@RomBinDaHouse: Thanks for the issue with the channels,it was a problem with the geometry of the highpoly bolts. I just rebaked em. Concerning padding: There actually is, i just have hidden the layer to better show the layout
Killer UV layout there, hardly any wasted space. 1024s will be fine for that level of detail Nex gen engines can handle 2048s but why tax the texture memory unnessesarily. If you loose too much in the downscale then just stick with the 2048s.
@Saidin311: Comes down to a uv layout that is as distortion free as possible and a clean bake of the highpoly mesh. As already stated, every plate and all of the rivets were modeled. I´m going to post some screens of the highres when i do the new renders.