Go/No-Go Gauges -- Recommendations?

[Minnesota Joe]

Need to buy a set of Go/No-Go gauges for my LEs and would appreciate recommendations. Midway has product by Forster and PTG -- anyone familiar with these? Is there something better?

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.

[Edward Horton]

If you do not reload standard British and Commonwealth head space is fine:
(note, some reloader tighten up their head space)
.064 Minimum
.074 Maximum

American Commercial SAAMI head space gauges are
.064 min
.067 max
.071 field max

Make sure you order the correct gauges, I have three below that I got on ebay for $35.00, wink, wink, hint, hint. Poor fool was switching to collecting Mosins



Note: After proof testing the Enfields were checked with a .067 gauge and if the bolt closed the rifle failed proof testing due to excessive bolt lug and bolt head set back. To me this means there is a good possibility if you have a low number bolt head and a head space under .067 you have a "low mileage" Enfield

[JBS]

If you want to save some cash and only need to check a couple rifles once or so. Cut some .080 rosin core solder to lay across the bolt face held there with grease. Now force bolt closed all the way. Open bolt and remove and measure crushed solder. If its between .064 and .074 then your good. Head space on the 303 is rim.

[Minnesota Joe]

Edward -- Do you know the manufacturer of those gauges? I'm really surprised at what appears to be a very limited number of manufacturers. Your gauges look nice to boot.

[Edward Horton]

Edward -- Do you know the manufacturer of those gauges? I'm really surprised at what appears to be a very limited number of manufacturers. Your gauges look nice to boot.

The only markings on my gauges are the rim thickness or sizes so I do not know where they were made.

If you reload and have a set of vernier calipers you can check headspace without headspace gauges. One method is the use a set of feeler gauges placing the feeler gauges between the right locking lug and the receiver with a empty unfired case in the chamber. Anther method is the use an unfired case and a used spent primer, you chamber the empty case with a partially seated primer and get your head gap clearance or the "air space" between the boltface and the rear of the case.


Yankee Engineering sells a "coin type" head space gauges in U.S SAAMI commercial or British military standards, for approximatly $26.00 ea.

Yankee Engineers Guide Page


Yankee Engineers Order Page

[Amatikulu]

Ed's gauges are made by Arrowmark in Australia. Brian Dick is a supplier in the USA

[Edward Horton]

Ed's gauges are made by Arrowmark in Australia. Brian Dick is a supplier in the USA

Thank you Amatikulu, I searched for over an hour looking for Brian's posting and couldn't find his post and could understand why I couldn't find them at "Lawrance Ordnance". (I have short term memory loss, long term memory loss and Alzheimer's)

[Minnesota Joe]

Whoa, wait a minute. You mean I have to take apart the bolt head assembly and remove the extractor in order to use some of these headspace gauges? I can see that you don't have to do that with certain of the disk variety, but most of these (including Arrowmark and Forster) don't have cutouts for the extractor. Don't these types simply extract like a brass case, i.e., the extractor grips the rim and pulls it out? What the hey...

[Edward Horton]

Both style gauges can be used with the bolt fully assembled.

If your readings are close to failing or does fail you will get a more accurate reading with the bolt dissembled without the weight of the firing pin spring forcing the bolt closed.

Again you do NOT have to dissemble the bolt to check head space with either type gauge BUT.......

Good looking, exceedingly smart people with brilliant minds take the bolt apart and ugly unemployed shade tree mechanics check headspace with the bolt assembled.

[Son]

Both style gauges can be used with the bolt fully assembled.

If your readings are close to failing or does fail you will get a more accurate reading with the bolt dissembled without the weight of the firing pin spring forcing the bolt closed.

Again you do NOT have to dissemble the bolt to check head space with either type gauge BUT.......

Good looking, exceedingly smart people with brilliant minds take the bolt apart and ugly unemployed shade tree mechanics check headspace with the bolt assembled.

I Resemble that last remark! ...just remembering back to some who pull their bolts apart.... I'd say they were just unqualified hack gorillas who never managed to develop a craftsman's "feel", but liked to show off the use of the opposed thumb that they had recently realized could do more than just grip tree branches!

I'd suggest maybe the coin type gauges are hard to use with the extractor on.......
Get the cartridge style as in Mr Horton's pic. Much less hassle.... (with a bit of practice..)