Enfield headspace Gauges?

Jeepguy

Jeepguy

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So i picked up a desported No.1 Mk3 from a coworker last week and he hadn't shot it and i havent as of yet either. I am curious if any of the fine folks here have more tricks for measuring headspace on the guns other than using actual gauges . I've rad of using plain paper behind the rim and closing the bolt until its tight then measure the paper , I also read lightly seat a primer in an emty resized case and slowly clos the bolt then measure if theres any primer stick out.

So what are the trick or tips?
 
Cheap bastards headspace gauge

Measure the length of a new unfired cartrige case or a full length resized case and write it down.

303gauge_zpsb1e333a7.jpg


Now just using your fingers start a spent fired primer into the primer pocket.

303primer_zpsae8fdb45.jpg


303primera_zps612343f9.jpg


Now chamber this test case and slowly close the bolt letting the bolt face seat the primer and then remove this case.

Now measure the case again and write it down.

Now subtract the first case measurement from from the second and write it down. The amount the primer is protruding from the rear of the case is your head clearance or the "air space" between the rear of the case and the bolt face.

Now measure your rim thickness and add it to the measurement you have above and this is your total headspace measurement.

hedspace-b_zpsce06e3e4.gif
 
Jeepguy,

There used to be two prominent Lee-Enfield rifle experts, among others, here on CGN : Smellie and bigedp51.

Now, for some reason(s) that are not my business, we don't hear about Smellie anymore. On another thread, someone wrote that Smellie is alive, well and kicking but he doesn't show up. He is a living Lee-Enfield rifle encyclopedia. I wish him well.

The other Lee-Enfield rifle expert is bigedp51 - and believe me, he knows what he is talking about. I have to say that about 90% of what I know about the "mechanism" of the Lee-Enfield rifles, I learned it from Ed, here on CGN and on another site which, by the way, is also Canadian.

So, Ed is the American who knows a lot about a series of British/Canadian/Australian/Indian bolt action rifles - and he will not hesitate to tell you where to go to READ all there is to read about those formidable and, to me, unrivalled battle rifles.

Pay heed to what Ed has to say about the Lee-Enfield rifles !

And, as usual, his last post is the final answer to your question.
 
Well I used a fired cartridge and an old set of feeler gauges, measured the rim then found some gauges that worked out from 0.064" to 0.074 with the rim. Cut them to size, attached them to the base of the round (a bit of white glue). I hand loaded and tried to close the bolt and worked my way up I was at about .070.

I fired 1 round and checked for expansion in the case, very minor and have continued on.
 
Second cheap bastards headspace gauge

Below between the long locking lug and the receiver you measure your head clearance, in the photo below the bolt has been dissembled to get more accurate feeler gauge readings. A new or full length resized case is used and chambered and the measurements are taken with the bolt fully closed. If the bolt has not been dissembled you must push hard on the rear of the bolt to create the clearance between the receiver and the right locking lug. Now while pushing on the bolt start inserting feeler gauges until you find the correct snug fitting feeler gauge. And then you add the feeler gauge measurement to your rim thickness for your total headspace reading.

IMGP6598b-1_zpshpoeikip.jpg


Headspace%20Gage_zpsb53x54bp.jpg


Or you can spend a little money and buy your own headspace gauges. ;)

IMGP5264-1_zpswnppidgt.jpg


Note, I have cross checked the cheap bastard methods vs actual headspace gauges and they were less than .001 difference. So they are close enough for someone with just a few Enfield rifles and being a cheap tight bastard with your money.

P.S. You know if you are a cheap tight bastard if you break wind and it sounds like a silent dog whistle. (a real tight a$$) :evil:
 
rgallant said:
Well I used a fired cartridge and an old set of feeler gauges, measured the rim then found some gauges that worked out from 0.064" to 0.074 with the rim. Cut them to size, attached them to the base of the round (a bit of white glue). I hand loaded and tried to close the bolt and worked my way up I was at about .070.

I fired 1 round and checked for expansion in the case, very minor and have continued on.
Click to expand...

Real cheap bastards do not cut up feeler gauges, you sell them on eBay when they wear out to someone at least 2000 miles away.
 
Either I am doing this wrong or it would appear I've got a head space of .079 . Before primer and chamber in full length resized case is 2.228 after primer and being chambered I've got 2.238 . Rim thickness is just shy or .058 . So is it .068 head space or .078 ?
 
Jeepguy said:
Either I am doing this wrong or it would appear I've got a head space of .079 . Before primer and chamber in full length resized case is 2.228 after primer and being chambered I've got 2.238 . Rim thickness is just shy or .058 . So is it .068 head space or .078 ?
Click to expand...

You add your rim thickness to your head clearance or the amount the primer is protruding from the rear of the case. According to what you said above your rim thickness is .058 and you have .010 head clearance meaning a actual headspace of .068. (2.38-2.228= .010 + .058 = .068)

hedspace-b_zpsce06e3e4.gif


Now go back using the primer method and repeat the case measurement test several times and average the results.

And .068 is a very good headspace reading and all you need to do is check for bolt head over rotation, and you are good to go.
 
Ok si my first interpretation was wrong, but the second was correct. And now to repeat a few times and see where we are. But now how do you gauge over travel of the bolt ? To dang many questions lol
 
Jeepguy said:
Ok si my first interpretation was wrong, but the second was correct. And now to repeat a few times and see where we are. But now how do you gauge over travel of the bolt ? To dang many questions lol
Click to expand...

Read the Canadian No.4 manual it shows how to test for bolt head over travel.

1991 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Maintenance Instructions

http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/generalstorage/edhortonmanuals/No4Mk1Arm.pdf

BoltHeadWear1-1_zps9tryeo89.jpg


Above, if the bolt head over rotates the bolt and bolt head threads take all the pounding and the two mating surfaces are to take all the bolt thrust of the cartridge firing.

I'm not trying to be rude "BUT" at the top of this forum you have a sticky with a wealth of information on the Enfield rifle and all you have to do is read. I'm an American who knew "NOTHING" about this British rifle, so I sat down and read everything I could get my hands on and learned. Your Canadian No.4 manual is a wealth of information and a American is telling you to read "your own manual"??????

Lee Enfield On-line Knowledge Libraries (Index of Articles) (This sticky is the largest collection of Enfield information anywhere on the internet)
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/260959-Lee-Enfield-On-line-Knowledge-Libraries-%28Index-of-Articles%29
 
Well after running 10 full length resized cases with spent primers and doing that the average comes out at .067 for the headspace so I am going to say that I am pretty darn happy .
 
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