The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

ould someone set me straight on headspace, im new to the mosin nagant, I have read that you need to check headspace on these old military guns, but I have also read if the bolt & receiver numbers matches there is no need to check headspace, should check or not

It really depends on if you like how you look. If you wanted to get plastic surgery then I'd pass the check. Might get insurance to pay for it.

Get ya an Okie gauge. It's quick and easy.

Is there any doubt? "An ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure". I always check head space and I always check firing pin protrusion. I was somewhat speculative at first but it didn't take much to get me to thinking that it is good solid common since.

Just remember that when you pull the trigger you are setting off a grenade right beside your head.

Good peace of mind, might as well be safe. The "coin" type gauges are not expensive and they are very, very easy to use. Just takes a few seconds to check. You do not have to disassemble anything. I bought one figuring it was cheap insurance. Ask around, maybe you even have a friend who could loan you one.

how often do you need to check it

Just the once after your initial de-storaging (yeah, totally made that up), then again if you ever find the need to replace the bolt (or bolt head or other parts).

56 kodiak shooter wrote:how often do you need to check it

That mainly depends on how often you shoot but since it's so easy to check it doesn't hurt to just do it when you clean the rifle. Okie's gauges take less than a minute and are the best on the market. That's because they're not the counterfeit crap gauges that others are selling. The field gauge is the maximum allowable head space but the no-go and field is what most people get. If it fails no-go but passes field it can still be shot but it's about time to do a repair. http://www.okiegauges.com/sales.html

Being new to the Mosin Nagant world you guys scared me. I ordered the full set from okiegauges.

Redjack wrote:Being new to the Mosin Nagant world you guys scared me. I ordered the full set from okiegauges.

I have the whole set too (retired mechanic/tool freak) but you'll probably not need the Go gauge much if at all. It's for checking minimum head space. That's usually not a problem and that gauge is mostly for setting up a new barrel. It's a good tool to have though if you ever have one that the bolt doesn't want to close on a cartridge. Helps to eliminate too little head space as the problem. Usually the problem is something in the chamber or a burr.

I have a SKS and an AK. I have not found anyone on other forums talking about making sure of head space on those types of firearms. Is it not as much of an issue with semi-autos as it is with bolt action guns?

Redjack wrote:I have a SKS and an AK. I have not found anyone on other forums talking about making sure of head space on those types of firearms. Is it not as much of an issue with semi-autos as it is with bolt action guns?

I check the headspace in any rifle I fire, with rimmed cartridges it's easy, call Okie, get a set of gauges. When you deal with rimless rounds like 8mm mauser or .30-06 then it's a call to Midway or Brownells and some expensive bullet style gauges. I have many hundreds of dollars invested in headspace gauges. They will not guarantee that something will not go wrong with your weapon, but they do eliminate one possible cause of a serious problem. I check the rifles every few hundred rounds, and that includes AK's and SKS rifles. Some people have a more cavalier attitude about their personal safely, they drive down the road exceeding the speed limit wearing no seatbelt while they talk on the phone and hold a beer between their legs, that's their business unless they hit me. I prefer to eliminate as many risky variable as I can from shooting, checking headspace is an easy one.

ok, im going to order an okie gauge, do I need just the no-go or do I need the field gauge also-thanks

Just a no-go will do.

Yes No-Go should be fine

got my okie gauge today both of my mosins pass, now I can go shoot these-thanks for all your replys