Uberti Renegade Headspace problem - maybe?

[Yahoo Delirious]

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I have a Renegade in .45 colt.  (factory short stoke) With a round in the chamber and the bolt closed, the lever sits about .10 away before even coming in contact with the lever safety.  The lever will close all the way but requires a strong squeeze, and it's not due to the lever safety spring being too strong. (I lightened it already).

Could it be that the head space is too small (less than .060) ?  All I have are calipers and can't get them in there to measure the space.

Thanks, Yahoo 

[G W Wade]

i w.as told to push the fired primer in a case about halfway out. then feed case into chamber and slowly close lever.  carefully remome case. headspace is distance primer protrudes out past base of shell.   hope this helps 

[G W Wade]

me a.gain-primer should protrude between .006-010 for  proper headspace

[Coffinmaker]

Optimum head space for a Toggle Link rifle is .004.  While .006 is OK, .010 is becoming excessive.

It does sound like you have too little head space.  Best measurement is with a narrow front feeler gage (auto parts store) fit between the case head and breach face of the breach block (bolt).  An .004 blade should just fit when the lever is tight to the lower tang.

It sounds like yours should go back.  An amount of material will need to be removed from the breach face of the breach block to correct the head space.

Coffinmaker

[Coffinmaker]

Almost forgot, the other way to correct tight head space is to use "short" links.  Uberti copied the older style Super Short links from Pioneer Gunworks.  Once you determine what the head space is (or isn't), I suggest you contact Joe Alves at Pioneer and see if he can make a set of shorter links for you.  You may actually need to send him the rifle. 
While sending the rifle to Pioneer will cost you, rather than warranty, you will probably be much happier with the results as opposed to sending the gun back to Baretta.  Baretta is not famous for being "quick" with their turn-around.

Coffinmaker

[John Taylor]

Does the lever go all the way without a cartridge? Have had some come in with bent levers.
If there isn't enough head space it would be less expensive to take a little off the rear of the barrel. Maybe I think that way because I re-barrel 73s quite often.  May be able to do the work yourself with a good vice, large crescent wrench and a file. Wood, copper or aluminum pads in the vice and several layers of paper on the frame where the wrench is used to keep from marring. Make sure the lever is down when unscrewing the action or the extractor will break.

[Yahoo Delirious]

Yeah the head space is definately too little.

I'm confused between which part metal should be removed from though.

The bolt face or the breech face(back of barrel)? Or could it be either?  If it is the bolt face, wouldn't the bottom tab be kinda hard to work around?

Yahoo

[Coffinmaker]

Either.  You can remove metal from the bolt face, you can remove metal from the breach face of the barrel, or you can opt for shorter links.  Removing the metal and keeping the breach face or bolt face square will require some skill with tools and yes, the cartridge guide lug at the bottom of the bolt face can be problematic.  That is why I suggested you contact Pioneer Gunworks for custom links, once you know what the head space is ..... or isn't.
If you elect to DIY, be very careful.  Especially if you elect to pull the barrel.  If you warp the receiver, you'll have a very expensive 3 dimensional wall decoration, suitable for framing 

Coffinmaker