Headspace issue

[carwashchris]

Just bought my first 1917 it's Rem. with a H S barrel and some other E parts. Bought it for a shooter, both the GO and No GO gagues will go into battery my smith said it was a little snug with the No Go but he was still able to close the bolt all the way. What are my choices ? A new bolt ?

Thanks Chris

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[Patrick Chadwick]

No Go but he was still able to close the bolt all the way. What are my choices ? A new bolt ?

No, but your smith may need a new headspace gauge. The M1917 bolt is famed for having an enormous camming action, as your smith has just demonstrated. "A little snug" sounds as if the gauge was crushed to fit into the chamber.

Force should NEVER be used to close a bolt on a gauge. Your rifle does not have a headspace problem, but it seems that your smith has a problem with the correct use of precision tools. For me, the man has disqualified himself.

[carwashchris]

Thanks Patrick : Sine the post I have searched the forum, and am in the process of finding someone that has experience with 1917, any chance he may have damaged the chamber ? Chris

No, but your smith may need a new headspace gauge. The M1917 bolt is famed for having an enormous camming action, as your smith has just demonstrated. "A little snug" sounds as if the gauge was crushed to fit into the chamber.

Force should NEVER be used to close a bolt on a gauge. Your rifle does not have a headspace problem, but it seems that your smith has a problem with the correct use of precision tools. For me, the man has disqualified himself.

[Patrick Chadwick]

any chance he may have damaged the chamber ?

I doubt it. If he used the full weight of the flat of his hand to close the bolt, then he will have produced a force of half a ton to ton-magnitude on the gauge, which will not like it!
But even a ton is very little compared with the force produced by a full military load. The idiocy of such treatment of a gauge is, should he have succeeded in crushing the gauge only a couple of 1/1000", that gauge is now useless, as it has become shorter and will thus give a pessimistic indication for all subsequent chambers in which it is used. That is why, for me, the man has disqualified himself by his incompetent treatment of a precision tool.

[jmoore]

The M1917 locking faces are so slightly inclined that there's roughly a 100:1 force multiplication during downturn.

Besides, the "no-go" gage is used as a manufacturer's limit, not a user's limit. For that one should use a "field" gage.

[Patrick Chadwick]

roughly a 100:1 force multiplication during downturn

5-10 kilos on the bolt handle = 0.5 to 1 tonne on the gauge. QED.

Hard luck on the gauge!

[Chuckindenver]

find a smith that knows 1917s.
again.
to check headspace on a 1917..remove the cocking assembly.
install tool, felt resistance on the tool is a pass even if it closes, flopping down easy is a fail..
no reason to use a go gauge on a used rifle, unless the barrel has been changed.
no go, and field reject..

[carwashchris]

Well it warmed up around here today so I took it out and shot it. Started out with 6 powder puff rounds @ 30 grains { H4895 } { Hornady calls for 45 } and then 6 at 35 grains and then some factory Federal, it ran like a top. Looked over the brass real good and didn't see any swelling. Sure felt good to get outside and let some rounds fly. It's been a LONG winter here.

Chris