Mosin Nagant Headspace

[Garys]

I bought a M-N No Go gauge from Yankee Engineers and today I thought I'd check the headspace on my M38 and 91/59. The M38 passed with no problems, but the 91/59 failed. I swapped bolts and got the opposite results. I then swapped bolt heads and 91/59 passed with M38 bolt head on the 91/59 bolt body. Interestingly, the M38 passed with the 91/59 bolt head on it's bolt body.

I know that the SMLEs have different sizes of bolt heads and the cure for failing is swapping in a different size bolt head. I've never heard of that with the M-N rifles, but I have to wonder if it's as simple as swapping bolt heads.

Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

gary

 

[SKS Ray]

From what I've heard and read, a Field Gauge is best for milsurp rifles. Go and No Go are more for people putting in new barrels and making sporters. If it fails a Field Gauge, then you have may have a safety issue.
FWIW, I think the place you got the 91/59 from checks for headspace using a Field Gauge. Send him a PM and ask.

 

[Garys]

Thanks. I thought that the No Go gauge was the way to go for MilSurps, but apparently I'm wrong. <G> I'll send an email off to the seller.


Just an update. I found a bolt head with extractor on Ebay. The seller thought it was unissued and from what I saw when I got I think he might be right. All of the machined edges were much sharper than my existing bolt head and the stampings on it were much clearer. Even better, it fixed the head space problem.

I also got a sling from a different seller.

Gary