Enfield P14 head space help

I have a Eddystone P14 with a * and a 2 on the receiver. The mismatched bolt that came with the rifle, did not have the * on the handle. I had fired about 50 rds through it with what appears to be no head space issues. I had no extraction issues, the cases had no bulged primers and no discoloration around the case necks. I had stripped the bolt of its internals and extractor. Using my Foster field gauge the bolt closed completely with no resistance. That usually indicates a bad head space. So I bought 2 Eddystone stripped bolts with the * on both of them. Again using my Foster field head space gauge, both stripped bolts closed with no resistance. Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to keep buying bolts until I find one that does not close on the Foster field gauge? Also using a black felt pen I colored the locking lugs on these bolts. I worked each bolt 20 times in the receiver. I see no wear on the black marking on any of the bolts. Next I inserted each bolt and closed the handle down all the way. Two of the bolts had a very slight play when pushing the bolt in the closed position forward and back. The third bolt had no play. Also I have done a search on the internet for a British 303 Milspec field gauge .074. No luck. What is the length of the * left locking lug? Can any one help on any of these issues? Thanks

G'Day Ed,

I'll see if I can assist you with a few points.

1. The British Army has always had only 2 headspace gauges issued to the Armourers from REME: 0.064" "Go" and 0.074" "No-Go." There is no other gauge for Service requirement.
2. The passing of Go is given.
3. Should the bolt close on No-Go, then the headspace is beyond specification and requires further attention of the Armourer. The rifle is taken out of service and refitted with a bolt that gives appropriate gauge clearance.
4. The Forster gauges are made to the SAMI specifications. Despite the American's authority on matters firearm, the SAMI specs do not account for the long established firearms manufacturing industries in the UK and European countries. These specs are agreed to by modern commercial manufacturers who are interested in getting away with producing only what is necessary to remain safe and be sufficiently repetitive to keep buyers and users relatively happy. Consequently, the chamber dimensions for SAMI and Enfield/BSA/Long Branch/Savage Stevens/Lithgow/Ishapore are not identical.
5. Your "Field" gauge will be 0.067" headspace. This figure is an artificial measurement preferred by Target Rifle shooters form the 1950's and 60's who used to use Military Issued cartridges. In order to maintain match grade consistency, they weighed up their cartridges and grouped them, measured their rim thickness and grouped them further and then shot a 21 (plus 4 sighters) match with "consistent" size and mass Military Issued cartridges to eliminate further inconsistency.
6. The 0.067" gauge allows a headspace tolerance of... 0.003" Meaning, there's a long way off the 0.074 sloppy, loose, bordering on damaging (to brass) limit. Miles, nearly....
7. Your Field Gauge showed that while you were beyond that measurement, there's no indication (yet) that you're in dangerous territory. It's just an inconvenience for reloading.

I'll go and dig out a book and see if I can find the bolt lug dimensions for you.

Ed,

Sorry to say that I don't have the dimensions of the longer locking lug on the "*" marked bolt.

You'd appreciate that a "*" marked bolt goes in a "*" marked receiver, and it is possible to use a non "*" marked bolt in a "*" receiver, but not possible for a "*" marked bolt to be fitted in a non "*" marked receiver?

"*" Marked (Mark 1* rifles) receivers were machined to take the longer bolt lug.

The No 2 on the receiver ring indicates the Eddystone No 2 magazine assembly. The No 2 magazine is not an interchangeable component with Remington or Winchester rifles. A No 1 magazine in a No 2 body will require adjustment to allow proper functioning of the lading from the front plate to allow the bullet to ride smoothly and unobstructed over it.

Thanks Gents. I did a search on the internet trying to find the Mil Spec .074 head space field gauge and had no success. Any suggestions where I might find one? They must be like hen's teeth. I was wondering if i can add some thing like the thinness of paper to the back side of the Foster gauge to make up the difference? What do you all think? Thanks

I have just been informed that a Mosin coin style gauge will work. I have one of those.

Just finished measuring using my Mosin coin Field Gauge. All three bolts passed with flying colors. Before I found out that you could use the Mosin gauge, i was going to make my own. I found that a U.S. coin nickel is the same thickness .074. It is larger in diameter so I would have to reduce that. Would still like to know the length of the left locking lug on a * bolt. Thanks