Go/No Go Gauges

[SPEEDGUNNER]

What do you guys know about go/no go gauges? Is there one gauge that works for a M-1 Garand in .30-06 and an M-1A in .308? Will a gauge that works in a M-1A work in any .308, say like an FAL? Where does one go to purchase these gauges, are they even available?

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[xroads]

What do you guys know about go/no go gauges? Is there one gauge that works for a M-1 Garand in .30-06 and an M-1A in .308? Will a gauge that works in a M-1A work in any .308, say like an FAL? Where does one go to purchase these gauges, are they even available?

headspace gages are specific to caliber. a 30/06 gage will be good for any 30/06 rifle, regardless of type. with the m1a, the picture is somewhat different, as the military type (m14) was chambered in 7.62x51, while the
m1a is usually chambered in .308. again, the headspace gage is specific to caliber, not rifle. that said, a headspace gage in 30/06 will not work in a
m1a.

[jjroth]

Forster Co., and Clymer Reamer Mfg.
The Forsters will be made to SAMMI spec, Clymers' will have SAMMI & Mis-spec gages.

Brownells has gages but not sure what spec they are made to meet.

a gage set for 30-06 with also cover the 25-06, .270Win & .35 Whelan(?).
The .308 will do the .243W, .358Win & 7mm-08.

[mark1]

I have the Clymer gauges as they are within the miltary specifications. You can buy them through Brownells.

[M1 Rifleman]

I have a set of Forster gauges that work just fine. The set I have consists of a GO, NO-GO, and FIELD Gauges. For rebarrelling work using a used barrel, I only use the FIELD gauge for Headspacing a bolt.

To use the Forster Gauges, you must strip the bolt as there is no extractor cut-out on the gauge. The Clymer Gauges have a cut-out for the extractor. I've gotten used to using a stripped bolt anyway when Headspacing, so I don't mind stripping the bolt. I also feel that I get a better reading using the Forster Gauges. A word of warning - don't "mix" gauges of the manufacturers. If you have a Forster FIELD Gauge, don't go out a buy a Clymer GO Gauge. If you are just rebarrelling M1s, then the FIELD gauge is fine. The GO and NO-GO gauges are to be used when installing new barrels. If you do use gauges of the different manufacturers, you will get mixed readings when you Headspace the bolt. Forster and Clymer use different Datum points to gauge Headspace. If you have a Forster FIELD gauge, then stay with Forster for the other gauges (if you feel that you need them).

[mh53gunner]

I have both the Clymer and Forester gages. The Clymer gages have a cut out done by Clymer so you do not need to disassemble the bolt. You can also obtain the same gages from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP)

As a footnote the CMP uses Clymer gages to headspace all of the rifles sold to the public. These gages can be used in the 1917 Enfield (30.06) and the 1903 Series Springfields.