question about headspace on an ar15

[gsc3zny]

I understand the need to measure headspace but am a little confused as to what i need. I have an ar 15 with a bcg and upper assembly for 5.56 and 2.23. I have been reading that the headspace gauges are different. Are they? And also, does anyone know of a set of gauges that are modified to go around the extractor pin? I really don't want to take it apart. It is a PSA upper and a RRA BCG. Any advice is appreciated

[MrPlink]

If you didn't install the barrel you ate probably fine, Psa is gtg

[CrippledPidgeon]

If you didn't install the barrel you ate probably fine, Psa is gtg

How could he install the barrel if he ate it?

[ar15barrels]

I understand the need to measure headspace but am a little confused as to what i need. I have an ar 15 with a bcg and upper assembly for 5.56 and 2.23. I have been reading that the headspace gauges are different. Are they? And also, does anyone know of a set of gauges that are modified to go around the extractor pin? I really don't want to take it apart. It is a PSA upper and a RRA BCG. Any advice is appreciated

Update your profile with your location and maybe someone local to you will offer to check your headspace.
I have the gauges and I am in Van Nuys...

[DFence]

I understand the need to measure headspace but am a little confused as to what i need. I have an ar 15 with a bcg and upper assembly for 5.56 and 2.23. I have been reading that the headspace gauges are different. Are they? And also, does anyone know of a set of gauges that are modified to go around the extractor pin? I really don't want to take it apart. It is a PSA upper and a RRA BCG. Any advice is appreciated

Assuming you bought a quality barrel, there is no headspace adjustment on a AR contrary to a lot of belief.

Yes the bbl could be screwed from the get go, but if you buy a quality product you should have nothing to worry about.

[negolien]

Headspacing is really only needed if you build an upper from scratch. I have purchased a couple of uppers from commercial sources and found no need to check headspacing.

[starsnuffer]

You don't really headspace an AR. You can check headspace with a go/no-go guage, but you can't actually set headspace. You can make sure the barrel and barrel extension are torqued to the proper specs, but if headspace is off then you really can't loosen or tighten these to make the headspace correct.

Your bolt is either going to be in spec or out of spec. There's nothing in the upper that can be adjusted to "set" headspace. The guages really check to make sure the bolt meets specs, and that the upper was assembled correctly, and not much else.

-W

[ar15barrels]

I have purchased a couple of uppers from commercial sources and found no need to check headspacing.

What method did you use to determine there was no need to check headspace?

[ar15barrels]

Yes the bbl could be screwed from the get go, but if you buy a quality product you should have nothing to worry about.

Even quality barrels and bolts slip-by the manufacturers that are out of spec.
The only way to know for sure is to check headspace yourself...

[DFence]

Even quality barrels and bolts slip-by the manufacturers that are out of spec.
The only way to know for sure is to check headspace yourself...

Key word in my quote is "should".

[tbombaci]

I tested mine with a field gauge. I forget the name of the outfit that produced a series of YouTube videos (guy wears a tan polo shirt) but his was the most informative and easiest to follow.

I searched endlessly for the gauge and ended up ordering directly from Forster.

[negolien]

DOH

What method did you use to determine there was no need to check headspace?

I load em up make sure it seats correctly and shoot it.

[ar15barrels]

I load em up make sure it seats correctly and shoot it.

So you don't ACTUALLY know if your gun is headspaced correctly or not...

[ar15barrels]

Key word in my quote is "should".

Our elected representatives SHOULD have our best interests in mind when they do their job.
Our elected president SHOULD defend and uphold the constitution.
How is that working out?