Checking Headspace Question

[CadillacCowboy]

I was curious about the headspace in my custom rifle, so I used a set of gauges to check it. I don't have the tools to disassemble the bolt. I closed the fully assembled bolt a few times, empty, to get the feel of the bolt closing on an empty chamber. Then I stuck the gauge in and carefully tried to close the bolt. It closed on the no-go without any resistance. Do you guys think this may have caused damage to the rifle by stretching the chamber? Or do you think this thing was chambered incorrectly?

Thanks!

 

[gohring3006]

Call your smith... Check for lug galling.
Closing on a no go is bad.

 

[Bullet bumper]

Make sure you have the right gauges for the cartridge .

 

[CadillacCowboy]

Call your smith... Check for lug galling.
Closing on a no go is bad.

No galling at all. Lugs look good.

 

[CadillacCowboy]

Make sure you have the right gauges for the cartridge .

Definitely the right gauge. PTG nogo is the correct cartridge.

 

[J E Custom]

I was curious about the headspace in my custom rifle, so I used a set of gauges to check it. I don't have the tools to disassemble the bolt. I closed the fully assembled bolt a few times, empty, to get the feel of the bolt closing on an empty chamber. Then I stuck the gauge in and carefully tried to close the bolt. It closed on the no-go without any resistance. Do you guys think this may have caused damage to the rifle by stretching the chamber? Or do you think this thing was chambered incorrectly?

Thanks!

A No Go gauge is .006 to .008 longer than the SAMME GO Gauge and is supposed to tell you that you have to much headspace.

To Much head space will cause many problems and a chamber that will except a No Go gauge should not be fired.

In the military, the no go gauge is called a field gauge and identifies a weapon that should be taken out of service.

Did you hurt your chamber ? No. as long as you did not force the bolt closed. Is it chambered wrong ? If you have the right gauge YES. The correct head space should be .0005 to .003 and possibly as much as .006 0r .007 As long as the no go gauge will not allow the bolt to close it can be safely used.

Precision head space is normally .0005 to .0015 for best accuracy and brass life.


J E CUSTOM

 

[shortgrass]

I was curious about the headspace in my custom rifle, so I used a set of gauges to check it. I don't have the tools to disassemble the bolt. I closed the fully assembled bolt a few times, empty, to get the feel of the bolt closing on an empty chamber. Then I stuck the gauge in and carefully tried to close the bolt. It closed on the no-go without any resistance. Do you guys think this may have caused damage to the rifle by stretching the chamber? Or do you think this thing was chambered incorrectly?

Thanks!

You don't have the tools to strip the bolt = you don't have the tools to do the job correctly. Your post doesn't say if it is a 'new' custom rifle, or one you've (or someone else) been shooting for years. You don't even tell us what make the action is. Is it a new Defiance or a 100+ year old Mauser '93? BIG difference between the two!

 

[CadillacCowboy]

You don't have the tools to strip the bolt = you don't have the tools to do the job correctly. Your post doesn't say if it is a 'new' custom rifle, or one you've (or someone else) been shooting for years. You don't even tell us what make the action is. Is it a new Defiance or a 100+ year old Mauser '93? BIG difference between the two!

Blueprinted 700 with custom barrel. 150 rounds.

 

[J E Custom]

One other thing, The ejector plunger "Must" be removed in order to get a good/accurate head space.

It would not prevent the bolt from closing, but would give a false reading on the head space with a GO gauge.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Kmccord]

I was curious about the headspace in my custom rifle, so I used a set of gauges to check it. I don't have the tools to disassemble the bolt. I closed the fully assembled bolt a few times, empty, to get the feel of the bolt closing on an empty chamber. Then I stuck the gauge in and carefully tried to close the bolt. It closed on the no-go without any resistance. Do you guys think this may have caused damage to the rifle by stretching the chamber? Or do you think this thing was chambered incorrectly?

Thanks!

I am curious on what made you verify the Headspace on the chamber, did your brass start cracking at the neck or above the base?

 

[CadillacCowboy]

I am curious on what made you verify the Headspace on the chamber, did your brass start cracking at the neck or above the base?

No.

 

[shortgrass]

The ejector "must" be removed, like JE said. The firing pin assembly 'must' be removed, too. Otherwise, you have two springs interfering with your procedure. What cartridge is this chambered for? Dribble out some more information.

 

[CadillacCowboy]

The ejector "must" be removed, like JE said. The firing pin assembly 'must' be removed, too. Otherwise, you have two springs interfering with your procedure. What cartridge is this chambered for? Dribble out some more information.

308. After doing it I got to thinking about the amount of crushing force the bolt is capable of and if slight interference would be noticeable while the bolt is fully assembled. Then I questioned if the shoulder of the gauge has full surface bearing, which would distribute the force, or if it point loads the shoulder area of the chamber. I didn't feel Any resistance and I was very careful. I just want to make sure I didn't cause damage. Again, the lugs aren't galled, but the action is not SS, which I thought was more susceptible to galling? The bolt closing on the gauge felt no different than the bolt closing on an empty chamber. I later added a piece of tape and tried it and felt the interference and backed off immediately. If I did some how close the bolt with an interference fit, would that permanently open up the chamber to no go dimensions?

Or is it more likely that the chamber was just cut a little too deep?

 

[FURMAN]

You are NOT going to change the chamber dimensions by using a no go gauge. You should be checking with the plunger and firing pin removed, as already stated, but having them in is even more likely to cause the bolt to not close. The fact that the bolt will close with the no go gauge means something is wrong. Your chamber was either cut too deep or the gauge is not correct. If I were you I would take a new piece of brass and put two pieces of Scotch tape on the head of the brass, making sure the tape is trimmed to the same diameter as the brass. Then try to close the bolt on the brass. If you do not feel an much higher resistance(shouldn't close) to the bolt closer you definitely have an issue. Although I would never advocate for excessive headspace I will say many wildcats are fire formed in the exact same condition with no issues for those who know what they are doing. This typically involves seating the bullets into the lands to hold the cartridge against the bolt face.