My old way of checking headspace was costing me time and trust

For a long time, I just used a field gauge and called it good if it didn't close. About six months ago, a customer brought in a rifle with a sticky bolt that passed the field test. I finally bought a proper set of go and no-go gauges for that caliber. The difference was clear, it was right on the edge of the no-go. Now I check both for every chamber job. It takes an extra minute but saves a headache later. Anyone else made that switch and noticed fewer call backs?

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3 Comments

marknelson7mo ago

Field gauges work fine for most people, they're the standard for a reason. That sticky bolt could have been from a dozen other things like fouling or a rough chamber. Buying a whole set of gauges for every job seems like overkill unless you're a full time gunsmith. Most shooters will never have an issue.

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richard2147mo ago

What caliber was that sticky bolt rifle?

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lilycraig6mo ago

Remember my buddy's 6.5 Creedmoor that kept sticking? Turns out the chamber was just a bit rough from the factory. A good cleaning and some light polishing fixed it right up.

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