Go Nogo

[blvedere]

Could you use a new unfired brass as a go gauge, and same brass with tape to act as No go?

 

[308BAR]

Using new brass as a go gauge is not a good ideal because it will not match your die. Your die could have looser tolerances and even if you FL size it it may not chamber in your rifle if it is head spaced with new brass. Use a go gauge for minimum head spacing so if you sell your rifle it doesn't blow up in some elses hand. If not available FL size once fired brass so you know the brass you FL size will fit in the rifle you head spaced.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Brass is flexible. Buy a go gauge. The money is worth having the rifle right.

 

[bigedp51]

Could you use a new unfired brass as a go gauge, and same brass with tape to act as No go?

NO............ I have seen brand new cases over .009 shorter than a GO gauge.

How do you calibrate tape, do you use 3M or the cheaper Chinese tape?

Don't try and be cheap, buy yourself some headspace gauges.

Question, are you just checking the headspace or wanting to set the headspace on a new barrel?

 

[blvedere]

It was just a question, I have no intention of doing this. I saw on a gunsite a while back that a gunsmith/machinist used this procedure to check his work. Didn't think it was the thing to do. Thanks


"Train hard, shoot easy"

 

[Larryh128]

I use a piece of scotch tape on the bottom of a go gauge as a no go gauge all the time. How do you measure it? With a mic, same as anything else. Works great. Normally scotch brand is .001. Cheap stuff could be .0005-.003. I agree new brass can be anywhere on the map.

 

[hogpatrol]

Buy or rent the gauges. They can usally be resold for close to what you pay for them. As far as the tape is concerned, I wouldn't want someone checking jet engine parts using tape. Regardless of what ANYONE says, tape is NOT the correct way. It's why they make GO and NO GO gauges.

 

[fguffey]

Could you use a new unfired brass as a go gauge, and same brass with tape to act as No go?

Yes, It can be done. You question starts with "Can you...?" I have, I can and I will. Before the Internet using a case to measure the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face was an option, in the old days a smith used rational as in why they choose one way over another, today in is more about insult through innuendo.

I do not know if reloaders on this forum can bump the shoulder back .001", or .002", I know they claim they can.

Question: If a reloader can adjust the die in the press to bump the shoulder .001". why cant they adjust the die in the press to move the shoulder back .005", or .006" or .010"? The reloaders world revolves around moving the shoulder back, why? If anyone knew we would not be having this conversation.

I purchase cases fired in trashy old chambers. chambers that are no go-gage length to filed reject length from the shoulder to the head of the case. I form cases to fit a chamber. 'WHY?' The go-gage that is coveted by reloaders and smiths will fit and allow the bolt to close every time the bolt is closed on it, then? after the bolt is closed the reloader still does not know the length of the chamber. That puts me so far ahead of most reloaders simply because I measure the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face in thousandths. Then there is that part about rational, why?

There is a correlation between the chamber and die, the die is adjustable, I transfer the measurement of the chamber to the die in the press. Bump? When the shoulder is bumped the case body increases in diameter, meaning it is not possible to bump the shoulder with out having case body support.

A reloader has one choice between .000 and .009" when determining the length of a 30/06 chamber. The one choice is .005" longer than a minimum length case, the go-gage can be used determine if the chamber is shorter than a go-gage length chamber but is will not indicate the length of the chamber in thousandths. The next choice beyond the go-gage is the no go-gage. the no go-gage is +.009" longer than a minimum length full-length sized case. Again, I have 4 choices between the go and no go gage. then there is the field reject gage. the field reject gage is .014" longer than a minimum length full length sized case and .009" longer than a go-gage.

But if a smith and or a reloader was talented they would not need but one gage, the go-gage, a gifted and talented smith and or reloader would be reading the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face in thousandths. They would benefit from if they had a good understanding of transfers and standards. I am the fan of transfers and standards.

A reloader can bump the shoulder back .001" but they can not figure how to move the shoulder forward without firing. Before I allow that small stuff to get the best of me I start with long cases like the 280 Remington. The 280 Remington case is longer than the 30/06 by .041", the shoulder on the 280 Remington is ahead of the 30/06 by .051", for those that can keep up, how can a reloader that understands case forming miss.

Then there is necking up, I did not/do not need 338/06 cases, I do not need 35 Whelen cases, but 'JIC' I always have 300 cases necked up to 35 Whelen and 338/06, never know when I will need cases sized to a chamber with an unknown length.

F. Guffey

 

[Scott Harris]

I'd like to meet you some day F. Guffey...

Anyway, +1 to what bigedp51 said! You can't afford $30 bucks to buy a no-go gauge? That is what we call a "false economy."

 

[bigedp51]

Could you use a new unfired brass as a go gauge, and same brass with tape to act as No go?

Yes, It can be done. You question starts with "Can you...?" I have, I can and I will.
F. Guffey

Reductio ad absurdum

 

[bigedp51]

I'd like to meet you some day F. Guffey...

Non sequitur

 

[amlevin]

I've had to do it in a pinch. Had a bolt that got screwed up so I took another body from the same make rifle. I used a case fired using the original bolt as a checking gauge. Had what I called "the right fee". When I fired the first round with the substitute bolt I then used a case gauge to check "headspace". Was right on.

Would I do this as a gunsmith? No way. Would I have preferred a Go-No Go Gauge? Absolutely yes.

BTW, the replacement bolt is still in that rifle and all fired cases read .001-.002 less than specified Headspace for that caliber. Lucked out I guess.

 

[fguffey]

BTW, the replacement bolt is still in that rifle and all fired cases read .001-.002 less than specified Headspace for that caliber. Lucked out I guess.

There is lucky and there is good. But let us suppose you had a head space gage, I do not covet head space gages, I make head space gages, problem! They always chamber and no one on this forum has demonstrated ability to determine by 'HOW MUCH'. I want to know the length of the chamber in thousandths. I have no interest in determining if the bolt will close on a go-gage.

Anyway, +1 to what bigedp51 said! You can't afford $30 bucks to buy a no-go gauge? That is what we call a "false economy."

Let us suppose you had a no go-gage, let us suppose you installed the no go- and found the bolt would not close on the no go-gage. Now what?

I purchased a mill from a builder of period correct military rifles, he was on a forum trying to get help with 'HEAD SPACE', he explained to me how dysfunctional members got when the subject of head space was mentioned, I informed him 'This is your lucky day'. He then handed me a box of 20+ head space gages, and I asked if he wanted to know if they would go or if he wanted to know the length of the chamber. He said he already knew the gages would allow the bolt to close but he still did not know the length of the chamber. Anyhow, the chamber was .0075 longer than a minimum length case, .0025 longer than a go-gage length chamber and .0015 shorter than a no go-gage length chamber. He had 100 plus 03 Springfield bolts, he only had one straight handles bolt meaning to be period correct he needed a straight handle bolt.

I offered to measure his bolt and the effect it had on the length of the chamber then compare the dimensions with my bolts, I have 40 plus, I assured him I was not going to be able to off set the .0025 he needed but JIC. I offered to measure all of his bolts for one that would reduce the length of his chamber .0025".

Finally, he got a few bolts from John Beard with straight handles.

F. Guffey