The head goes on fine and the hoop does fit. I do not have to flex or bend anything to get it to go on to the drum. The drum is only out of round by 1/16". When I tune, I take the head up in 1/2 turn increments until sound/feel are to my liking and then I fine tune. I seat the head pretty much how you said, bob. I apply pressure with my palm after all lugs are finger tight, then I make them all finger tight again so all lugs start equal and the head is seated.
I like a really tight batter head and I cannot seem to get there because the lugs stop. So I guess they are simply too tight and cannot go any further?
They are stopping around 2 to 2 1/2 turns. Some lugs are turning very fluid like, with no resistance. Others are grinding into the hoop causing friction (damaging the hoop) and making them hard to turn. Once this grinding happens, the same lugs are stopping every time I try to re-tune. When I went for 2 1/2 turns, one lug was unable to turn without excessive force. I was not able to complete that half turn on that lug. Others were turning no problem. The snare side has no problem, only the batter side. I am not sure how many turns I put on the snare side but the lugs don't stop or become hard to turn.
The lugs essentially stopping, becoming hard to turn, is what caused me to be concerned. This has happened since the first time I tried to tune it with stock heads. It even happened with a new hoop and head. Could 1/16" difference on the shell be the problem?
Am I concerned over nothing? Should I just force the lugs to turn? I am afraid that if I force the turns I want that I will damage my drum. The hoops are Pearl Super Hoop II's. Should I try die cast hoops? Should I get with pearl for a new drum? I really want a reference snare, should I just use this an excuse to get one?