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Posted: 8/8/2007 6:32:23 AM EDT
I close to finishing up 2 Romanian kits. I accidentally swapped barrels in each kit  . I have both barrels pressed in. I haven't riveted the rear trunion on yet. Will my headspacing be off? Should I get a gauge and check? Where would I get a gauge from quickly? Would like to test fire these this weekend. Any help would be appreciated. 
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If you are SURE you swapped barrels, I would swap them back.
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here is what I would do (if I did not have gauges, did not want to bother with swapping them out, or is I wasn't SURE I had swapped them). Get a live cartridge, put it in the bolt as you close it, and see if the bolt carrier will close with gentle hand pressure. Put the same cartridge in the other gun. If it will chamber easily (or with the same force) in both guns, that indicates that both guns headspaced the same. If there was a problem, one of the guns would be harder to close the loaded chamber on (indicating to tight headspace), and the other would be easier to chamber, (indicating loose headspace) You can do this with the bolt in the bolt carrier, but if you do it with the bolt in your hand, be aware that IF you are holding the bolt at an angle, it will cause fiction and give you a false reading. But in hand it will give you a more sensitvie reading too. YOu will be able to "feel" it. I recommend testing with the bolt in the bolt carrier first. There you go, that is my getto test.  |
I think that i have come to that conclusion. It just seems like so much work to get "matching numbers"...... but then again if i was just paying attention i wouldn't have to worry about it. 
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actually, swapping barrels won't affect the "matching numbers" as all the number are on the trunion, bolt, boltcarrier, top cover, maybe gas tube... Nothing on the barrel..  Anyways, if they both chammber a live cartridge with the same force, I wouldn't worry about it. I have used a hungarian trunion/bolt with a romanina barrel, and it headspaced fine. 
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P.S. don't swap bolts, thinking it will fix it...  if one barrel pin was "off" it would cause one to headspace loose and one tight. you can check this by seeing how they chamber a cartridge.  ETA, don't "pull it back and let it go" to chamber it, as in, not with force. get the cartridge in the bolt before it fully enters the chamber, then close it carefully. If there is trouble, then one is tight the other will be loose. Honestly though, it is unlikely that there will be trouble. better safe than sorry though. |
No, I was planning on keeping all the numbers together except the barrel. 
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I only said that cause for a second I was thinking you could swap bolts...  <-----brain fart |
+1 It shouldn't take you long to unpin and pull the barrels, then reinstall them on the "correct" trunnions. |
 the one barrel pin does not want to budge. I think they are going to remain in the current configuration.
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on stuck pins (romies are notoriouse) I use a 5/8" diamerter steel rod (a cut off handle of a socket breaker bar) put the trunion on an anvil and have anothe rperson give it a mighty WACK with a 3 lbs sledge... works every time. penetrating oil is a bonus. then, after the pin is flush, I switch to a 1/2" rod that has the face ground off untill there is only one little mini "rod" about 6mm diameter, and 1mm long. I use that to get the pin past flush, the I use a big punch to finish the job. |
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got an Air Hammer? look at this link i made up. Air hammer barrel pin removal |
hmm......that might work. Will give that a shot.
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| Yes, you should get gauges and check. You should always do this even on an all matching kit. $60 on gauges is a helluva lot better than what you'd spend on plastic surgery reconstruction of the face. When you're done with the gauges, you can just sell them to someone else at slightly below what you paid for them. Get the gauges. At the very least, get a no-go gauge. |
Where can i get a no-go gauge quickly? How many here are guilty of not using a gauge 
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Define quickly. Most places probably have overnight or 3 day shipping at a premium. I bought my gauges from Brownell's... www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=19250 |
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