Ran into a brick wall.

[CZguy]

I have a type 38 Arisaka that's missing it's bolt. I located a bolt, but when I checked Brownell's to order head space gages, I found out that they don't carry them for 6.5 x 50mm Jap. I emailed Clymer and Forrester and found out that they don't make any. So my question is what do you guys do about checking head space in an Arisaka?

 

[cyclopsshooter]

shoot one round and check to see if the primer backed out any

 

[BADUNAME27]

Contact David Kiff, owner of Pacific Tool and Gauge in White City Oregon.

One stop shopping for quality tooling.

Good luck.

-C

 

[navyretired 1]

You could also do what a lot of smiths do when they don't have odd caliber gages. I f you have a loaded factory round place small shim (0.006) on bolt face with a bit of greese to hold it on then try to gently close bolt with one finger, it shouldn't close. If it doesn't close it should be safe to fire and measure. a set of custom made head space gages are $$$$.

 

[rcmodel]

shoot one round and check to see if the primer backed out any

Not a good indicator.
A backed out primer is a good indicator of a low pressure round, not excess headspace.

If the ammo is loaded to normal pressure, the case will stretch to the breaking point and re-seat the primer so it looks perfectly normal.

Only if the ammo doesn't have enough pressure to stretch the case, will the primer remain backed out.

rc