Lithgow SMLE Failed Field Headspace Gauge

[PrinzEugen]

Is there a uk source of proper gauges?

[Peter Laidler]

Yes, BDL.......... via the UK post!

[jona]

Forster makes SAAMI field gauges. These are not to British field gauge specs which are .074. Forster is .070. Many a good 303 has has been "failed" because of this difference. Check your no-go and make sure it is set at .074. You rifle may be perfectly fine IF checked with the proper gauge.

[browningautorifle]

Jona if you read the posts you see he already failed the field gauge. He wants the .074 gauge.

[Brian Dick]

Folks need to understand that I don't just sell bolt heads anymore because they need to fit and time up properly to your bolt and gauge up properly once fitted to your bolt in your rifle. I know that many are convinced it's OK just to screw in a new one that's longer and head to the range. There's so much more to it than that if you want it done PROPERLY. Take Peter's advice and read all of the articles on CHS and fitting bolts and you'll get the general drift. My best to all this holiday weekend.

---------- Post added at 12:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:02 PM ----------

I carry Arrowmark Tool and Gauge military specification gauges from Australia but with the exchange for the weak US dollar, they are expensive and most guys are too cheap to invest in them to check one or two rifles in their collections. They are the only military specification .303 gauges that I use other than a set of originals that stays on my bench. There are coin gauges and o-rings and all of that available too but I'll be honest and tell you that I don't have and never will have any experience with that stuff.

I'll throw in a shameless plug too and tell you that unlike all of these auction sellers, I don't ship rifles from my shop that are out of specification in the first place!

[Peter Laidler]

Wise words there Brian......., VERY wise words. People won't believe me that during our apprenticeships, under the eagle eye of Stan Ayley, who passed on recently, we spent months learning the insides out of bolt fitting and all of the other stuff associated with the No4, 5 and 8. If only I realised that I could have just ignored him and swopped things around willy-nilly. It'd have made life so much easier. Especially when it came to Bren and L4 guns under the even more eagle-eye'd ogre Harry Weeks

[Brian Dick]

Put credit where credit is due Peter. I never had a clue about allot of this stuff either until I had a couple of visits here from a well educated Senior REME Armourer from over the pond. It's getting to be a long time ago already. In other words: I had a very good teacher!

[Rumpelhardt]

I have Foster head space gages. Before I got a .74 I used some adhesive backed aluminum shim material cut to fit to bring the .70 out to .74. It got me by until I finally got a correct gage.

[lngstrt]

I got a set of 'mil spec' coin type gauges from:

Okie Headspace Gauges

As I recall, when I received them, the 'field' gauge did measure .074 as it should. I keep them in my gun show back pack.

[Peter Laidler]

This is where some of the problems lay if truth be known. If the two gauges were recognised as .064" GO and .074" NO-GO instead of the spurious nomenclature of 'field' then it'd make life so much easier and probably eliminate a lot of misunderstanding. Thereafter any other or inbetween gauge could be quietly abandoned - to the good of all