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question for gunsmiths

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9 comments

  • bwa
    Is there such a thing on a revolver as excessive clearance between the case head(the one in firing position) and the recoil shield? I'm assuming that they have to be close enough for the firing pin to dent the primer; but is there a standard gap, and if so, what, if any, would be the consequences of exceeding it?

    Appreciate your expertise.
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  • v35
    On a centerfire revolver having excess headspace, providing the firing pin can properly indent the primer, there is no safety issue. Modern case brass has a solid web that cannot blow out as the old folded cases could, under an excess headspace condition.
    Rimfire cases can blow out and spray fragments.
    What gun are we talking about, how is the headspace being measured and what is the caliber?
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    v35, headspace is an issue with a revolver. to much and you can have head separation, i have a three pownd coffee can full of .44 mag. brase fired in a revolver with ex. headspace and you can break most of them with your fingers. on the lower powered cals. (.38 special, ect.) in might not be so bad. but still not a good thing.
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  • j2k22
    Brownell's sells a go/ no go gauge that you slide between the rear of the cylinder and the recoil shield. I believe the values for S&W revolvers is .060 (go) and .066 (no go).
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  • bwa
    Mike: I measure .008 with a feeler gauge between my .44 case heads and the recoil shield(don't have a device like j2k's example, and the feeler gauge only goes to .025 -so can't measure without an empty in a chamber). Do you know the measurement on the one you have?

    The Lyman manual's diagram of the .44 has case rim thickness at .060 -measured with a caliper, mine only go .046 - .050(depending on the brand). That would put my total headspace at .054 - .058.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    i don't have the revolver that the brass was fired in so i cann't answer that, i would say that anything over .010" would be excessive (case head to recoil schield). and would check brass before reloading if it was even close to that. when headspacing rifles i use (assuming go gauge is .000) +.005 for no go and +.010 for field guage.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    i don't have the revolver that the brass was fired in so i cann't answer that, i would say that anything over .010" would be excessive (case head to recoil schield). and would check brass before reloading if it was even close to that. when headspacing rifles i use (assuming go gauge is .000) +.005 for no go and +.010 for field guage.
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  • v35
    MW- I'm surprised to hear of case separations with a straight thick walled case. While there's no safety concern, I'd bring the headspace back to no more than .008" with a cylinder gap of about .005". I would also polish the chambers.
    BWA- Your .008" headspace sounds OK if your cylinder gap is no more than .005"(measured at the same time).
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  • bwa
    Thanks for the responses, gentlemen.
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