The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Recently got bitten by the Mosin bug and bought a few recently.

Is there a need to check head space or has anyone ever had problems?

I also bought some milsurplus ammo. Are there ever any pressure signs?

Thanks.

AT the top of the forum page under ID and technical, you can watch a video on headspacing. Unless your ammo is 1940's or older, there shouldn't be a problem.

Yes, and yes. The refurb process was sloppy, they did miss things like excessive headspace. I know this because I found it in some of my refurbs, lets just say I bought a lot of them when they were cheaper than dirt. That aside, any antique rifle can suffer headspace issues and needs to be checked before you bet your life on it. Making sure headspace is in spec doesn't guarantee the rifle will be safe from blowing up, but it does eliminate one major possible cause of failure. Over pressure signs would be as for any rifle, bulged primers, stretch marks on cases, the bolt sticking out of your head, that sort of thing. Check every rifle for headspace issues, check for missing or obviously damaged parts, loose screws. Poor headspace on a Mosin can be corrected as simply as swapping in another bolt head.

The gauge is a small investment in safety; how much is your face worth?

Thanks for the responses.

Can’t find the video but did see the description with photos.
I will buy one of those discs.
I thought I read someone on the board was selling them???

2700fps wrote:Thanks for the responses.

Can’t find the video but did see the description with photos.
I will buy one of those discs.
I thought I read someone on the board was selling them???

Okie was the main manufacturer, but he passed away some time back.

I've had one that failed headspace out of several dozen, but it failed big time.

Try Brownells or Midway for the No/Go gauge, or maybe eBay.

I just bought 2 of those discs.
A NO-GO and a FIELD....

2700fps wrote:I just bought 2 of those discs.
A NO-GO and a FIELD....

That will work.

So I received the 2 gauges.

Of the 4 rifles I bought, all passed the FIELD GAUGE, one barely passed the NO GO GAUGE. The bolt barely did not close.
I actually had shot this rifle before I got the gauges and everything seemed normal.

2700fps wrote:So I received the 2 gauges.

Of the 4 rifles I bought, all passed the FIELD GAUGE, one barely passed the NO GO GAUGE. The bold barely did not close.
I actually had shot this rifle before I got the gauges and everything seemed normal.

It was normal. It should not close on the no go. If a rifle will also close on the field gage, then you have a problem..

mogunner wrote:

2700fps wrote:Thanks for the responses.

Can’t find the video but did see the description with photos.
I will buy one of those discs.
I thought I read someone on the board was selling them???

Okie was the main manufacturer, but he passed away some time back.

I've had one that failed headspace out of several dozen, but it failed big time.

I knew he had been sick, but I didn't know he was that sick. When did he die?

January 6th of last year SA. I'm gonna guess you forgot since you have the first response post on the thread about it.

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=30449

I did forget. Forgetting is something that is becoming easier and easier for me, and it scares the snot out of me....

Forgetting is just a frustrating part of the ageing process and i'm afraid to tell you it gets worse as you get older. I have to keep double checking myself all the time. Mosins are for sure not often found to have bad headspace but it only takes one to get you! Bill

SA1911a1 wrote:I did forget. Forgetting is something that is becoming easier and easier for me, and it scares the snot out of me....

I remember, because I'm reminded every day. Years back Okie made me a fly-cutter to help speed up my sight tool production and refused to let me pay him anything for it. I use it almost daily and never fail to think of his generosity and helpfulness.

SA1911a1 wrote:I did forget. Forgetting is something that is becoming easier and easier for me, and it scares the snot out of me....

I passed an old fellow employee in the store not long ago and asked How's Sally doing (his wife). He said well, she died 4 yrs ago, that's how she is.