Homemade headspace gauges?

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Rex B
April 4, 2007, 06:26 PM
From the sticky:

"Headspace limit for the 1911 pistol is .898 inch minimum and .920 maximum. GO and NO-GO sets are made to these specifications."

I'm pretty handy with a lathe. Can I make a couple of cylinders in the proper chamber diameter at a length to match these two numbers?
Or is there a good reason to buy factory-made gauges?
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Jim K
April 5, 2007, 03:51 PM
Heaadspace gauges for the .45 ACP are pretty straightforward (unlike those for cartridges that headspace on the shoulder) so I see no reason at all why you can't make them yourself. Make them with the back end partly cut away so the extractor doesn't interfere. Ideally, one should remove the extractor, but why bother if you can avoid it.

Jim
Rex B
April 5, 2007, 04:00 PM
Going to the shop tonight, should be a quick and easy project.
You don't happen to know what the chamber diameter is, do you?
Straight .450 work?

Thanks much!
HSMITH
April 5, 2007, 05:51 PM
No sir, you are looking for something around .470" to .473".
Rex B
April 5, 2007, 06:22 PM
Duly noted, and thanks
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