Headspace Guages?

[DrJeds44]

I am looking for some headspace guages, what brand do you recommend and what to stay away from?

[ar15barrels]

Stay with the big makers like Forster, PTG, Clymer or Manson.

The rule is to stay with the same manufacturer for all of the gauges for a single chambering.
So if you get a 223 Forster GO gauge, get the NO-GO and the FIELD from Forster as well.
Don't mix brands within a set of gauges.

[smoothy8500]

....and what to stay away from?

"Used" or "For sale" gauges....The description should actually read: Only dropped a couple of times, my brother-in-law said he could still force the bolt closed after 3-4 tries, other mishaps may have occurred, they look almost new, etc, etc.

[Clarkm]

Headspace gauges are hardened steel. ... for bought.

I make my own headspace gauges from ordinary steel, Like my Mosin headspace gauge with 1 Tennon thread turn thickness added, so I don't have to remove the extractor while checking in the lathe.

In belted magnums, a store bought headspace gauge will be 0.220" for a go gauge. A lifetime supply of many brands of 300WM brass shows none are more than 0.215".

I will build my 300WM, 7mmRM, and 338WM rifles at 0.215" headspace.

The Ackley chambers with non Ackley brass getting fire formed need ~0.004" of interference at the base of the case neck. Gauges do not help. The state of the brass must be taken into account.

[SVT-40]

For 7.62x39 you can get original Soviet made gages in a complete kit along with some interesting others accessories including sight tools.

[divingin]

I am looking for some headspace guages, what brand do you recommend and what to stay away from?

What cartridge? And what are you planning on doing?

If you're using them often (or at least sort of often, like swapping barrels on a Savage or RemAge rifle), I'd say spend the money and buy a set from a manufacturer that Randall mentioned above.

If you need it for a one-time job, there are other (less-than-ideal, but cheaper) ways to go about it (borrow gauges, use a piece of fired brass, or use a piece of factory ammo.)

[ar15barrels]

use a piece of fired brass, or use a piece of factory ammo.)

Neither of these methods assure an in-spec gun.

[DrJeds44]

I ended up buying several sets of Clymer.