**Is this normal?? 318 intake residue**

metal gaskets don't compress except for the metal "bead" so thickness is more critical. Composition gaskets compress (and seal). Those FelPros are made for your engine, should work perfectly, but getting the bolts started with uncompressed gaskets can be time consuming some times...
Yeah rookie mistake, either way I bought the 1213 felpro gasket. Thanks for the insight.