Question on head spacing of Mosin Nagant

[Alex$]

This is hypothetical, and I don't want to destroy the dark arts of the gunsmith, but I am curious:

If a MN fails both the no-go and the field gauges, how would the gun be modified to then pass the no-go?

[comandante costello]

Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread, but does anyone know anywhere in SoCal where I can get the headspace checked on an M44?

[Mssr. Eleganté]

This is hypothetical...

...If a MN fails both the no-go and the field gauges...

That's leaving the bounds of hypothetical and moving into science fiction/fantasy territory.

The cheapest fix would be to order a couple of new bolt heads from Tennessee Gun Parts and see if the headspace improves with one of them. You might get lucky. Any other fix would cost more than a new Mosin Nagant.

A gunsmith could remove the barrel, cut the chamber down a bit, reinstall the barrel, and then ream the chamber out to the correct dimension. Even then I think he would have to cut a new extractor groove since it would be up to chance that the old one would line up correctly. But you could probably buy a new Finn M39 for less money than the gunsmith would charge.

[Alex$]

Thanks for the response, yes it was all theory. I am just trying to fathom the gunsmith's mind and how things are corrected.

Another method described was shortening the barrel, then reaming the chamber. Same principle, different approach.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Another method described was shortening the barrel, then reaming the chamber. Same principle, different approach.

No, that's the exact same approach, just worded differently.

[Fate]

Ignore the "no go" when it comes to milsurp rifles, ESPECIALLY Mosin Nagants. The only one that it has to pass is the field gauge. And with the field gauge, unless you have one of the coin type of gauges (with the extractor notch), you need to remove the extractor before testing otherwise you'll be getting inaccurate results.

If it fails that (which is 99.7% unlikely), a new bolt head is the only thing you need to try. Mosins don't need expensive fixes by gunsmiths like Enfields or Mausers.

[Fate]

Sorry don't mean to hijack your thread, but does anyone know anywhere in SoCal where I can get the headspace checked on an M44?

If you ever get up around Angeles, drop me a PM. I've got the tools. But it's highly unlikely that your Mosin won't pass. They were designed with a lot of slop so they would function in muddy WWI type battlefield conditions.