I am fixing to order a stock and checking to see what thickness of recoil lug i should use. I have a savage 116 flat rear reciever with a 300win mag barrel in it for now and fixing to unscrew it and put a 30" mcgowen 338 edge barrel in its place. The recoil lug thats on action is 3/32" thick should i go with a 1/4"? What the thoughts on it and i have the brass and dies for it. Should i head space with a sized piece of brass or get a go gauge? Please let me know what you think?

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In Otteson's book "the bolt action rifle. The savage action was head spaced on an "assembly gage" is was an under size gage (by .002") that would set the barrel a little tight. Then the barrel would seat upon test firing growing the head space the .002" being correct. It makes sense but never tried it so i can't say. I would though trust Stuart Otteson's word though on anything he wrote about.

I use a .240 lug on Rem 700's. I headspace the Edge on a gauge. But where the Savage is readily adjustable, a new, unfired case should work fine. I would set it to make full contact though.

Go with thicker recoil lug most of the factory lugs are not straight. They are stamped and are usually bent. Use a go gauge and set the barrel up so you feel it make contact when the bolt goes to full battery.

I have a Sharp shooter supply comp. .240 SS lug on its way but still in the air on the headspace, may get dave manson to just send me a go gauge and be done with it.

Just an FYI. Copied and pasted out of Otteson's Book Volume II page 71

Each prechambered barrel is screwed and locked into place
against a �go� assembly gauge. A �no go� gauge is then inserted to
make sure the bolt won�t close. These �assembly,� or �swing�
gauges as Savage calls them, look just like headspace gauges, but
are exactly .002 inch shorter, the amount the barrel threads seat
when the newly-assembled 110 rifles are proofed. Following proof
firing, each rifle is rechecked with a set of true headspace gauges.

So you could grind down a go gage and have a SAvage specific assembly gage Or you can just seat it on a go gage and call it good. which is what I have done and will continue to do.

Thousands and thousands of Savage 110 rifles are successfully headspaced by their owners using nothing but a piece of factory new brass. Insert a new, unfired 300 RUM case into the chamber and screw the barrel in until it comes to a dead stop against the closed bolt. Tighten the barrel nut and spend the rest of the time concentrating on sight picture and trigger squeeze.

Thanks, was unclear as if should resize the 300rum brass to 338edge before headspacing or leave it 300rum, or if i would matter?

The only thing that changes is the neck. It is handled the same as the 338-06 would be with the 25-06, 270 and 30-06.

That may be true, but I can tell you from experience that the factory does not headspace their rifles as tightly as I do at home using a forster go gage. I have my own 22-250 go gage and if you break the barrel nut loose you can screw the barrel down some more with the go gage in the chamber. Brass fired in a couple of factory 22-250's won't chamber after I remove and re-install the barrel using my gage.

Definately upgrade from the Savage recoil lug , they are tin junk !

I'd use a piece of brass which has been FL sized in your particular sizing die.
Why not set the headspace to the dimensions your brass will be when you reload it?

All this said, I'd MUCH rather use a real GO guage.

Well to each their own.
In your case you will be reloading. and therefore can set your headspace nearly anywhere you like.

For those that will be shooting factory rounds I don't recommend headspacing off of brass. just set it to the go gage. Factory brass can be as much as .008" under a go gage.