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Headspace question

chasdev
I bought an old 8mm mauser and took it to a gunsmith to have the headspace checked.He says $35 and call me in a month. Ok,no problem. One month later,he says,the headspace is way off,not safe to shoot,and by the way that's $50.Too bad,I wanted a shooter,and that hidden storage fee is a pain. I bought a field gauge to carry with me so that I don't get burned on my next old mauser purchase,and low and behold,I can't close the bolt on my "failed" mauser.Anyone with field gauge experience have any comments on how far the bolt should rotate on a field gage? It's a straight bolt and will rotate about
50 degrees from straight up,90 degrees being fully closed.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • nononsense
    Charles,

    I don't use a field gauge at all, I use the go, no-go gauges. But the important part is that before you can check the headspace on a Mauser 98, you have to strip the bolt of the extractor, extractor ring and firing pin assembly. Otherwise you will not get an accurate assessment of the fit between the gauge and the boltface.

    Best of luck!
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  • chasdev
    Yes thanks,I stripped the bolt bare. No internals,no extractor.
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  • perry shooter
    Does a factory loaded round allow you to close the bolt? Did the GUN-BLACKSMITH remove the barrel turn the shoulder and then reinstall one full turn shorter and now chamber is tooo short? What's with the $50.00 charge ?
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  • nononsense
    Charles,

    Here are the numbers as they relate to the gauge length and headspace:
    GO
    NO-GO
    FIELD

    8mm x 57 Mauser** 1.874" HG8x57G 1.880" HG8x57N 1.884" HG8x57F

    **This gage is for checking current S.A.A.M.I. specified 19? shoulder angle. Some older rifles were chambered to 20? 48'. Special gages are available.

    edit for credit:

    http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/gages.htm
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  • chasdev
    So,is a 43 Turk K.Kale 20 or 19? I bought what Brownells calls an 8mm field gauge.No mention of more than one for sale in 8mm.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    chasdev: you did the right thing and yes your mauser is safe to shoot. your 'gunsmith' ripped you off (he probably didn't have a 8mm guage and wanted you to pay for the set) as with all machines, rifles have tolerances. the go/nogo guages are used when installing a new barrel, the field guage to measure tolerable wear. a rifle that closes on a nogo guage but not on a field guage is still safe to shoot, it might not be the most accurate or easy on brass life but still safe.
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  • chasdev
    Thanks! I dropped in on him this morning and in front of two coffee drinkers that were talking about 500 yard shots downing record elks, I handed him the gauge and asked him to recheck it.The look on his face was priceless when the bolt didn't make it to half closed.This same joker told me the bore was rust pitted and a round could "snag".
    Ten minutes with Kroil and J+B,and this thing shows almost no wear at all,much less rust pits.This old Turk is starting to look pretty good!
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  • perry shooter
    HE is not even a GUN/BLACKSMITH I have a name for him but not for public . I would never buy from him ANYTHING.
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  • scoutfowler
    I have several old 7mm 93s. Sounds like the important guages are the go and field if I am not rebarreling or competition shooting, just to ensure they are safe. Should the 93 bolt be stripped as well to check?

    Colin B. Fowler
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  • Pinhead
    Unfortunately, since the 68' gun shipping restrictions came about, a lot of local "gunsmiths"(bigger hammer mechanics) got into the business because they had a ready market of suckers created. They are not gunsmiths but simple part changers and money grabber's plain and simple. What little most of them know they learned by ruining someone else's gun and charging them for the privilege. I got burned a couple of times before I decided that I would pay the extortion(high freight costs) and ship to a real gunsmith. Haven't looked back since. If you live in an area where you have a real honest, trained Gunsmith--count yourself blessed.
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  • Tailgunner1954
    quote:Originally posted by scoutfowler
    I have several old 7mm 93s. Sounds like the important guages are the go and field if I am not rebarreling or competition shooting, just to ensure they are safe. Should the 93 bolt be stripped as well to check?

    Colin B. Fowler


    Colin
    I'd suggest NO-GO and FIELD. The GO is mainly used when cutting a chamber to assure that you are above minimum (for practical purposes if a factory round will chamber your OK on the GO dimention).
    Yes the bolt should be stripped, and use a very light touch. No forcing the bolt down (things get wrecked in a hurry that way).

    Whittemore
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
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