Springfield headspace

[Walks]

I have a M1917 in Military Configuration. It has a bit of excessive Headspace. I took new brass and sized it down in a LYMAN 310 neck size die. I keep turning the die down until it bulged the case shoulder so the case was wedged tight against the bolt face. Then loaded them with a minimum charge of IMR4350 under a Sierra 150gr Spitzer BT.

The case was fire formed to the chamber with no stretching. I readjusted the 310 Neck Size die to just size the top 3/4 of the neck.

I've shot these cases with the same load of a Sierra 150gr SPBT, over a light charge of IMR4350. At least 12 reloadings, no case stretch, trimmed once. Just kept separated from all other .30-06 brass.

Ya just got to know how to do all the little tricks.

[2152hq]

From one of Companys that makes and sells them:

Choosing the Correct Headspace Gage
Forster Products offers three lengths of headspace gages per rifle
caliber. In order from the shortest to longest, they are GO,
NO-GO, and FIELD:
1. GO: Corresponds to the minimum chamber dimensions. If a
rifle closes on a GO gage, the chamber will accept ammunition
that is made to SAAMI maximum specifications. The GO gage
is essential for checking a newly-reamed chamber in order to
ensure a tight, accurate, and safe chamber that will accept
SAAMI maximum ammo.
2. NO-GO: Corresponds to the maximum headspace we
recommend for gunsmiths’ chambering new bolt-action rifles.
This is not a SAAMI-maximum measurement. If a rifle closes
on a NO-GO gage, it may still be within SAAMI specifications,
or it may have excessive headspace. To determine if there is
excessive headspace, the chamber should then be checked with
a FIELD gage. The NO-GO gage is a valuable tool for gunsmiths’
reaming new chambers, in order to ensure tight and accurate
headspace.
3. FIELD: Corresponds to the longest safe headspace. If a rifle
closes on a FIELD gage, its chamber is dangerously close
to, or longer than, SAAMI-specified maximum chamber size.
If chamber headspace is excessive, the gun should be taken
out of service until it has been inspected and repaired by a
competent gunsmith. FIELD gages are slightly shorter than the
SAAMI maximum in order to give a small safety margin.

[Ford SD]

Personally I have no use for Springfields of any vintage, but that is just my feelings, neither right nor wrong.

The situation is I have an acquaintance who wants to "restore" an "03" (not 03A3) Springfield. It is a high number so I don't believe that is an issue.

The headspace, however, is another story. It takes the NO-GO gauge with absolutely no feel and it just starts to close on the FIELD gauge.

When I explained this to him he did a search on the internet regarding this situation and claims that most places consider it to be a non-issue. As I understand it, the FIELD gauge was a battle field expedient measure to keep rifles in combat longer between major repairs, but not an ideal solution for the most part. It's out there on the internet so it must be true, right?

I am doing my best to discourage this "restoration" but so far he is very adamant in carrying out this project.

Am I just being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?

So my question to you folks here, what would you do?

Excessive Head space depending on the amount is not a problem

If it was really bad you might get case head separation. .... but if you reload.. it is another story

I have a Norinco (copy of a M1a) (308 semi) I have owned it for 35-30 years and put lots of rounds down the barrel

It will close on a Field headspace gauge ... go plus .015

I neck size x3 then aneal then full length and repeat (just pushing the shoulder back enough for brass to drop out of the chamber

I have fired the same brass over 15 times .... note.. these are not top loading .. call them med loads

if you full length size a pc of brass and trim it to 2.008 and fire it brass length is 1.998 +- ... yes it shrinks

Size for the chamber and you will not even know it ..... but you have to keep that brass marked for that rifle .. it will not fit others

[Ford SD]

and also note that factory ammo is made to min spec.

Shorter than a go.... so it will fit every rifle in that cal ... even if it is chambered short or long

[gnoahhh]

Absolutely all those tricks for combating excess headspace by jockeying one's reloading protocols work. But, at the end of the day excess headspace is still excess headspace. What happens for the next owner of the gun, or the guy after that? None of lives forever, and the next unlucky owner doesn't deserve to have such a thing foisted on him. Call it responsibility of ownership.

In the case of milsurps there are a lot of bolts floating around out there that it is a simple matter to mix and match until good tight headspace is achieved. Matching serial numbers be darned (which is moot in the case of '03's anyway). All it takes is a little money, time, and perseverance.

I've re-barreled more than a few '03's and have always set them up with minimal headspace. It is very gratifying to close the bolt on a go-gauge and feeling the slightest resistance. Likewise I have mixed and matched bolts to achieve the same thing. Unless you see yourself using the thing under extreme conditions of dirt or crummy ammo you're good to go with minimal headspace (and who among us truly uses an '03 for work like that anymore?). It brings peace of mind and freedom from unnecessary gyrations at the loading bench.

[Willbird]

Absolutely all those tricks for combating excess headspace by jockeying one's reloading protocols work. But, at the end of the day excess headspace is still excess headspace. What happens for the next owner of the gun, or the guy after that? None of lives forever, and the next unlucky owner doesn't deserve to have such a thing foisted on him. Call it responsibility of ownership.

In the case of milsurps there are a lot of bolts floating around out there that it is a simple matter to mix and match until good tight headspace is achieved. Matching serial numbers be darned (which is moot in the case of '03's anyway). All it takes is a little money, time, and perseverance.

I've re-barreled more than a few '03's and have always set them up with minimal headspace. It is very gratifying to close the bolt on a go-gauge and feeling the slightest resistance. Likewise I have mixed and matched bolts to achieve the same thing. Unless you see yourself using the thing under extreme conditions of dirt or crummy ammo you're good to go with minimal headspace (and who among us truly uses an '03 for work like that anymore?). It brings peace of mind and freedom from unnecessary gyrations at the loading bench.

The rifle the OP speaks of does not have excessive headspace. This makes it a simple issue really, the rifle is fine. If it closed easily and rattled on a Field gauge we might have cause for worry.

Bill