If this is not the appropriate forum please delete. I am trying to diagnose a frankenmauser and would like to purchase 4 dummy rounds of .35 whelen. There are no caliber markings on the barrel, but I was told the rifle is chambered for .35 whelen. We are trying to check to see if the barrelnis headspaced properly.

Colin

Best thing to do is have a chamber cast done, or do one yourself, it is fairly easy to do.

Then you will know what the chamber is, and can proceed accordingly with the right headspace gauge set. For a standard 35 Whelen, 30-06 gauges will work.

Jeremy

Do it yourself; Brownells sells cerrosafe; which is metal that melts in boiling water.

Unfortuently I have too much going on. I'll send it to a gunsmith.

Take four empty Whelen cases, prime, and charge them with ten grains or so of pistol powder, fill them with corn meal or Cream of Wheat, plug the mouths of the cases with Kleenex, chamber them and pop them. The fired cases will tell you what you have.

Additionally, you can take the fired cases and add regular Scotch tape to the rear of the case. Each layer of tape is approximately .0015" thick, if memory serves. Anything over about four layers that still allows the bolt to close easily is too much headspace.

Tom, feel free to weigh in and correct me if I am out to lunch...

If memory serves 35 Whelen, 30-06, 270 and 25-06 are all the same gauge. It's probably the most common headspace gauge in the universe. So just about any gunsmith should have one.

quote:

Originally posted by Doubless:
Take four empty Whelen cases, prime, and charge them with ten grains or so of pistol powder, fill them with corn meal or Cream of Wheat, plug the mouths of the cases with Kleenex, chamber them and pop them. The fired cases will tell you what you have.

Honestly I thought you were joking when I first read this, but that is actually a pretty slick way to safely low-pressure fireform a case to the chamber. Thanks, you've given me one more trick to add to my book!