Do to all the recent talk about masuer lug set-back I decided to take my K98 in 7mm-08 out and drop in my nogo guage and see if the bolt would close. Since I fired about 400 rounds out of it this year in preparation for an antelope hunt I figured lets check and see. While I did not strip the bolt it still would not close so I figure I am still OK.

My problem involves my father's Rem 700 in 308. Since they use the same NOGO guage I figured hey I got it out why not see what it does. Why I chose to do so I have no idea. But I dropped it in and proceeded to close the bolt. AND IT CLOSED ALL THE WAY!! Now it was pretty stiff but it did close. I did not strip the Rem bolt either but it still should not close right.

I just got this rifle back from after having a new safety installed and fit with a Timney Trigger. This work was done a a recent result of the rifle firing when the safety was taken off and then again when the bolt was closed. Prior to this we never had a problem with the rifle.

Now I figure I have a headspace problem with this rifle. The bolt fully closed on the NOGO guage albeit very stiffly but still it closed.

I figure I need to have the action checked out for setback as it could have been like this the whole time. Following that I figure my options are:

1. have the existing barrel set back a full turn. The rifle is wearing irons. Then re-establish min head space.

2. Rebarrel.

The current barrel is very accurate and very un-fussy. Would option 1 potentially change this? Option 1 is definately the least expensive route if possible.

Personally, I wouldn't touch the gun.....leave it alone.....from your statements it's fine as is.

Got it thanks.

54

You are using that headspace gauge all wrong. It should never, never be forced closed. If you encountered "stiff" resistance it means you were forcing it well beyond what you should have. To use properly, the bolt should be stripped of the firing pin assembly so that the only resistance you feel is from the gauge itself. As soon as you feel any resistance, STOP. That means the chamber will not take the gauge and the headspace is ok. Probably on the high side but still within tolerance. It is possible to actually increase headspace by forcing a hardened guage into a chamber. I doubt if you damaged anything, but try it again as I described and if you feel that resistance everything is OK. Good Luck

I took no offence. Appreciate the input though.

I was aware of the trigger problem. The rifle actually belongs to my father who is a die hard Rem fan from his youth. Kind of believed if there was a problem Rem would be "man" enough to correct it. Well lets just say he is convinced now. Luckilly no one was hurt. We can thank his good muzzlecontrol on that one.

I offered to get it fixed for him as he had no idea where to send it other than back to Remington.