How do you ...

[kopcicle]

First off, I don't do this for a living so I'm going to ask a daft question or two. 

Then, my black rifle experience is FAL and STG-57 variants with a dash of G3. I never have cared for the mouse gun, but I guess it has its place. 

I recently acquired several .308 barrels for who knows what, but I noticed something about all of them. I have several raw machined AR/LR lowers to play with so here we go. 

The gas port is drilled into the groove not the land. 

The barrel extension is correctly timed, and the locating pin is exactly where it belongs. 

Test headspace was perfect. 

This was on a 16" an 18" and a 20" . 

So how in the wide world of sports do you time the threads in such a way that the barrel extension makes proper torque, the index pin and the gas port line up, the feed ramps line up, AND the gas port is not drilled into a land? 

I have a desire to make a few odd chamberings from blanks and all I know I can get right is the gas hole. 

Have pity on the new guy because I know there is some voodoo I'm missing here. 

Edited May 27, 2023 by kopcicle

[kopcicle]

 TLDR 35 Whelen and .270 Winchester fans keep reading.
All others, blah, blah, blah...

Well, you know there...
If I was going to go with the long action, I'd be tempted to chamber in 35 Whelen on one hand and .270 Winchester on the other.

Either or both would get a nod to P.O. Ackley for different reasons.
The Whelen always had an issue, if it was going to have an issue, with the minimal shoulder. A gas gun head spacing on the shoulder could use a slightly larger shoulder area for consistent head spacing. Straightening the case side wall would allow more shoulder area.

The .270 has a bit more left in the tank if case volume is increased via well-known Ackley principals. In addition, I'd hate to lose the advantage the .270 has in reduced recoil compared the 30-06.

In both cases the straighter walls are conducive to magazine feeding, reduced pressure on the recoil system, and reduced felt recoil.

The only drawbacks I see are the reduction in case taper can lead to extraction difficulties and no commercially available ammunition. Granted the advantage in the .270 is it will accept factory ammunition and fireform it. Not the case with the Whelen. The Whelen however has the obvious advantage of hitting like the hammer of gawd.
The Whelen also has a lesser appreciated convenience, a wide selection of pistol bullets. (Use your imagination).

So, there are the two extremes.

Fast, flat, reduced recoil and with modern all copper high BC bullets supersonic to at least 900 yards.
or
The hammer of gawd at 225 or 250gr or ridiculous velocities with a wide variety of pistol bullets* with a nod to lower velocity cast lead boolits (w or w/o gas checks) for don't explode the wild turkey or rabbit moments.

 

On the gripping hand, 270 WSM ? Just a thought. 

Probably goes without saying that an effective adjustable gas block would be mandatory 

 

*How many 125gr .357 magnum bullets can you name? 😉

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by kopcicle