Thread: OK you Techo Types WTF is Head Space?

I am sure that you know that I fall in to the "knows fuck all" category when it comes to firearms (and I have to say that I am real comfortable with just knowing how to load shoot and clean) but I have just been told in an email that "the end user will take full responsibility for the fitment of the parts and head spacing of the rifle". So as the thread title says, what the fuck does that mean?.

A man didn't even know his rifle had a head let alone that it needed some space. Words of one syllable would be appreciated and if you assume that I will know what other techo terms mean then that would probably be a mistake.

Here ya go boss

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cxSU2zBQvM8

Originally Posted by Gibo

Here ya go boss

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cxSU2zBQvM8

OK Gibo ten out of ten for that link which explained how to check it easily but what it didn't tell me was why is it important.

I presume as you have received an email mentioning the fitment of parts requiring a headspace check, then you are involved in your rifle in more depth and detail than you usually are, you definitely need to get a qualified gunsmith to fit said parts which includes a headspace check.

Now to answer your question in a monotone singular syllable prose

When ammo is chambered in your rifle (ready to fire) it is sitting in there and held quite snug, (but not as tight as Dundee clinging to a stubbie) there are a few thousandths of an inch clearance to ensure the ammo can enter and exit the rifles chamber either fired or unfired.

Too little clearance and there are a few problems which appear quite quickly, too much clearance and again problems appear, some quite serious.

There are other important reasons the ammo for your rifle needs this clearance but we have a good head start here.

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

I presume as you have received an email mentioning the fitment of parts requiring a headspace check, then you are involved in your rifle in more depth and detail than you usually are, you definitely need to get a qualified gunsmith to fit said parts which includes a headspace check.

Now to answer your question in a monotone singular syllable prose

When ammo is chambered in your rifle (ready to fire) it is sitting in there and held quite snug, (but not as tight as Dundee clinging to a stubbie) there are a few thousandths of an inch clearance to ensure the ammo can enter and exit the rifles chamber either fired or unfired.

Too little clearance and there are a few problems which appear quite quickly, too much clearance and again problems appear, some quite serious.

There are other important reasons the ammo for your rifle needs this clearance but we have a good head start here.

Thanks for that 7mmsaum, I appreciate your understandable answer. Yep this is all brought about because after some months now there is finally some traction around getting a new bolt head for my Savage 110BA which you may recall had the original bolt head severely damaged by some Winchester primers doing wrong stuff which pitted the original bolt head and welded the ejector pin in place.

So the upshot is that when the bits arrive I need to give the whole rifle and replacement parts to a gunsmith before I shoot it. To easy (and probably what would have happened) but still I am glad I asked.

Now go and check your head space

Originally Posted by Gibo

Now go and check your head space

He's in a good headspace now.

Too much head space ?

Apart from the obvious, the only other thing I have with a head has no space because of its size. Ha ha ha ha bada boom hijacked my own thread.

Send it to a gunsmith Rushy, once the work is done forward it on to me and I'll check it for you. It may or may not return without a scope but thats a risk you'll have to take

Checking your headspace

The distance between your ears multiplied by pie rad squared

Originally Posted by Maca49

The distance between your ears multiplied by pie rad squared

That sounds like excessive headspace there Maca

You met Rushy?

often

I have been waiting for "the gap at the opening of your hat" but I guess the world has moved on and no one wears hats anymore.