can anyone headspace a K98K?

[Robb]

My boy just had to have it, paid for half of it with his own money. Now we need to get it checked for headspace just to be safe. Can anyone here help me out?

Robb

[bryjcom]

Check it with a no-go gauge with the bolt stripped.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=15990/sku/NO_GO__8mm_Mauser__8x57_Mauser

If you have questions about it how to do it then just ask and you shall receive

[Robb]

Okay, so part of my problem is knowledge. So I strip the bolt, (I never understood why?) and then slowly close the bolt and chamber the gauge. Is any force used? Do I do this with just the slightest touch?
And then is buying the go/no-go the way to go? I haven't done much research yet. How about just using the field gauge?
Apologies for posting before I've done my research.

[BPTactical]

I can help you out on it and I am In Thornton also. I won't be able to until Monday or Tuesday though.

[bryjcom]

Okay, so part of my problem is knowledge. So I strip the bolt, (I never understood why?) and then slowly close the bolt and chamber the gauge. Is any force used? Do I do this with just the slightest touch?
And then is buying the go/no-go the way to go? I haven't done much research yet. How about just using the field gauge?
Apologies for posting before I've done my research.

Strip the bolt and clean the chamber good. Insert the go gauge and the bolt should close into battery with no force. Remove go gauge and insert no-go gauge and try to close bolt. The bolt will start to turn but will not close all the way. No force is needed. In this scenario you have good headspace.

If the bolt closes all the way on the no go guage then take scotch tape and put it on the back of the guage and trim any excess tape from the rim of the gauge. The scotch tape is .002" and will efectively add .002" to your no go gauge specs. Add tape until you can just close it with a small amount of pressure. Add up the amount of tape you used to the nogo gauge measurements and that is your headspace. Look on line what a 8mm mauser field gauge measurements are and make sure you are smaller than field reject measurements.

The tape method can also be used to make a go gauge a no-go gauge by adding the correct amount of tape.

Hope this helps.

[Robb]

Thanks for walking me through this.
Robb

[Robb]

Ordered a Forster 'Field' gauge, and received it in about 5 days. The bolt has lots of 'throw' left to lock-up. Hope my terminology isn't too confusing. Thank God for the internet or I would never have gotten that bolt back in, but it's done and I feel pretty confident about the safety of the rifle now.