Hi
how you control the head space if you have not a head space gauge(no- go- go-go). how to measure head space?
best regards
yes

A fired case is one way but it is not perfectly accurate as the brass is elastic and shrinks a little after it's fired

do you mean measuring the length of fired case and compare it to unfired?

Length of case means nothing as to headspace. He means take the base to shoulder measurement of a fired case and compare that to std.

A tool such as sold by Sinclair or Hornady (formerly Stoney Point)with a gauging diameter will permit you to measure the head space of a fired bottle neck case.

You can sometimes make up a measuring tool with shim stock and a case. Dental impression (RTV)material could be used in some circumstances.
With a Lee-Enfield you can measure a case rim and and then chamber it. While closing the bolt it is possible to use a feeler gauge behind the long locking lug if you are careful.

I once used cases as gauges.....cases I resized in my own dies and chambered to match.

Sounds like a good idea, right?

Trust me.....don't be cheap....head space gauges are the only way I go now.

I think a neat tool is the one by Larry Willis. It will work for virtually all calibers. http://www.larrywillis.com/
Butch

For a go/no go : Begin with a new factory case
add layers of "Scotch" tape to the face of the case until you can just feel the case touch when chambering. To measure the tape thickness
put two layers glue side together, then devide
by two. This will keep you out of trouble.
Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by hawkins:
For a go/no go : Begin with a new factory case
add layers of "Scotch" tape to the face of the case until you can just feel the case touch when chambering. To measure the tape thickness
put two layers glue side together, then devide
by two. This will keep you out of trouble.
Good luck

Do you also have a new and different way to skin a cat? Wow!!!

the scotch tape thing is an old old method that has worked for years - you just wrap up the cat in tape and then pull it off quick

I just tried this and believe me, it didn't work nearly as well as I had been led to believe. In the first place, the Scotch tape is too narrow and doesn't offer much coverage per strip. In addition, and you don't have to trust me on this, you can try it yourself, the cat is generally not co-operative. Wear gloves.
Seriously, the scotch tape-on-a-case system is a workable way to determine head clearance on a rifle but is not a good system to use when chambering.
It is quite easy to make up adjustable guages to measure to the datum line. In use the guage is pre-set to the correct length and used to measure chamber depth. Such a guage is not usable if chambering to AI cartridges. Regards, Bill

I was trying to be just a bit facetious. I don't believe there is any way to measure it unless you compare it against a true head "spase" gauge and then I don't think it would be very accurate. Just what is it you are measuring anyway? How do you compare the two and get a decent measurement. I would think the scotch tape on a gauge would be more accurate.

The scotch tape tell you what that case in that
chamber has for headspace. It is up to you to
decide if that is enough information.
Good luck!

Still seems like a bunch of bullshit for no apparent reason of result.

You know, a headspace guage is cheap. I don't understand having $10,000 in a lathe with a little tooling and several reamers, actually that is low, and can't afford the proper measuring tools. If I didn't have the tools, I would take it to somebody that had them
Butch

one would almost think you'd need the measuring tools to decide weather you need the lathe!

If you own a lathe and can't figure out how to make your own gauges you are wasting the lathe.

Making rimfire and mag gages are the easy one's to make. Most people may not know how to make the rimless headspace gages. I have made several gages and reamers. The basic tool to make is the datum line gage before you make a headspace gage. Datum line gages are not all the same dimensions. This info is hard to find unless you look at the charts on cartridge dimensions. Most rimless cases are measured from the datum line to the back of the case.

sr4759, What does the ability to make a tool have to do with it? Do you know the amount of work involved in making a heat treated and ground head space guage? I will buy mine.
Butch

well said, butch....
i understand what sr4759 means, but you have to a starting point to establish standards accurately, dependably and economicly and buying the guages would be the way to do it, as you said.... somethings it just doesn't pay to make, even if you can.

quote:

Originally posted by LesBrooks:
Making rimfire and mag gages are the easy one's to make. Most people may not know how to make the rimless headspace gages. I have made several gages and reamers. The basic tool to make is the datum line gage before you make a headspace gage.

Ding Ding Ding
Got a winner here.

There is nothing magic about headspace gauges.
They do not have to be hardened and ground for the casual user. It is funny that some folks are so spooky about headspace in a rifle but will not attempt to measure, it they just cop out and gauge it.

I have chambered without the gages using a factory cartridge and a piece of tape. Won't do it again. When I got the gages the head space was out by about .004, safe but wrong. Gages are the only way to go for me. Not that expensive and many gages will work for several cartridges......Tom