Headspace question, need help!!!

[Hecklerusp45]

I have a friend that has a M1917 that he has owned for many years and never fired. He recently decided that he may want to fire it, so he purchased the "go" and "no go" headspace gauges. He removed the extractor from the bolt (he was told this was the correct procedure) and found that the bold would close just fine on the "go" gauge. He then tried the "no go" gauge and found that the bolt would also close on the "no go". So, how big a problem is this? Is the rifle safe to shoot? If not, how do ya fix it?

[George in NH]

Sir,
As a matter of course, the striker assembly should also be removed from the bolt before using the gauges. I cannot relate why but in observing qualified personnel checking headspace on arms they would always detail strip any bolt they were checking. If you can obtain a copy of "Hatcher's Notebook" you will find detailed directions for checking headspace. Also, the chamber must be as clean as possible for an accurate reading. It may be that this rifle really does not headspace and the barrel must be replaced. Or you can obtain a "field" gauge and check the chamber again. If the bolt does not close on the "field" gauge you can safely fire the rifle. Having written that, I would offer that any rifle that closes on the "field" gauge would probably have high throat erosion and muzzle wear readings and should soon be replaced. HTH George in NH

[Col. Colt]

The M1917 Enfield action has VERY strong "camming action", serval times greater than a M1903 Springfield. In checking headspace, you should use almost no force and a stripped bolt body or your results will be invalid, and you may damage the headspace gauge and/or rifle. If you apply any force at all, the Enfield will cam the bolt closed, even if the headspace is (or was) fine! So a valid test requires a stripped bolt and a light touch. CC

[Dan Shapiro]

Don't forget that the M1917 cams like a Brit rifle NOT like a US rifle.

[Hecklerusp45]

Thanks for all of the help. I will pass this info on to the owner of the rifle in question.

[4F4Nam]

Personally, I would shoot the bitch and look at the brass for problems.

Ed

[chuckindenver]

ok,,,to check headsace on a 1917.
remove the cocking assembly.
install gage. felt resistance on the gage is a pass, even if it closes.. i wouldnt have wasted money on a go, no go, and feild reject are whats important on a used rifle.
if it fails no go, try field reject..if it fails...then try new bolt assembly.

[us019255]

I learned how to use gauges (in general, not just chamber) from my Grandfather when I was about 4. He was a German toolmaker. When I became an adult, I was amazed to find that many people thought you should have to use force on a gauge, or a micrometer. The whole trick is, as has been stated, to clean things and use a very gentle touch.

[dave]

Many 1917's have loose but not dangerous headspace. Chambers may be a touch too long which is not dangerous but hard on brass (for reloading). If space between bolt face and barrel face is exccesive you could have head separation, which is bad!

[fguffey]

“Many 1917's have loose but not dangerous headspace. Chambers may be a touch too long which is not dangerous but hard on brass (for reloading). If space between bolt face and barrel face is excessive you could have head separation, which is bad!”
Excessive space between the bolt face and face of the barrel is equal to unsupported case head or excessive case head protrusion, “which is bad”? Bad? More like catastrophic, the face of the M1917 barrel has a cone, the P14 barrel face is flat. The case head protrudes .090 thousandths from the bottom of the extractor to the head of the case, the 98 Mauser type protrudes .110 thousandths. I have 12 M1917 bolts, no matter what bolt I use the effect on head space when changing bolts is .001 thousandths.

I have 30+ 1903A3 type bolts, I do not have a 1903 bolt that will change head space .001 thousandths.

Again, I have an Eddystone with 0.16 thousandths head space, as in the chamber is .016 thousandths longer than the case, or the chamber is field reject length + .002 thousandths, I form cases for my ‘generous’ chamber from 280 Remington cases, the shoulder on the 280 is .051 thousandths ahead of the 30/06 shoulder, when forming 280 cases to 30/06 cases for my m 1919 I adjust the die off the shell holder .014 thousands, the first time I fire my formed cases O have .002 thousandths head space or put it another way my cases are .002 thousandths shorter from the head of the case to its shoulder than the chamber when measured from the bolt face to the shoulder of the chamber.

Then there is the receiver design, under most conditions firing a minimum length 30/06 case in a long chember will have 000 effect on the case if the shooter knows what they are doing.

And M1917s with long chamber is said to be tracked to an arsenal in UTAH, it is believed a smith tested all M1917s with a field reject gage, and, in doing so, he stretched the receivers.

F. Guffey