07-08-2019, 04:55 AM
FLshooter Wrote:$50 can buy some ammo.Not much of a barrel upgrade.But,it can buy you a top of the line eye patch!LOL!
You are talking about a possible situation of too much headspace, not barrel obstruction or too much powder. How often has injury from too much headspace been documented on this forum over the years?
Case separation is not as dramatic as you imply. It has happened to me twice in an AR/223 due to too much headspace. The gun does not blow up. The case does it's job to the point of failure and the gun remains safely in battery. You then have the issue of getting the front half of the spent case out which might be stuck in the chamber.
The other scenario is there is too little headspace and in that case the gun does not go into battery and does not fire.
I have GO/NO GO/FIELD gauges for 223 but they are rarely used. Good for checking guns if there's no opportunity to test fire, like at a gun show. Machinists need them when reaming chambers. But for shooters the OP's better off buying a set of calipers and the Hornady headspace Gauge, and/or firing the first round from the hip, pointing downrange and wearing protective eyewear, or looking away to take the shot. Granted, $50 not going to buy a best barrel but if the difference between a cheap barrel (where most of the problems come from) and a best barrel is only $200 then $50 is some of the way there. Plus it'll likely be more accurate.