Checking Headspace on C&R's

[Country Boy]

I'm looking at using my C&R to buy a Schmidt-Rubin K31. I'm looking at the ones through http://www.samcoglobal.com/rifles.html Should I be sure to check headspace, or would I be OK? If so, where is there a supplier for GO NO-GO gauges for the 7.5 Swiss?

 

[Jim K]

I have two of those rifles and have fired several more without seeing any evidence of headspace problems. Unlike some of the surplus rifles on the market, those K31's were never beaten around or in the possession of third/fourth/fifth world countries. They were made and always owned by the Swiss, and if any country would make sure that their arms were kept in first class shape, Switzerland would be it.

I checked Brownells and a couple of other places and can't find any source of 7.5 Swiss headspace gauges. If you find them, they will probably run $30-40 each for the GO, NO-GO and Field, but you really need only the Field.

I wouldn't worry.

Jim

 

[BenW]

I've never found any headspace gauges for the Swiss rounds either. I wouldn't worry about it too much on K31s. If you really want to be safe, you can take the scaredy-cat approach I use with all my surplus rifles (even the ones I headspace check): Tie them down to something ( I use an old tire), tie a string to the trigger and then let off a couple of rounds from behind some cover. If the gun didn't blow up, take a paperclip and put a 90 degree, 1/4" bend in the end of it. Run it down the inside of the spent cases to look for any internal irregularities. If everything looks okie dokie, you're okie dokie too.

I'm probably overly cautious, but given I've only got one set of eyes as well as other irreplaceable parts, I prefer to take the "rather safe than sorry" approach.

Note: I'm neither a gunsmith, nor do I even play one on TV.

 

[firestar]

Ask the dealer/distributor if the head space has already been checked, some do this before they sell. CDNN seems to check head space on all their guns before they sell them. With all the lawsuits, I think it would be the least a dealer/distributor would do to protect themselves from litigation.

 

[Country Boy]

Samco Global checks headspace

I e-mailed Samco, and they send back a prompt response.

Re: Checking Headspace
Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 10:01:16 -0500
From: "Samco Global" <[email protected]>

All of our rifles are checked for headspace. They are in safe working condition.

Thanks for your inquiry

Samco Global Arms, Inc

 

[bmwguy]

If the bolt # matches the receiver #, there shouldn't be any problem on headspacing.