checking headspace

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mr ed

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
6,999
Reaction score
4,834
Location
Tulsa
Reading a thread about headspacing got me to remembering.
For those who have bought an old rifle and are wondering about the head space and don't want to buy gauges, this will work.
1.Disassemble bolt and remove extractor (if mauser style), trigger, mag follower and anything else that would cause drag.
2.Take factory cartridge and put a piece of scotch tape or masking tape on back of cartridge.
3.Chamber round an feel for resistance, continue to build layers of tape until resistance is felt.
Most old guns (clean action) the bolt will handle will drop by itself.
4.Gently peel off tape and measure with micrometer or dial calipers.
3-5 thousandths is about a go.
6-9 thousandths is a no go
9-11 thousandths is a field
more than that it needs help
this is not as exact as gauges but will let you know where you stand.
 

rocketman

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
504
Reaction score
294
Location
OKC
The best cheap/quick method is to make a shim stock disc with the correct thicknesses and stick it to the base of a properly sized case or set it on the bolt face. You can find a soda can and cut a disc the diameter of your case. I think soda cans are 0.004" thick. If you feel it resist closing on a 0.004" shim you should be good to go. Don't force it though because it will reform the brass. On a mauser action I strip the bolt completely and if the bolt handle weight alone does not close the bolt on the shimmed case I consider it good. If it closes easy try adding another 0.004" shim. If it still closes take it to a gunsmith or buy proper gauges. After determining the headspace is good, I then fire form all the brass with a low powered load and neck size only and forget about it.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom