Printable View
Does anyone know of a good source to find out how to properly check the headspace of a lee enfield. Do you need all three headspace gauges, go/no-go/field ? I would love for someone to make a video showing how to properly check for an enfield's headspace. Thank you so much.
RL
Easy , get a coin style Military spec. FIELD headspace gauge. MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS GAUGE . This fits under the extractor and slips right in over the bolt head surface. I do this at gun shows. Then carfully close the bolt down on the gauge with very light pressure. Do not force the bolt down. It is a light feelthing just to see if the bolt handle drops down on a field gauge. If it does that's bad news. Then you need to switch bolt heads on the SMLE or No. 4 Enfield. You can get a field gauge from Okie see Okie Headspace Gauges
I have not been on this forum for some time see this old post of mine Surplusrifle Forum View topic - Checked my Enfield. Bad headspace
Surplusrifle Forum View topic - For basic headspace: would the Field gauge work well?
Surplusrifle Forum View topic - Head spacing and Bad Chambers, What to look for.
A link to Mosin but the same idea just that a coin gauge is easier. Headspacing the Mosin Nagant rifle
Enfield 101 more info Headspace 101 for .303s in The Lee Enfield Forum Forum
Old Yankee instructions for coin gauges see
Yankee Engineers Instruct Page
Lots of info out there. JUST GET AN OKIE GAUGE a great company, (Yankee is on hold due to some problems) and slip it into that rifle . Bingo
Check the MKL .. ;)
Headspace 101 for .303's (click here)
Regards,
Doug
Here is a real safety nut on this video. They use a go and no Go. A lot of old rifles will fail a no Go but pass on a FIELD GAUGE. THEY DO NOT STATE to use MILITARY gauges. If it passes on a regular Clymer or Forster gauge it's in real good condition. In this video he removes the extractor because he is not using a coin gauge. (Can not do at a gun show) If a rifle FAILS on a FIELD DO NOT FIRE IT. If it fails the No go it is near the end of its life but still can be fired if it passes on the FIELD reject gauge, just do not use uploaded ammo reloads. Read your cartridge for pressure signs. I only worry about the field gauge when at a gun show. Plenty of M1 carbines, Enfields, and Mausers will fail the test. Then they sit on the table. You got a great old surplus rifle if it passes on a non military gauge or is ok on the No go. here is a youtube video from Midway see: "How to headspace a bolt action rifle" on a search It is from midway or this may show up here ... NO go bummer This forum will not let me link directly. Sorry
Also see similar threads below, a nice feature on this forum!
Clymer headspace gages are known to be on the short side..if you have a good set of GI gages, that havnt been in someones pocket they work much better.
a few years ago, i did this..i dropped a forester, Clymer, and a GI 30-06 gage in dry ice for 10 mins...the ony one that changed was the Clymer..the others held spec.
tried 3 Clymer .308 no go gages in my Remington 700.. all 3 gave a different reading. though the bolt passes with all 3,,the level of the bolt handle was different on all 3.
The .303 headspaces on the rim, not the shoulder. Most/all US made commercial gages are made to SAAMI specs and LE rifles were'nt. Use BRITISH mil spec gages, IIRC Brian Dick at BDL LTD has them, or at least knows where to get them. The only ones you need are the .064 go and the .074 no-go. Search the Lee Enfield forum for old threads on the subject, or the MKL as Badger suggests.