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anyone here from southern NH or NE MA have 7.62x54r headspace guages

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I can't find any gunsmith's around who have gauages. I want to take my M39 to range & shoot some rounds, but want to check go-go, no-go & field headspace before shooting it. Will be shooting milsurp ammo, so I don't think I should use SAAMI spec gauges.. I don't know much about the differences, but read up enough on headspacing & seems simple, but I don't have gauges, so, anyone live near Hampton NH that can help me with this, or refer me to a shop that has them where I can go get headspace checked out.
 
Not really helping you out but want to tell you what I'm going thru...

I'm thinking of getting the gauges myself. I own 8 of these things called Mosin and I probably should have a set for my convience. I'm going to get the GO and NO-GO gauges and skipping the FIELD. FIELD is the largest your headspace can be and still acceptable ( very broad definition here ) to shoot. As far as SAAMI specs, you can only get what is available. We would need a set of the military armorers gauges to be right on the money with the ammo and I haven't seen a set available.

Don't know of any shops that have these for checking, sorry.

Joe R.
 
I would just get the field and not bother with the others. If it doesnt close on the field than it is still a shooter. It can close on the go but still be OK if it doesnt close on the field. Go and no go are good for replacing barrels or checking older civ firearms but not necessary for the mil surps.
 
headspace

AntiqueWeapons.org said:
I can't find any gunsmith's around who have gauages. I want to take my M39 to range & shoot some rounds, but want to check go-go, no-go & field headspace before shooting it. Will be shooting milsurp ammo, so I don't think I should use SAAMI spec gauges.. I don't know much about the differences, but read up enough on headspacing & seems simple, but I don't have gauges, so, anyone live near Hampton NH that can help me with this, or refer me to a shop that has them where I can go get headspace checked out.
Click to expand...


Midway USA has them---$27.99 each--cheaper if you have a C&R
 
blueleader said:
Midway USA has them---$27.99 each--cheaper if you have a C&R
Click to expand...

Understandable, but I want to shoot this weekend.. I'm ordering gauges online, but will be next week before they get here.

Weird that these shops selling used guns don't have headspace gauges.
Guess that means they're selling guns not knowing if they're safe.

Even more odd that all the gunsmiths I called don't have them.
 
With any surplus rifle a disclaimer is always included saying that you should have it checked by a gunsmith before use. I guess your local gunsmiths don't see a lot of milsurps.
 
OK boys-n-girls, here's the poop, and I don't even want to hear if you don't agree....[shocked]
If the bolt and receiver numbers match and the bolt lugs are not visibly chewed up, go shooting.
I've been doing this for longer than many of you have been alive and I don't bother checking number-matching rifles, never have and never will.
Good grief, the 7.62x54 is a rimmed cartridge and the bolt would have to be practically falling out before it got dangerous.
Anyone who knows about case forming wildcat cartridges will understand exactly what I mean.
 
jhrosier said:
OK boys-n-girls, here's the poop, and I don't even want to hear if you don't agree....[shocked]
If the bolt and receiver numbers match and the bolt lugs are not visibly chewed up, go shooting.
I've been doing this for longer than many of you have been alive and I don't bother checking number-matching rifles, never have and never will.
Good grief, the 7.62x54 is a rimmed cartridge and the bolt would have to be practically falling out before it got dangerous.
Anyone who knows about case forming wildcat cartridges will understand exactly what I mean.
Click to expand...

They don't match, & everything is smooth & flawless.. glides back & forth nice & smooth but still, shooting will be no fun if I have no hands & am blind.

I will NOT disregard safety, no exceptions.

I read everywhere, ALWAYS check headspace, so am going to do just that. I'll shoot after my gauges come in the mail.
 
With any of my mil-surps, I have erred on the side of stupid and shot them if it looked good and chambers. First round out is aimed at the grass and me turning away to pull the trigger!

Field gauge is too much for me for the Mosin - THERE IS NO GAS BLAST DEFLECTION AT ALL! Those of you with Albanian ammo have probably received the face blast of a loose case in the chamber. A pierced primer because the headspace is tight has no where to go in the Mosin except back. I'd rather spend the money and have the GO/NO-GO gauges and at least know the limitations.

Joe R.
 
Only headspace guage I ever bought was an 8mm for when I started getting Turk Mausers because I heard they were notorious for swallowing a field guage and thats what I bought. I've checked every 8mm Mauser rifle I owned with it and all of them passed. I'm comfortable enough with my abilities when it comes to inspecting rifles during disassembly and initial cleaning and if I see something I think is suspect, I have a smith look at it.
FWIW I can honestly say I don't think I have any Mosins or Enfields with missmatched bolts and I'm sure all of them would pass a headspace check.
Now if I was rebarreling or custom building I'd get a set of guages, but thats just me. I don't want anyone taking this post as saying "Ray said I don't have to check headspace so I'm not gonna". Theres even a sticky here for doing so. I probably should invest in a few more field gauges just for the hell of it, but I've never had any problems or known anyone who has.
 
I visited a local gun shop last week to ask about having them check it & the old man was saying to me, "Oh, those old Ruski pieces of garbage? You don't need to check them.. just load it & shoot it.. it'll be fine" & he then invited me to use their range to test fire it.

Maybe I'll go there tommorow & have him shoot it for me. [smile]
 
AntiqueWeapons.org said:
I visited a local gun shop last week to ask about having them check it & the old man was saying to me, "Oh, those old Ruski pieces of garbage? You don't need to check them.. just load it & shoot it.. it'll be fine" & he then invited me to use their range to test fire it.

Maybe I'll go there tommorow & have him shoot it for me. [smile]
Click to expand...



garbage huh? i own one of those mil surplus pieces of garbage hahaa... garbage not even close to that. I have a monsin Negant 91/30 and i love it. As far as headspace goes i have noticed once the gun gets hot the bolt becomes a little bit harder to close. I would rather it be harder to close than not. I dont want any gasses hitting me in the face because I screwed with the headspace. I am pretty sure a 91/30 that can hit the paper dead center with or without no scope everytime is not garbage at all. (paper size 4" by 4")
 
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vaccaroja said:
garbage huh? i own one of those mil surplus pieces of garbage hahaa... garbage not even close to that. I have a monsin Negant 91/30 and i love it. As far as headspace goes i have noticed once the gun gets hot the bolt becomes a little bit harder to close. I would rather it be harder to close than not. I dont want any gasses hitting me in the face because I screwed with the headspace. I am pretty sure a 91/30 that can hit the paper dead center with or without no scope everytime is not garbage at all. (paper size 4" by 4")
Click to expand...

I think the guy was one of those types that have the "if it's not American, it's no good" attitude.

What's more funny is when I replied to him that it's a Finn & not a Russian he said, "Yeah, same thing".

Was gonna go to his place today & have him fire it, but my ammo didn't get delivered yet & the place I was getting headspace gauges from says 3 to 4 weeks for delivery. Guess they make them after they're ordered.


I was told by State Line Guns & also read online a method called "redneck headspacing" where one places tape at base of a spent shell, but I don't see how this could be effective. Anyone ever use this method? Where does the tape go, at butt end of shell where primer is or around the case?


On another note, this M39 came from WGA. Anyone ever have headspace issues from rifles purchased there. I think I'm going to call him & ask if it's ever been fired or tested.
 
AntiqueWeapons.org said:
I think the guy was one of those types that have the "if it's not American, it's no good" attitude.

What's more funny is when I replied to him that it's a Finn & not a Russian he said, "Yeah, same thing".

Was gonna go to his place today & have him fire it, but my ammo didn't get delivered yet & the place I was getting headspace gauges from says 3 to 4 weeks for delivery. Guess they make them after they're ordered.


I was told by State Line Guns & also read online a method called "redneck headspacing" where one places tape at base of a spent shell, but I don't see how this could be effective. Anyone ever use this method? Where does the tape go, at butt end of shell where primer is or around the case?


On another note, this M39 came from WGA. Anyone ever have headspace issues from rifles purchased there. I think I'm going to call him & ask if it's ever been fired or tested.
Click to expand...


from what i am told there is a huge difference in the way the finn shoots and the russian one. For one construction is different on both guns. The finn rifle is constructed much better than the russian version. I have found both shoot 3 inch groups at 300 yards just as well. i would say if your going to do headspacing and you absolutely have to either bring it to a gunsmith or get a headspace gauge. I just shot mine as is. I have had no problems to date. only a dislocated shoulder.



If this guy thought the guns where identical he cant be that good of a gunsmith. I thought that a rifle built from two different contries was a no brainer that they were built different.
 
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You will find the barreled action/stock fit to be much better on Finn rifles. Finns even shimmed a lot of them in a crude form of bedding. Many/most of their rifles use the stronger hex receivers. Mine shot great out of the box.
 
vellnueve said:
You will find the barreled action/stock fit to be much better on Finn rifles. Finns even shimmed a lot of them in a crude form of bedding. Many/most of their rifles use the stronger hex receivers. Mine shot great out of the box.
Click to expand...

same with mine with some fine adjust ments to the front site. nothing that a metal punch could not take care of. Shoots perfectly now. I wish there were some kind of recoil pad or different type of material i could put on the butt plate. so i dont feel like some one beat me with a bat the following morning.
 
You can get a 4"x4"x1/2" piece of Sorbothane from McMaster-Carr (cat# 8514K115)for about $8 and make a couple of stick-on pads from it.
Stick it on with some double sided tape to shoot and remove it for display.
 
I use one of these:

http://www.cabelas.com/spod-1/0012758.shtml

You can take it on and off in a few seconds and it absorbs some pretty heavy recoil. Takes me about a good 30 rounds through an M44 before I can start feeling anything when I use one of these.
Military surplus rifles weren't built for comfort and soldiers had thick uniforms for protection plus adrenaline to protect them from the recoil of a hardwood stock and metal butt plate. These days us collectors sitting at the range in a t-shirt need a little something to abosrb recoil, I know I do.[smile]
 
I have a No Go for my Mosins and both a Go and No Go for my SMLEs. Although I'm new to MilSurp collecting I found that two of my rifles failed the No Go test. One was a 91/59 that I bought from a high end dealer. The rifle is in great shape and I was shocked that it failed when I gaged it. The other was a relatively beat up No4 Mk1* Savage made rifle. That was easy to correct as I just went up on bolt head size. I bought a NOS Mosin bolt head on Ebay and that fixed the 91/59.

BTW, I bought all of mine from Yankee Engineers. A bit pricey, but they don't require removing the extractor.

Gary
 

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