Go-No Go Gauge & Reamer

[DaveTooley]

It's easy to take a go gage, any go gage, multiple go gages and use that one gage to cover from go +/- .0000" to field, usually +.0100" accurately.
Use shim stock in various thicknesses not tape. A small piece of shim stock and a dab of grease to attach it to the base of the gage works great. I would get a piece of .0020" thick stock. Five pieces the same thickness will get you to +/- .0010" on the headspace. Any finer measurement is best left to micrometers and means nothing to all but a few. Also remember not all gages will measure the same. If you want to verify your gage get a ring gage the appropriate diameter to match the datum line diameter, have it surface ground to get a sharp corner and use a surface plate and height gage. Pretty simple.

 

[fguffey]

It's easy to take a go gage, any go gage, multiple go gages and use that one gage to cover from go +/- .0000" to field, usually +.0100" accurately.

I would include any no go-gage and any filed reject length gage' problem, it is impossible to convince anyone that it can be done.

Pretty simple.

If it was pretty simple everything about head space would have been understood when reloaders and smith saw their first case/chamber drawing. The first drawing of a case had a line through the shoulder with an arrow pointing at it. The line was identified as a datum line with an explanation. The explanation read: "and that is how they do it".

I argued, the datum was not a line, it was a circle/round hole, all I needed was a round hole, the easy one was the datum for the 30/06, everyone has a 3/8" drill that measures .375", I thought? And if it was simple I wonder why Hornady has so much trouble with their comparator. If a reloaders understands datums the diameter does not matter if they are using a comparator because they measure before and again after. And if they had a go-gage they could adjust the comparator to zero.

F. Guffey

 

[GenePoole]

As long as we're getting all pedantic here with terms, the plural of 'datum' is 'data'.

 

[fguffey]

the plural of 'datum' is 'data'.

I collect datums, I make datums, and I have purchased datums. Again, I was at a gun show looking at miscellaneous box of junk on a table when I said "datums!", The first response was from the dealer; he said he did not have no datums. One shopper ask "where?" Another shopper claimed he did not see no datums and the third shopper ask; "What does a datum look like?".

So in the beginning reloaders thought the datum was a line and I ask what does a box of lines look like? Anyhow, the dealer had a box of holes, the holes were in round stock, plates and bars, some with multiple holes and others with one hole.

F. Guffey

 

[butchlambert]

I collect datums, I make datums, and I have purchased datums. Again, I was at a gun show looking at miscellaneous box of junk on a table when I said "datums!", The first response was from the dealer; he said he did not have no datums. One shopper ask "where?" Another shopper claimed he did not see no datums and the third shopper ask; "What does a datum look like?".

So in the beginning reloaders thought the datum was a line and I ask what does a box of lines look like? Anyhow, the dealer had a box of holes, the holes were in round stock, plates and bars, some with multiple holes and others with one hole.

F. Guffey

Yeah, Just like a box of F.Goofy

 

[Ggmac]

No Butch , I think that's HEADCASE !
Sorry I couldn't resist .

 

[Alex Wheeler]

It is so easy to mount a micrometer head on a old piece of barrel bored out to 1.065", then no more guessing and you can measure exactly from the shoulder to the back of a go gauge. You can ream every chamber to within a thousandth. If you get a 2" travel mic head you can zero the tool on a surface plate. Exactly the amount of headspace you want every time.

 

[shortgrass]

I use steel shim stock on the base of the "GO", and in the end I still drop a "NO-GO" in the chamber and try the bolt. I can honestly say , "yes sir, I checked that chamber with a "GO" gauge and a "NO-GO" gauge and the bolt would not close on the "NO-GO". Solid, tool steel, ground gauges don't lie. A "GO" and depth mics will tell you where you're at, until you torque the barrel on to the action. An 'adjustable' gauge sounds interesting,,,,,,, I'd never be out of spec, every one would be 'right on'!

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Are you seeing a change in HS after torquing? On BR rifles I set it up for zero on a go, meaning a panda is 1.115 from the face to boltface, that's the measurement I want from the shoulder to back of the gauge. I get the slightest feel on the bolt before and after torquing.

 

[DaveTooley]

Alex,
I'm with you. I've never had more a few tenths change. If one was to get more then something isn't square and the thread is too tight.

 

[fguffey]

An 'adjustable' gauge sounds interesting,,,,,,, I'd never be out of spec, every one would be 'right on'!

I use a field reject length gage to determine the length of the chamber in thousandths, shims with a go-gage? I always ask why reloaders insist on purchasing a gage that is short; the only answers I get are on the snarky side.

An 'adjustable' gauge sounds interesting,,,,,,,

Adjustable head space gages have been around for years. I have modified go-gages to measure the length of a chamber from 'go-gage length to infinity'. A few years ago I furnished information on the adjustable head space gage, I received one response, the responder did a google search and found nothing. I changed the manufacturers name by one letter.

F. Guffey

 

[fguffey]

As long as we're getting all pedantic here with terms, the plural of 'datum' is 'data'.

dmoran likes this.

And then one day I made a tool that appeared to have two datums, it worked for me.

F. Guffey

 

[shortgrass]

Are you seeing a change in HS after torquing? On BR rifles I set it up for zero on a go, meaning a panda is 1.115 from the face to boltface, that's the measurement I want from the shoulder to back of the gauge. I get the slightest feel on the bolt before and after torquing.

If I set the headspace with my GO gauge and depth mic (which I check with gauge blocks, by the way) to GO + .001", after I torque it to the action the GO gauge with .001" steel shim won't allow the bolt to close (and yes, the mics I use to check the thickness of the steel shim stock are/were checked with the standard). But, the bolt will close as it should on just the GO gauge. There is no way of knowing exactly how much distance was lost after torqueing the barrel to the action without building dedicated jigs/fixtures to do so. The above example is with Rem. 700 actions. I have noticed that with custom actions that have a 18tpi or finer thread that I don't see this.

 

[Someoldguy]

If I set the headspace with my GO gauge and depth mic (which I check with gauge blocks, by the way) to GO + .001", after I torque it to the action the GO gauge with .001" steel shim won't allow the bolt to close (and yes, the mics I use to check the thickness of the steel shim stock are/were checked with the standard). But, the bolt will close as it should on just the GO gauge. There is no way of knowing exactly how much distance was lost after torqueing the barrel to the action without building dedicated jigs/fixtures to do so. The above example is with Rem. 700 actions. I have noticed that with custom actions that have a 18tpi or finer thread that I don't see this.

What standard came with your .0000 - 1.0000 mic? I didn't get, or expect one. (?)

 

[shortgrass]

What standard came with your .0000 - 1.0000 mic? I didn't get, or expect one. (?)

I bought a set of 4, 0-1" , 1"-2" , 2"-3" , and 3"-4". There is a 1" , 2" ,and 3" standard in the wooden box. Mitutoyo brand. I have a set of gauge blocks, too,,,,,,,, for setting indicators on gauging stations.

 

[Someoldguy]

I bought a set of 4, 0-1" , 1"-2" , 2"-3" , and 3"-4". There is a 1" , 2" ,and 3" standard in the wooden box. Mitutoyo brand. I have a set of gauge blocks, too,,,,,,,, for setting indicators on gauging stations.

OK. I've received standards with 1"-2", 2"-3", etc. But never with a 0"-1". Just wondered . . . .

 

[butchlambert]

OK. I've received standards with 1"-2", 2"-3", etc. But never with a 0"-1". Just wondered . . . .

Well,
He could check it with his 1" or any of his gage blocks.

 

[Someoldguy]

Well,
He could check it with his 1" or any of his gage blocks.

Yes he could. But calibration is checked at the smallest measurement, correct?
0.0000" for a 0"-1", 1.0000" for a 1"-2", etc. Or so I was taught.

 

[butchlambert]

Yes he could. But calibration is checked at the smallest measurement, correct?
0.0000" for a 0"-1", 1.0000" for a 1"-2", etc. Or so I was taught.

I'll buy that. On his 0-1", he could bottom out the spindle and it it is all zeros, it is good, right.

 

[shortgrass]

I guess it must hurt something to check your measuring tools at more than one place within the range that they were designed to measure. Evidently I've done wrong to pick-up a 1/4" gauge block and see if my mic reads .250. How many just take for granted, and don't bother to check their measuring tools, at all? I'll continue to use that 1" standard, or whatever gauge block, or run them to 'zero', regardless of what the -----anyone on this forum seems to think. Some on these forums can find more ---------- to nit-pic over! Maybe if they'd get off their rear end and actually go do something they'd not have so much 'free' advice to dish out........