headspace gauge

[maxwell_smart007]

Does anyone have a headspace gauge I could borrow and mail back to you?

I need a .303 british no-go gauge
and a
6.5x55 swede no go gauge

I've been debating firing some old rifles, but would like to check the headspace first...

 

[Jim Burr]

Oops...I just have my .308 and 5.56. That brit 303 maybe a little tough to find...but then again!

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Oops...I just have my .308 and 5.56. That brit 303 maybe a little tough to find...but then again!

THey're probably both tough to find - but .303 british was a very common rifle calibre up here... that's what we used in WW2... (lee enfield)

 

[lorbay]

Andrew. here is a way to do it without a gauge. Also very accurate.
Headspace demonstration - YouTube
Lin

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I'm looking to see if a rifle's safe - not reloading...the video looked focused on reloading...

 

[frank123]

I'm looking to see if a rifle's safe - not reloading...the video looked focused on reloading...

If it's just safe to shoot that concerns you look for a field gage. The go and no go are more oriented towards a new barrel installation, a field gage is to determine maximum safe headspace to fire it.

FWIW, you'd be surprised at the variances between headspace settings using different manufacturers gages in some calibers, there's really a fair amount of variance involved.

In a real pinch, you can check functional headspace using a factory round and shims on the bolt face, use a high quality round -match grade if possible- that meets close tolerance to factory SAMMI specs for size. Not the best option but sometimes the only available one.

 

[Smitty37]

Given what the .303 rifle is - I would almost assume it is safe unless you know that it received really hard use. If you know the history you can probably determine that. You can probably assume that if it was safe the last time it was fired it still is unless it was stored in a really harsh environment.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

unknown past - quite sure it was used in WW2, but that's about all...no clue as to the condition of storage until a few years ago...no idea if it's been fired since 1945!

Same with the mauser!