Remy PSS question...

[50 Freak]

So I was headspacing my 308 rifles the other night and decided to check on my Remington PSS. Figured of all my guns the Remy would be the one that be dead on in headspacing. Used Foerster 308 gauges.

Here is the results:

Go gauge : chambered
NoGo gauge : chambered
Field gauge : not chambered

What does this mean?

 

[Jim Watson]

Just how did you handle the gauges and judge when one "chambered?"
As I understand it, the bolt should be stripped and the bolt must close on the gauge with fingertip pressure to count. You do NOT load the gauge like a cartridge.

Assuming you did it gently with no firing pin assembly to load up the system and the no-go still went in, you technically have excess chamber headspace. You can either freak out and demand the barrel be replaced or set back and rechambered, or you can handle it. If you shoot factory loads and they are acceptably accurate, so what? If you handload, you can adjust your sizing die to leave the brass at the fireformed shoulder length for reuse in the same slightly long chamber. As long as it is not so far off as to cause casehead separation, you are fine.

 

[50 Freak]

The Foerster gauges had holes drilled in them where the firing pin would have been. So there is no pressures put on the gauges by the firing pin.

I inserted the gauges into the chamber and gently used the bolt handle to chamber the gauges.

 

[GySgt D]

My understanding of headspace gauges (I own, and have used them) is this:

If a "field" gauge chambers, then you have excess headspace. Danger!

The purpose of a "no go" gauge is to check for excess headspace ON A NEWLY INSTALLED BARREL. If it does not meet that description, then the gauge to use is the "field" gauge.

As long as your field gauge doesn't chamber, you are fine.

To put it in simpler terms, since headspace is very likely to increase a small amount on a newly installed barrel, doing your headspacing with only a field gauge could cause you to think "it doesn't chamber, thus it is good". Five rounds later, your headspace has increased possibly to the point of danger. A no-go gauge can be thought of as a "field gauge with tighter tolerances".

Don't take my word for this. It is your safety that is at stake. Get second opinions.