[Beeg Boy]

I was just reading about HeadSpace in some of the stickys.
Is this something I need to be worried about?
My receiver and bolt both match and I bought my M44 from a Big 5 Sporting Goods out here in AZ.

Any thoughts?

 

[Zer0DazE]

I haven't come across a Mosin that had a headspace issue yet.

If you have a concern, you can get a no go gauge

Or

measure the thickness of a cartridge rim, then put some plasti-gauge on the rim, and close the bolt. See what the plasti-gauge measures at, and add that to the rim thickness. It's cheap and dirty, but it works with rimmed cartridges.

Any auto parts store will have plasti-gauge for a couple of dollars, or if you have a well stocked garage then you already have some.

 

[SamStafford]

Yep, I tried that plasti-gauge on my MN M44...no problem there. :no:

 

[roadkill46]

I was just reading about HeadSpace in some of the stickys.
Is this something I need to be worried about?
My receiver and bolt both match and I bought my M44 from a Big 5 Sporting Goods out here in AZ.

Any thoughts?

you got that ad also....i was looking at them here in Yuma. not a bad lot of them, shiny bores, pretty good wood, hell for $99 + tax, good deal.

 

[bluesboyk3]

one way is to check serial number. If all match, then you don't have to worry about it. Also they have the bolt tool that you can get for 5 bux and it'll measure firing pin protrusion, so that it won't puncture the primer.

 

[Krippp]

First of all, never trust matching serial numbers. You have to be an expert on Russian firearms to be able to tell the difference in Russian stampings and the stampings that were done by importers on rebuilt parts guns. Some importers just electropencil the numbers to match, some line-out the old and stamp new matching numbers on it, then there are those that are carefully ground on virtually every part of the gun and a new serial number is stamped that will match the receiver. Nothing is wrong with any of those practices, the Russians used all 3 methods themselves when they refurb'd these guns. Checking firing pin protrusion is only good when you have no known headspace issue. If you have a headspace issue then setting the firing pin protrusion will not help anything at all. You should never have a problem on 99% of the MN's on the market now. They are all headspaced checked before they are sold to dealers by the importers. I have had and still have more than 100 of these guns and have never had one that failed a no-go gauge test yet.

 

[bluesboyk3]

I see, well my pastor just scored a re-arsenaled M38 - mated with M44 stock. The barrel is counterbored. The prev owner never fired it. I think mosins are robust weapons and it should be fine, but what do you recommend - have him take it to a gunsmith and check the headspace or not worry about it.

My wife said the same thing when she saw my 1927 M91/30, wondering if it's safe to shoot. I figure with steel surplus casing, a bit short on the headspace won't be a problem - if my rifle had that issue (thankfully not). And sure enough, it is a shooter.

 

[ajole]

You could just do the high pressure field test...
tie a string to the trigger, put in a cartridge, set the action under a sandbag with the barrel pointing downrange, stand back, and pull the string.
Check the action and case for any issues, bulging, primer bulging, etc....
Then shoot with peace of mind.

 

[Krippp]

I recommend that until someone has their own headspace gauges that they take it to a 'smith and have it evaluated. It is a slight risk with these guns, but a risk nontheless, to shoot them without having them tested. If you compare these guns with Enfields, Arisakas and Mausers, you will see that the 3 I mentioned all have bleed holes for the gas to escape away from the shooters face, the Mosin family of rifles does not have these types of holes and therefore if headspace is severly off then blowback will be straight through the bolt and into your face. The Mausers bleed system is not as easily seen as most are in the bolt itself designed to blow down through the magazine. The Arisaka has either 1 hole(Type 99) or 2 holes(Type 38) on top pf the receiver for their system and the Enfield has one hole on the left side of the receiver. As I stated before, you will probably never encounter a Mosin with faulty headspace but it is your face and your life you risk, so your choice. I must have shot around 20-30 of them before I bought my gauges though, lucky, maybe. Now a Type 38 Arisaka that I once owned got tied to a big oak tree and 50ft. of twine tied to the trigger for it's first shot, but all was good in the end. BTW, ZeroDaze, you still got that one?

 

[Beeg Boy]

So Kripp, what is your final word?

Take it to a gun smith?

Or just take it out and try it and hope for the best?

 

[ajole]

Depends on your money situation, and the LGS. Some LGS will do it for free. But my LGS is $12 in gas away...
If you don't want to spend the money, the tree will work well enough. If the gun is seriously a collector item, I might take it in, or just buy my own gauges.

 

[47_MasoN_47]

I use the good ol' tie it up and see if it explodes method. Actually I put the rifle on my thigh with the bolt facing out away from me and shoot it into a good backstop.