new old stock 1903a3 rebarreling question

[milsurpmjt]

I just had my local gunsmith put on a new old stock barrel on my 1903a3 for $125 (which is irrevelant). When I got it back it had a note on it that it "barely headspaced" and when I asked the gunshop owner (not the gunsmith) she took one of the two test fired rounds and set it on the glass countertop and let it wobble around until it stood straight up and then said, "yep that is good". So I left puzzled and should have asked to speak to the gunsmith. After looking at some of the forum posts it looks like some reaming or shim work could have been required.

I will be reloading for this rifle and wanted to get the longest life from my brass, which I guess I should just neck size anyway. But how do I know this guy just didn't do a quick shoddy job?
Is there a way to check the headspacing without specialized tools? Would I just have to measure the length of an unfired case, load it up and fire it and then measure it again to see how much it lengthened?

Thanks for any input.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Chuckindenver]

no disrepect, but it aint rocket science,
pretty much line the witness marks up, finish ream, test fire, and be done with it,,
i ream till it will close on a chamber test round, or a live round with no fire control in the bolt,
commercial headspace gages are not all the same, look at your fired case, if it looks good, then go shoot the rifle, and see how it does, not sure WTF the wobble test is, but i would avoid having that person judge any weapon..
a note...if it was indeed a new barrel, it would have been short chambered, and the headspace would have been up to the person turning the finish reamer.. i may have gone a little too deap, but if it closes on a factory round easy, and the fired case looks good, id shoot it, and see how it does.
if you installed a used barrel, then you installed whatever issues the barrel had before it was removed.

[milsurpmjt]

I am probably worrying for nothing but I took off the extractor, measured a live round and then put it in the chamber made sure the bolt would close, then added pieces of scotch tape to the end of the round measured them and then chambered them. Here is my data (the round was measured with calibers w/ hornandy's .308 bullet comparison attachment (Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Reloading :: Metallic Reloading :: Tools Gauges :: Lock-N-Load Gauges-Formerly Stoney Point :: Bullet Comparators :: Bullet Comparator Kits)

Round: 3.724
1st tape: 3.726 Chambered fine
2nd tape: 3.730 Bolt was tight
3rd tape: 3.735 Bolt would not close

I don't think this really proves anything...

[Chuckindenver]

put the gages, and measuring tools away, put the books down, save the tape for Christmas.
go shoot the rifle.. your really over thinking this.
one real important thing to remember....this is a 47 year old combat bolt action rifle, and was made to looser specs then a target rifle, and made so that it could be repaired with simple basic tools.
if your in doubt, buy a set of headspace gages, and check it... sounds like somebody has been filling your mind with dangerous tails about headspace.

[emmagee1917]

...I've used the " tape test " when I didn't have my gauges . Very rough info , but better than nothing. Yours sounds like it passed easily. Go shoot it.
Chris

[Calif-Steve]

You need to know this barrel was short-chambered when you gave it to the gunsmith. OK? So what did they do with it? Why is the chamber not perfect? You need to ask the 'smith these questions. Do not let them BS you, they received a short-chambered mint barrel. Good luck.

[45B20]

Milsurpmit

Some more second guessing…

The case on the glass is the “if it has excessive headspace the primer will back out enough to cause the case to wobble” test. I don’t trust it at all and it will not even began to work with crimped-in primers.

“barely headspaced” could mean, ‘just closed on a GO gage’ This word “headspace” is often used incorrectly. The only time that a rifle is ‘headspaced’ is during chambering or setting a barrel back or changing bolts. Checking headspace is when it is measured, most common is the gage, but the tape/shim, case AND a mike works.

Headspace is not some magical thing, 0.002” one way or another is not all that important, just as long as the bolt closes on the ammo you wish to use.

If you wish to buy a gage, obtain a GO gage, a mike and use shims. This can tell you what the headspace of your rifle is, not just that it will or will not close on some gage. Slow, but one man and one rifle,, who cares.

Don’t worry about this Clymer / Forester gage BS. The only time I used my Clymer gages is when I would set up a M14/M1A to function with both commercial and GI ammo. Other than this,, Foresters are fine.

Your rifle sounds OK,, shoot it.

45B20

[milsurpmjt]

Ok, after talking to the gunsmith he said he lined up the witness marks and cleaned it up, then check headspace and the bolt would close on the "go" and "no gauge" but not on the "field gauge" so it is within specs for a military rifle of that era. He said he did not have to use a lathe or reamer to install the barrel.

Guess I am stuck with a loose headspacing, I will go out and shoot it and see what she does. I guess it won't matter if I plan on neck sizing the reloads anyway.

Thanks,

[45B20]

Interesting,,,,,, that barrel might not be as ‘new’ as the seller thought.

But rifle is safe to shoot, so all is good.

Do not put too much into what the woman at the shop says but just smile and be nice.

45B20

[milsurpmjt]

What do you mean 45B20, I bought it from Sarco and it was in seemingly original wrap and was covered in black guewwy stuff that was on the outside and inside the barrel. I don't know much of anything on installing a barrel but wouldn't the gunsmith mill off the barrel just forward of the threads to "take up" that headspace, making the headspace smaller?