I'm curious as to why one gun shows signs of pressure while another does not. I have many Swede mausers and handload for several of them. They all pass no-go headspace equally; at least the bolt turns down to the same 1 o'clock postion. When working up identical loads for each gun what causes one gun to exhibit pressure signs before the others? Chamber dimensions, lug set back maybe? I know when to back off but curious as to the cause.

[This message has been edited by Thunderbolt (edited 04-01-2002).]

Thunderbolt,
Having equal headspace only means these rifles have same chamber length. But how tight the necks, or throats are is unknown.

Like you said, chamber dimension.

Thunderbolt---

What kind of pressure signs are you getting? If its hard bolt lift it�s either an angled bolt face�.not hardly, on a Swede. They made them better than that!��.or set back lugs.

You say a NO-GO won�t go, but the gauge isn�t measuring the lug *seat*. It�s hanging up on the edge of the lug before it gets in battery.

Use a GO gauge with a totally stripped and cleaned bolt. With the bolt closed on the GO gauge measure the linear movement of the bolt with a set of $5 feeler gauges from the auto parts store.

Use the gauges between the bridge and the bolt handle root with the bolt held forward against the gauge. Then put a layer or three of tape on the back of the gauge until the bolt closes hard enough to hold the bolt back as far as it will go. Measure the gap again. The difference is the *true* measurement of excess headspace.

When the bolt is forced back on firing and the case swells to fireform to the longer chamber, it locks things up and the case has to be �resized� by the rotating bolt in order to open it. That usually smears the base of the case, too.

The bolt is never hard to lift but I have worked up to flattened primers and cratered primers. No excessive case stretching or anything like that just your run of the mill hot load pressure signs. One of my Swedes can handle it while another can't. I stay within the guidelines of several manuals and don't ever excede Max loads. I'm not into that with my Swedes.

JBelk- thanks for the tip with the GO gauge.

[This message has been edited by Thunderbolt (edited 04-02-2002).]