How to check headspace?

[Moparmike]

I just bought a Czech Mauser, and while it looks as if it has been a Cosmoline-ed bag queen from assembly to now, I want to make sure that its not going to blow up when I fire one of those hot Turkish rounds thru it.

Thanks,

 

[Kharn]

You can probably get the gauges from Brownells. Remove the extractor, clean the chamber and bolt face as best you can, then try to close the bolt with the headspace gauge inserted (use hand pressure, not a hammer, to determine if it will close or not). Go should close, NoGo should not (if its NIB; on C&Rs, its personal choice if you use NoGo or Field), and if it closes on the Field gauge get that gun to a gunsmith immediately.
Most C&R collectors that I know use only a Field gauge. If it closes on loaded ammo, thats good enough for Go, and the Field gauge is the absolutely max that a chamber should be.

Kharn

 

[Moparmike]

What is the typical charge for a check by a gunsmith?

 

[Kharn]

Varies, Anywhere from free to $20 would be my guess. Brownells' catalog says $20 to $40, but some of the prices are outrageous ($35 to $50 to sight in a customer's gun, $25 to $40 to install sightbases on a rifle already drilled and tapped, etc) and should be written up as close to highway robbery.

Kharn

 

[Engineer]

Like Kharn said, a field gauge is the minimum that you should get. Field and No Go are the ones that I usually buy to check my C&R guns.

I've had good experiences ordering them from Lock Stock & Barrel. Forster gauges for $14.25 each. It's worth it to invest in a set if you plan on ordering a bunch of C&R rifles.