Casing Issues - Ammo? Rifle? Dangerous?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Thanks for the advice . On another topic,I would like to post pics. How do I do this? And what part of the form is acceptable?

You may post photos in any part of the forum you like, Pornography, and Bubba rifles excepted of course

[Mountain Man]

I have found that Russian ammo is the most likely to split. One out of 5 usually splits. I have other makes that do not.

[Hombre]

…. Long ago I read an article on military use of headspace gauges but I cannot find it in my stuff.
Here is the way it went as best I can remember:
go and no go gauges were initialy used by the factory to set and check the headspace to be within specifications.
In the field the armorers used the no go gauge to see that nothing had caused a significant change in the headspace. If a bolt closed on the no go gauge and it was not war time, they would send the rifle back to a main armory to be inspected.
In war time the if the bolt closed on the no go gauge the field gauge was tried. If the bolt did not close on that, they would permit the rifle to be used but would slate it to be sent to the main armory at the first opportune time.

Ok I figured out where I had read about military use of headspace gauges – it was in the Ordnance Manual for the US 1903 series of rifles. I used to have a 1903A3 and read up a lot about it when I first got it. My memory failed me again and some of the above is a quite a bit off the mark.

In the manual they do not use the term “no-go” . Nor do they use “field gage” directly.

First they identify a “BOLT, FIELD TEST” and three headspace gages:

“GAGES, Headspace, 1.940-INCH, 1.946-INCH, 1.950-Inch”

and state: “The 1.950-inch gage is used for testing in the field, and the 1.940 and 1.946-inch gages are used for testing at an arsenal or depot”.

The 1.950-inch gage is obviously what is popularly called a “field gauge”

The other two gages for “testing at an arsenal or depot” are obviously what is popularly called “go” and “no-go gauges”.

Summarized, if the rifle’s bolt closed on the field gage, the test bolt was used to determine whether the fault was with the rifle’s bolt or the receiver. If it was the bolt, it was replaced in the field “by a serviceable bolt”. If it was the receiver, “the rifle will be withdrawn from service and sent to an arsenal for overhaul”.

Also it is apparent that the other two gages would be used at the arsenal to check and adjust the headspace while rebuilding the rifle - probably by putting in a new barrel and reaming the chamber. Of course they would also check the receiver for cracks etc..

If anyone wants to read the full manual it is available at biggerhammer.net