I've decided to go ahead and get the proper equipment to check headspace on my rifles. I've never bothered with checking it and it's never been a problem before, but I'm at the point now where I want to get into the smaller, less well-known tidbits of putting together my own Frankenguns - things like headspace measurement, gas key staking, etc.
EVERY commercially-manufactured headspace gauge I've been able to locate requires at least the extractor be removed from the BCG and some require both the extractor AND ejector. However, I understand the old military headspace gauges didn't require this, as they were "notched" somehow to allow proper headspace measurement without ANY bolt disassembly. These seem to have dried up or are ridiculously expensive. Any why the hell doesn't a commercial manufacturer fill this niche???
Several people have mentioned making their own out of a commercial gauge by cutting a notch in it somehow, but I've not been able to find any good pictures or DIYs on how to do this properly without damaging my headspace gauge and rendering it useless. Old archived threads on the subject generally seem to have outdated or broken links and pictures.
Do any of you guys have one of these headspace gauges you've modified to allow use without any bolt disassembly, or can explain to me exactly what it is I need to do?
<note> I realize bolt disassembly isn't a huge complicated process, but my thought is, if it doesn't NEED to be done, why do it?
EVERY commercially-manufactured headspace gauge I've been able to locate requires at least the extractor be removed from the BCG and some require both the extractor AND ejector. However, I understand the old military headspace gauges didn't require this, as they were "notched" somehow to allow proper headspace measurement without ANY bolt disassembly. These seem to have dried up or are ridiculously expensive. Any why the hell doesn't a commercial manufacturer fill this niche???
Several people have mentioned making their own out of a commercial gauge by cutting a notch in it somehow, but I've not been able to find any good pictures or DIYs on how to do this properly without damaging my headspace gauge and rendering it useless. Old archived threads on the subject generally seem to have outdated or broken links and pictures.
Do any of you guys have one of these headspace gauges you've modified to allow use without any bolt disassembly, or can explain to me exactly what it is I need to do?
<note> I realize bolt disassembly isn't a huge complicated process, but my thought is, if it doesn't NEED to be done, why do it?