54R Bren Issues

[Joe H]

Yep. Which makes it all the more confusing since if it were ONLY a head spacing issue, the brass shouldn't have fixed the problem. But it did. Furthermore, changing barrels to Vince's barrel also didn't change the HS either, yet so far no gas explosions. So.... maybe just the barrel cut wrong and NOT a HS issue?

Djandj,

You still don't understand HS. When you changed barrels you decreased the HS by the depth of the recess that was cut by the reamer in your previous barrel. It had nothing to do with the depth of the notch. The notch depth below the rim is the same no matter how deep the recess is. The cutting ears on the reamer "that shouldn't be there" cut the 54r rim diameter and can be used for small adjustments for fitting a new barrel that needs a little more HS.

You did have different problems with the brass cases. The case solid head may be longer than the steel like the .303, you don't know.

The big number you haven't posted is with the bolt on the stops, not on the case head as you posted, what is the distance between the case head & bolt face. It can't be checked with a feeler gage. You don't know "Sh--T" about the headspace on your Bren until the bolt face can rest on the case head or a proper HS gage.

You may have just decreased HS enough to eliminate blowouts. I didn't say correct HS.

Read browningautorifle's comment above.

Get a gunsmith, who knows what he is looking at, evaluate your rifle.

Joe