from it's skivies before.

[Deltaten]

LAFAL:
Good on 'ya. Sounds like you've got the "bug".

Ricketts:

As I've done, and others have professed/admitted to do; just relieve the face of the LS a wee bit. Mighty small increments, these thousandths are, huh!? Maintain the angle and flat as exactly as possible. Trial fit many times. It's been my experience (three or four builds, BIG time builder! :D) that the LS will loosen up a "tad", so just tight enough will turn into a "go" within a couple hundred rounds.

Gunplumber's book and/tape, according to most, are invaluable for the home-brew crowd. You will spend much more on replacing broken/mis-ground parts than the cost of the set, prior to getting the hang of it. Go ahead. Ask me how I know! ;)

Best,
Paul

[FXE]

Originally posted by Ricketts:
<STRONG>Gauge pins?? Like the plain ol' round ones I have a set by thousandths? Use those?? How? Gotta hate these newbies!! If the locking shouldsr is too big, shat side do you remove material from--probably the butt side, no?</STRONG>

Ricketts
This is how to use gauge pins to figure LS size(condenced form but you should get the ideal)!

First take out your LS
Remove Extractor from bolt
Place go gauge in chamber
Insert a gauge pin in the LS hole(start with .257 as a guess)
try to close the bolt
increase or decrease Gauge pin size until bolt closes nicely on the GO
note the gauge pin size subtract about .001 from it and this should be your required LS size
Insert correct LS
recheck GO and NO GO if it's good your good to go!

Here's a sketch of where you measure LS Size!

http://pstr-m03.ygpweb.aol.com/data/00C/02/7C/DF/1D/F+TkspQtCTlPq+xm6idUvxrDx3uVpoK00180.jpg

HTH
FXE

[Ricketts]

Thanks FXE!! Plain as day. I'm taking the pins home tonight.