Headspace Gauges And How To Use Them

by: David Kaiser

A question that gets asked over and over on the Tech Help Line is “What is headspace?” and “How do I check
headspace?”. Hopefully, this article will help answer some of those questions and provide some useful information on a
very important aspect of gunsmithing.

Headspace is defined as the distance from the bolt or breech face to a measuring point within the chamber forward of the
breech. With rimmed cartridges, such as .22 long rifle, 30-30 or .357 Magnum, the measurement is to the front of the rim
cut. Straight- walled rimless cartridges, such as .30 Carbine, 9mm Luger or .45 ACP, are measured to the mouth of the
chamber. Rimless bottleneck rounds, like .223 or 30-06, are measured to a point on the shoulder at a certain specified
diameter. Belted magnums, .300 Win. Mag., or .375 H&H, are measured to the front of the belt cut, essentially like a
rimmed case.

Checking headspace should be a part of any job that involves action work, especially if the job will require the gun be test
fired. Headspace should be checked before any gunsmithing work is done. That way, if an excessive headspace condition
exists, the customer can opt to have it corrected before expensive work is done to a gun that may not be suitable for the
intended use. Checking the headspace first helps to protect you, the gunsmith, from firing an unsafe gun or from doing
work that you may never be paid for if your customer abandons the gun to your shop.

Headspace gauges are used to check one aspect of a firearm’s suitability for use. If the headspace is less than minimum,
factory loaded cartridges may not fully chamber in the firearm, the action may not close fully, and it may not fire. If the gun
does fire, you could have excess pressure problems, and in the case of semi-automatic arms, possible serious damage to
the locking system. It’s possible, with autoloading guns, to have slam fires due to insufficient headspace. If headspace
exceeds the maximum limit, excessive case stretching can occur, even to the point of a case rupture or head separation
from the case body. Other problems associated with excessive headspace are: failure to fire, misfires, poor accuracy, and
very short case life. With rimfire guns and their thin brass cartridge cases, excessive headspace can lead to ruptures of
the case at the rim, or even a complete head separation on firing. The sudden “dumping” of powder gases into the action
can wreck an action or stock, and in the case of many rifles, send powder gases back along a bolt body to blast the
shooter’s face. For this reason, eye protection when shooting is a must!

Modern headspace gauges are made of heat treated tool steel. Even though the steel is quite hard and tough, you must
treat the gauges as though they were made of glass. If they are misused, they can break, cause damage to the gun being
checked, or can give false readings on the correctness or incorrectness of a particular gun’s headspace and its suitability
for use. Our recommendation is that you use headspace gauges in sets from the same manufacturer. An example of this
would be GO and NO-GO gauges from Clymer, and not one from Clymer and the other from Forster. Your results will be
more uniform if you stick to this recommendation rather than mixing different brands.
Under normal commercial circumstances, a gun whose bolt closes completely on a NO-GO headspace gauge (even if it
does not close on a FIELD gauge) should not be put out for sale or returned to a customer as being suitable for use, until
the headspace situation is corrected. Keep in mind that a firearm may have perfect headspace, but may have other
chamber problems or action problems that could keep it from being used safely.

Dykem Steel Blue Layout Fluid

There are normally three types of gauges made; GO, NO-GO and FIELD. The GO gauge corresponds to the SAAMI
(Sporting Arms & Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute) minimum chamber length, while the FIELD gauge usually matches
the maximum chamber depth, or slightly less. NO-GO gauges are an intermediate length between minimum and
maximum, that, technically, is a voluntary dimension. A firearm that closes on a NO-GO gauge and does not close on a
FIELD gauge may not give good accuracy and may have very short cartridge case life from the ammunition re-loader’s
standpoint.

Case head separations are a possibility with a gun that closes on a NO-GO gauge. It may also fail to fire or suffer from
misfires, depending on the firing pin dimensions. Here’s a very thorough list of instructions on how to use headspace
gauges to check headspace. It’s broken down by type of firearm and type of actions so you can hone in on the kind of
firearm that you work on most.

Bolt Action Rifles

The most common usage of headspace gauges is with bottleneck cartridges in bolt action rifles. As with any job, check the
chamber and magazine to be certain the rifle is not loaded. Remove the bolt from the action, and strip the bolt as far as
practical. This means remove the firing pin assembly and, if possible, the extractor. If the bolt has a spring- loaded plunger
in the bolt head as an ejector, remove the ejector. Clean the chamber, the bolt locking lug recesses in the action, the bolt
face, locking lugs and the gauge. With some types of bolts, the extractor can’t be removed without damage to it or its
retainer. For many years, Remington centerfire rifles have used a rivet to retain the extractor. Do not remove the extractor
on Remington rifles.

Open and close the stripped bolt on an empty chamber several times to get a feel for the amount of resistance the bolt has
to closing. Slip the GO gauge into the chamber and with the pressure of only one finger, attempt to close the bolt. If you
are working with a Remington rifle, or any rifle where the extractor cannot be readily removed, slip the rim of the gauge
under the extractor on the bolt, and push the bolt and gauge forward to chamber the gauge. Attempt to close the bolt
handle. IMPORTANT: If you feel any resistance to closing greater than you had with the chamber empty, stop right there.
Don’t force the bolt closed. The bolt handle gives you a tremendous amount of leverage, so to avoid damage to the gauge
or rifle, use only minimal pressure to close the bolt. If the bolt closes with no feel to the handle with a GO gauge in the
chamber, open the bolt, remove the GO gauge, and replace it with a NO-GO gauge. Again, gently attempt to close the
bolt. The bolt handle should stop or show resistance to closing at some point before it fully closes. DO NOT force the bolt
handle closed. Even if the bolt handle closes 98% before you feel resistance, the headspace is normally considered to be
within specs.
If the bolt handle closes fully on the NO-GO gauge, repeat the test with a FIELD gauge. If the bolt does not close
completely with this gauge, the headspace is on the long side, but the rifle can usually still be used with factory ammo, if
the cases will not be reloaded and there are no other problems present. Never fire a gun that closes on a FIELD gauge. If
it is fired, the chances are extremely high that you will get case ruptures.

.22 Rimfire Headspace

Modern .22 Rimfire cartridges fall into two families: .22 long rifle, .22 long, .22 short, BB and CB caps; and .22 Winchester
Rimfire and .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum. The .22 long rifle family shares case body diameters, rim diameters and
thickness. The overall cartridge length, bullet shape and weight are the variable factors. The .22 WRF and .22 WRFM
differ in body length, and the magnum is loaded to much higher chamber pressures.
 Small step at arrow shows amount of headspace (+.005”) with a Clymer
GO gauge placed in the chamber of a .45 ACP, 1911 Auto barrel

.22 rimfire cartridges present several potential problems to the gunsmith. Most bolt action rifles, as well as lever action
rifles, pumps, semi-auto rifles and pistols have a barrel breech that is essentially flat, and use a recess in the bolt head to
regulate headspace. Bolt, pump and lever action rifles have a locked breechbolt system, while autoloading guns are
usually blowback operated, with the bolt held forward by spring pressure. If you only measure the depth of the bolt face
rim cut, you will not get a true picture of the headspace situation, as the bolt on a locked breech system usually has some
clearance built into the bolt face to barrel breech face dimension. In addition, autoloading guns will build up dirt, powder
fouling and bullet lube on the face of the bolt and the breech end of the barrel, which will temporarily increase headspace
by holding the bolt back slightly from the barrel.

Revolver Headspace
The vast majority of revolvers are chambered for rimmed cartridges. They fall into two general types of actions: swing out
cylinder and solid frame revolvers. Modern Smith & Wesson revolvers are swing out cylinder types, while Ruger Single
Action revolvers have solid frames, where the cylinder pin has to be pulled forward to remove the cylinder for cleaning. In
addition, there are two types of cylinders: rebated and non-rebated.

Rebated type cylinders have a recess for the case rim and come almost to the frame at the rear of the cylinder. Non-
rebated cylinders, when viewed from the side, leave the entire thickness of the case rim exposed.

When checking revolvers with swing out cylinders, start by cleaning the cylinder, including the chamber, the ejector star
and its recess in the cylinder, the front face of the cylinder, the barrel breech and rear of the frame window where the firing
pin comes through. On rebated rim swing out cylinders, put a feeler gauge between the cylinder and frame at the top rear
of the frame window to check clearance at each chamber. Note these measurements. Open the cylinder and place the GO
gauge in a chamber. The GO gauge should be flush or just below flush with the rear face of the cylinder. If it protrudes
above the cylinder’s rear face, measure how much it sticks up. It should be less than the feeler gauge thickness that you
noted earlier. Next, place the NO-GO gauge in each chamber. It should protrude enough that the cylinder cannot be
closed with very gentle pressure. Caution: Forcing the cylinder closed with a headspace gauge in a chamber may
damage the cylinder, the ejector, the revolver’s frame or the headspace gauge. The gauge is heat treated harder than any
of the gun’s components and can break if mistreated.

With a non-rebated cylinder, start by cleaning the gun as detailed above. The cylinder should close easily, with no drag on
the gauge, with a GO gauge in the chambers. If the headspace is correct, the cylinder will not close with a NO-GO gauge
in each chamber. Do Not force the cylinder closed with any gauge in a chamber.

Single action, solid frame revolvers have their own peculiarities. The area surrounding the firing pin in the frame is usually
raised above the surface at the rear of the frame window. With the cleaned revolver on half-cock (or in the case of a
current production Ruger, with the loading gate open) slip the GO gauge in the chamber and slowly rotate the cylinder.
The gauge should rotate past the raised section with no drag. Next, place the NO-GO gauge in the chamber and repeat
the test. The gauge should stop the cylinder’s rotation. Carefully back rotate the cylinder as far as possible, remove the
cylinder pin from the frame, and remove the cylinder from the frame. Replace the cylinder in the frame and repeat the test
on the other chambers.
 Match Rifle Headspace Gauges

Shotguns
Bolt action, pump and autoloading shotguns can generally be checked and treated like their centerfire rifle equivalents.
Break open guns, whether side by side, over and under, or single shot types, must be checked carefully to avoid damage
to the gun. Start by checking the headspace with the barrel off of the action. The back surface of the GO gauge should be
level with or drop below the level of the rim recess in the barrel being checked, while the NO-GO gauge should protrude
above the level of the recess. After checking with the barrel assembly off of the action, reinstall the barrel assembly. Place
the NO-GO gauge in the chamber being checked. Very carefully and slowly attempt to close the barrel. DO NOT “snap” or
force the action closed. The barrel assembly on a break open type gun can exert tremendous leverage upon closing.
Snapping the barrel closed with a hardened gauge in the chamber can cause damage to the gauge, barrel and action.

This is as complete a rundown on headspace gauges and headspace as I can give you. If you want more information on
headspace or on specific chamber dimensions, a great source is SAAMI. They publish a manual of chamber prints that
lists headspace and complete dimensions. SAAMI can be contacted at (203) 426-4358. Headspace is one area of
gunsmithing it pays to be knowledgeble and cautious about. Remember, headspace is where a very small error can lead
to a really big problem.

Tools Used In This Article

#262-100-004 Dykem Layout Fluid

#079-308-000 Brownells .308 Match Rifle Headspace Gauge Kit

Marlin .22 Inside Magazine Tubes

Over the years, magazine tubes for the many different models of Marlin Rimfire Rifles have had subtle design changes
that prevent their interchangeability between models. The chart below covers all OEM replacement tubes currently in
stock. To find which magazine tube you need to fit your rifle: measure the overall length of your existing tube (minus cap
and follower), compare action and follower style, then choose the correct Brownells Stock #.
Approximate
Brownell's Stock # Cap/Pin Design Marlin Part # Follower Style Action
Tube Length
#550-607-222 20-3/8" Old Single 607222 Ball Semi-Auto
#550-507-922 17-3/8" New Double 507988 Ball Semi-Auto
#550-502-522 22-5/16" New Single 502522 Cylindrical Bolt
#550-507-122 10" Old Single 507122 Ball Semi-Auto
#550-502-222 19" Old Single 502222 Cylindrical Bolt
#550-506-122 20¾" New Single 506122 Cylindrical Bolt
#550-502-822 14-7/8" New Single 502822 Cylindrical Bolt
#550-000-500 20-13/16" New Single 507522 Ball Semi-Auto
#550-000-497 10" New Single 507422 Ball Semi-Auto
Headspace Gauges And How To Use Them
by: David Kaiser

Autoloading, pump and lever action rifles, with rotating bolts or bolt heads
These rifles can present some problems to the gunsmith when checking headspace. There is generally no way to “feel”
resistance to the bolt’s closing when a “NO-GO” gauge is being used. In many instances, you can turn the action upside
down, and with the magazine out, watch the bolt head’s rotation into its locking recess(es) with the chamber empty. You
should be able to see the bolt head rotating as the bolt body (or carrier) moves forward. Using a permanent marking pen,
Dykem Blue layout fluid, or a grease pencil, mark the bolt and the bolt carrier with the bolt in the closed, locked position
and the chamber empty.

Headspace Gauge

If possible, strip the bolt of the extractor, ejector and firing pin. In the case of rifles with extractors riveted in place, strip the
bolt as far as possible. Remove the action spring from the action. Open the action and place the “GO” gauge in the
chamber. In the case of bolts with riveted or non-removable extractors, engage the rim of the gauge with the extractor and
start the gauge into the chamber. SLOWLY and carefully close the bolt (Do Not force it closed with a headspace gauge in
the chamber!) and observe the marks you made on the bolt head and bolt body (carrier). They should be the same as
when the chamber was empty. Now, remove the “GO” gauge, and replace it with the “NO-GO” gauge. Again, slowly and
carefully close the bolt and observe the marks.

They should not line up, as the longer gauge prevents the bolt from rotating fully to the locked position. This tells you that
the headspace on this rifle is within normal tolerances.

Autoloading, pump & lever action rifles with tipping bolts or vertically sliding locking lugs:
This type of action presents different problems to the gunsmith when checking headspace. Again, start with the bolt
stripped as far as practical, and strip the action (in the case of autoloading guns) to remove the action spring. Lever action
rifles (like the Winchester ’94) should be stripped so the bolt and locking block will be hand operated, not lever operated.
Make sure the chamber, action, bolt and gauges are clean. Examine the action with the chamber empty and lock the bolt
into the “in battery” position. How far does the bolt go into its locking recess? If a separate locking block is used, how high
does it come up in the action to lock the bolt? Next, try to close and lock the bolt using the “GO” gauge in the chamber. It
should lock up as if the chamber was empty. With a “NO-GO” gauge in the chamber, the bolt (or the locking block) should
not go fully into the locked position with only light finger pressure.

Single shot falling, rolling, and tipping block rifles:

Most actions of these types have very little camming force built into their breech locking systems. Breechblocks should be
stripped of the firing pin, and the extractor should be removed. After thoroughly cleaning the action, the “GO” gauge is
placed in the chamber, and the breechblock closed using direct pressure on the block, not the lever. The breechblock
should go fully into the closed position. Next, try the “NO-GO” gauge in the chamber. The breechblock may start to close,
but should not fully seat as high as if the chamber were empty.

Small step at arrow shows amount of headspace (+.005”) with a Clymer

GO gauge placed in the chamber of a .45 ACP, 1911 Auto barrel

In the case of Remington Rolling Block-type rifles, the hammer rotating under the breechblock locks it closed. Remove the
mainspring and the extractor from the action, and close the breechblock on the gauge. Rotate the hammer to the fired
position under the rear of the breechblock, first with the chamber empty, and then with the “GO” gauge in the chamber.
The hammer should go forward fully to touch the firing pin. With the “NO-GO” gauge in the chamber, the hammer will
either not go fully forward, or may even catch on the back edge of the breechblock. This indicates that the headspace is
not excessive.

Autoloading Pistols:
Most locked breech autoloading pistols can be easily checked. First, unload and strip the slide assembly off the frame.
Remove the recoil spring assembly. With the barrel locked into the slide, use feeler gauges between the barrel hood (at
the extreme top rear of the barrel) and the breech face to determine how much space (if any) exists at that point. Remove
the barrel from the slide, and slip the “GO” gauge into the chamber. The rear of the gauge should be at or below the level
of the barrel hood. If it extends above the hood, use a dial caliper or depth micrometer to measure how much extension
the gauge has. If the “GO” gauge extends above the breech face more than the feeler gauge thickness, the chamber has
too little headspace, and may not accept maximum case length ammunition. Next, place the “NO-GO” gauge in the
chamber and measure how far above the barrel hood it extends. It should extend above the barrel hood by more than the
feeler gauge thickness.

Tech Tip
SIG Grip Screws
We received this information from Jim Behanna at SIG.

SIG Model 226 with serial numbers above 144000 use a metric grip screw with M4 threads. Brownells currently stocks
this grip screw. Early production Model 226’s with serial numbers below 144000 have M3 metric thread grip screws
which Brownells does not inventory or have available from another source. The serial number cut off on the Model 226
grip screw is not definite. All SIG Model 220 grip screws are metric M5 which Brownells does have in stock.