Headspace Gauges For Enfields?

[traindriver]

What is the best kind of coin type headspace gauge to keep on
hand for checking out potential rifle purchases. Confused about Go, No Go and field. Also are all gauges mil spec?

Information

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[JBS]

Headspace Guage for No. 4 Mk 1

[browningautorifle]

Brownells stock gauges that work fine. I would stock 1 of each(3) to be sure. Can't say if they are mil spec.

[Hal O'Peridol]

Go with the Arrowmark gauges. That's what I have. Nicely made and to Brit standards.

[Edward Horton]

What is the best kind of coin type headspace gauge to keep on
hand for checking out potential rifle purchases. Confused about Go, No Go and field. Also are all gauges mil spec?

As with most Military and civilian headspace gauges there is a difference, and American civilian SAAMI gauges having tighter specifications than British military rifles.

The British and Commonwealth military settings for headspace are:
.064 Go or minimum
.074 NO-GO or maximum

Commercial American SAAMI headspace settings are:
.064 GO or minimum
.067 NO-GO or maximum
.071 FIELD Maximum

If you reload you may like tighter headspace settings BUT what is very important is "who" makes your cartridge cases, and "how" they are fire formed which has a great deal to do with extending case reloading life.

Right now the best made cases for the Enfield are Prvi Partizan, they have case walls .010 thicker than American made cases, these cases also have a larger base diameter and thicker rims than any presently made .303 case.



You can "cheat" the word headspace by fire forming your .303 British cases by using a rubber o-ring placed in front of the rim. The rubber o-ring will hold the case against the bolt face and prevent case stretching when the cases are fire formed.





The only drawback to using the rubber o-ring method of fire forming your cases is the fact you can no longer have any fun arguing about which headspace gauges to to use. (American or British, because it doesn't really matter any more)

[RJW NZ]

there's a few choices at enfieldresource.com