no-go gage closes, is this absolute don't shoot?

[jmist23]

i have a 20ga Ranger 104.7 bolt action shotgun that is not worth much. the bolt closes on a no-go headspace gage. obviously i don't want to spend money on it. should i absolutely not shoot it? (i don't know the shooting history)

is it worth trying to find a "field" gage. do they make them for shotguns?

thanks for your help.

 

[rcmodel]

It wouldn't surprise me much at all if it would have closed on a NO-GO guage when they made it. Bolt-action shotguns were not the top of the food chain as shotguns go.

Excess headspace is not the major big deal in a shotgun as it is in a high-power rifle, because of the relatively low pressure involved.

The front surface of the base of the shell is well inside the chamber, and enclosed inside a brass or steel shell head to seal off gas from blowing out a case.

I would carefully inspect the bolt and receiver for any cracks or peening that might have occurred over time that would have allowed the headspace to increase.

If you can't find anything wrong mechanically, and the firing pin can reach the primer, I would not worry too much about it.

rc.

 

[rmfnla]

A remote test fire with express loads might not be a bad idea.

 

[navyretired 1]

I agree with RC but you could add a 0.006 shim to face of bolt and see if it would close that would be like field gage. Just stick to face of bolt with a little grease.