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Old June 11, 2018, 10:05 PM   #1
brotherg
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Finnish Mosin Head space Fails Field Gauge


Last edited by brotherg; June 15, 2018 at 09:14 AM. Reason: no replies and it may cause someone else to be unsafe
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Old June 15, 2018, 12:25 PM   #2
T. O'Heir
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Means the headspace is excessive and you should not shoot the rifle with any ammo. Likely due to the rifle being assembled out of a parts bin. Mind you, the headspace gauge brand might matter. The 7.62 x 54R uses the same gauges as the .303 Brit.
Gunparts sells Mosin M1891 bolt heads for $18.90 without an extractor.
Where'd you buy the rifle? Any warrantee?
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Old June 15, 2018, 05:31 PM   #3
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Pawn shop buy. No warranties. I have another Mosin to compare the headspace gauge. It is good. Do not plan to shoot it if or until I get the headspace sorted out. I am working with an ebayer to hopefully get one in spec. I am getting a real vernier caliper tomorrow to take some measurements. It is a good looking rifle, bore is good, good rifling, there does seem to be damage to the back of the locking lug. Must be soft as it has some metal peeling up. I think a proper bolt head will fix it.
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Old June 16, 2018, 06:38 AM   #4
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damage to the back of the locking lug. Must be soft as it has some metal peeling up
That would be major red flag for me as to salvageability, particularly as excessive rim clearance cannot be solved in handloading.

Will the different bolt bolt from the other Mosin fit for a check?
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Old June 16, 2018, 07:19 AM   #5
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I will try and post some pics.
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Old June 16, 2018, 12:17 PM   #6
T. O'Heir
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Metal doesn't just 'peel'. That'd be a huge issue for me too.
The issue with the Gunparts bolt head is that they don't mention any dimensions of 'em. Means you have to buy a fistful to try with a headspace gauge(you'll need a set, not just a No-Go or Field too) until you find one that is good. Just like a No. 1 Lee-Enfield.
I wouldn't 'work with some guy from E-Bay' either(aside from E-Bay being rabidly anti-firearm ownership). You need a smithy who knows Mosins. Dunno how prevalent those are, anywhere, never mind Texas.
Like mehavey says, excessive rim clearance cannot be solved in handloading. Needed to be bigger. snicker.
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Old June 16, 2018, 03:36 PM   #7
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https://imgur.com/twT4gYf

I get it. If someone knows where to get a handful of bolt heads to try I am game.

Since the damage to on the bolt head, I am hopeful, Need to find out why and how it got that way.

I will look around for a smith.
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Old August 26, 2018, 11:15 AM   #8
F. Guffey
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excessive rim clearance cannot be solved in handloading.
That is a real cute saying; there is the rim and there is the belt, both the belt and rim were designed to hold the case to the rear. When reloaders are solving problems with the belt they are instructed to disregard the belt and then concentrate on the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head. And then there are the 30/30 problem solvers, disregard the rim and concentrate on the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face.

Many problems involving the belt and or rim was solved by Ackley when he eliminated the long tapered case body,

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Old August 26, 2018, 11:21 AM   #9
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I get it. If someone knows where to get a handful of bolt heads to try I am game.
Forever reloaders have used 'a bucket of bolts'; I have never found it necessary, there have been times I could have gone through 100 bolts in an effort to reduce and or increase clearance/length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face. I had rather call someone that knows what they are doing and that is a problem.

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Old August 27, 2018, 08:59 AM   #10
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I get it. If someone knows where to get a handful of bolt heads to try I am game.
I went to eBay, typed in the information and found buckets of bolts, Again; there is ordering a bolt for the sake of needing a bolt and then there is ordering a bolt that fits, it is a matter of ordering a bucket full hoping they are different or, again ordering the one you need.

I have 30+ 03/03A3 bolts (some are packaged as replacement/complete bolts), I will assume that qualifies as a bucket of bolts; not a problem for me but there is not .001" difference in all 30 when it comes to offsetting the length of the chamber.

Even the bolts that are packed 2 to the box are identical,

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Old August 27, 2018, 11:38 AM   #11
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I went to eBay, typed in the information and found buckets of bolts,
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I wouldn't 'work with some guy from E-Bay' either(aside from E-Bay being rabidly anti-firearm ownership). You need a smithy who knows Mosins. Dunno how prevalent those are, anywhere, never mind Texas.


T. O'Heir, I am going to start listing on eBay, the wife said I have no choice. I started on Craig's List before I realized a reloader can spend a lot of time typing and posting pictures only to find it is a waste of time. When I need a bolt to off set the length of the chamber I have not found a gun parts distributor that that can/will help.

I have buckets of bolts, I start by determining the length of the chamber.

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