“Seems to me all the problems would be solved if a/ the reloader would learn to measure before firing”
“We tried to get the Army machine gunners to measure the cases before firing, but the General's wouldn't let them.”
I no longer need more cases, while others were talking about acquiring more cases, I had already acquired them, and barrels, I doubt I will ever acquire another barrel, the last round of barrels was a choice between 308/7.62 NATO machine gun barrels and another machine gun type barrel, I choose the other, I still have access to the 308/7.62 NATO barrels and fired cases, lots of fired cases, and new unfired cases, and access to the fired cases that have been fired in the rifles built with the big/bull type machine gun barrel, and I can measure and or compare, I have small base dies, I have BAR dies, and again, I can measure and I can compare. I would like to take your word for the generous chambers, and again I could have been cheated, my chambers are not generous, I suppose that could happen to someone that does not have a machinegun barrel. I have purchased 4 in the last year, a friend needed two for commitments, so I shared, now I need to sacrifice two rifles instead of 4, both will be M 1917s, had I gone with the 308 type barrel I would have used Mausers.
Back when, in the old days, 30/06 ammo came in one size fits all, then came the Mi Garand, still, one 30/06 (ammo) fit all, The M1 chamber was not generous, but the clearance was cut into the chamber, at the rear of the chamber the clearance was +.0002 thousands, again I have small base dies and I have BAR dies, I purchases a Model 70 Winchester chambered to 300 Winchester Mag, anyhow, we had words, they thought I was difficult, then impossible, I wanted a chamber that fit my dies or dies to fit their chamber, their local warranty smith sounded like he worked for the pope, I questioned their methods/remedies and he would tell me ‘gotta do it, because they say so’ after he got through with it, it got uglier, he sent the rifle back to Winchester, and that is when they decided I was impossible.
Again, I form cases to fit, my favorite case is the 280 Remington, OR, cases that have been fired in trashy old chambers, problem, I do not get any benefit from 308/7.62 NATO cases fired in machineguns.
F. Guffey