Is there a way to actually measure headspace?

[shawnba67]

I AM NOT asking about go and no go guages. I am curious if there is a acceptable and repeatable way to actually measure headspace. I had read something about using tool balls to measure on another forum guy thought ge waa remembering something from hatchers notebook. Any id be veey interested in a method to actually measure it.
Not just close or not close my bolt thanks much

 

[indyjohn]

I AM NOT asking about go and no go guages. I am curious if there is a acceptable and repeatable way to actually measure headspace. I had read something about using tool balls to measure on another forum guy thought ge waa remembering something from hatchers notebook. Any id be veey interested in a method to actually measure it.
Not just close or not close my bolt thanks much

When you exclude Go / No Go gauges, I think your answer is no. There are plenty of tools to measure the projectile seating depth (I use the RCBS Precision Mic: RCBS Precision Mic 308 Winchester ) which also WILL tell you how much the cartridge grew when you fired it, but not your firearm's headspace.

 

[shawnba67]

So how do they measure to make the guages? It cant be magic, they use all the available magic to make stupid people famous.

 

[bstewrat3]

SAAMI specifications list the measurements that the ammo is supposed to be manufactured to. They build the gauges based on those measurements with a +/- for the go/no-go.

 

[Foxfire]

Depending upon the caliber your talking about, there are headspace gages that vary by 1 thousand. But they are not cheap. This is a Gunsmith's tool.
There are other ways of using the "Go" headspace gage to measure the chamber. Depends on model of rifle you're talking about.
Go/No go gages are pretty much it.

 

[CountryBoy19]

When you exclude Go / No Go gauges, I think your answer is no.

IMHO, there are ways to measure pretty much anything. Industrial metrology and measurents is a HUGE business. The question is, does the OP want to pay the price tag of customized measurement devices to do such a thing?

There is a reason go/no-go gauges are the most common way; they satisfy the requirements and they are cheap and easily mass-produced. If you take them out of the question you're talking about specialized, task-specific measurement tools (not just gauges), the could cost tens of thousands of dollars. There would be engineering expenses, tooling expenses, and production costs that would all add up to a VERY high price-tag for a one-off.

OP, may I ask why go/no-go gauges won't satisfy the requirements? Go/No-go gauges aren't just some "conjured up, half-baked idea", they are a legitimately measurement tool utilized in numerous areas of industry every single day...

 

[bstewrat3]

If you are building a wildcat or something out of the norm you almost have to eat the cost of headspace gauges. I did it with my 220 Swift AI 40 because my gunsmith said he had not built one in his 50 years and didn't think he would be doing another. I was able to recover my full cost after the build by selling them to another person who was building one. PTG may even do a rental on them with a reamer.

 

[sloughfoot]

Headspace is a measurement of the distance between the case head and the bolt face when the factory cartridge is fully forward in the chamber. Go and no go gauges were developed to preclude having to make this difficult and small measurement.

And now you want to invent something totally different?

 

[shawnba67]

I found out about something ptg used to make called the uni guage. It was apparently a ball on a threaded stem that couldve used to measure headspace in nearly any caliber. Took a llittle math skill but would be very neat to use. It doesnt dumny proof like the go n/no go but it actually measures and does nearly any caliber. Wont save you any time but could be a one time lifesaver on a used purchase or swap barrel project.

 

[sloughfoot]

So, what you are looking to do is measure chamber depth? How does this tell you headspace if the bolt face is not part of the measurement?

 

[sloughfoot]

The easiest way to measure headspace is a Wilson case gage. The unfired case head should be at the bottom of the step. When the same fired case is put into the gage, the case head will be at the top of the step. This should be about .004 to .006 for a sporting rifle.

Headspace more than .006 is not dangerous, just not desireable.

 

[Dead Duck]

Is there a way to actually measure headspace?

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