I think headspace is over-worried-about. On the other hand minimizing headspace, (perhaps "cartridge slop" is more descriptive) has one great benifit, in that it limits "bolt slap." i.e. the head start the bolt gets before the bolt lugs slam into the action lugs. Much knider to these old rifles.
I did have one Ishapore refitted Maltby that was a concern. The bolt was an RFI replacement, and not only was it about .005 shorter than it ought to have been, but the RFI bolthead was out of square, so there was .012 of headspace or slop at one side of the head. Even so it didn't split the couple of cases I fired before I took care of the bolthead.
MM
1926 Lithgow, SMLE III
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Aughnanure
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Must agree, but bolt slop or slaming back is somewhat different and doesn't seem to be a worriesome subject. It is probably true that a bolt that can slam back increase the felt recoil as there would be a transfer of kinetic energy.
Two things that I always check before firing, besides the bore, are the locking lugs and the firing pin protrusion. A pierced primer is lots more dangerous than excessive headspace.
Eoin.
Two things that I always check before firing, besides the bore, are the locking lugs and the firing pin protrusion. A pierced primer is lots more dangerous than excessive headspace.
Eoin.
SUNRAY
Havn't heard the for a long time? 
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mozark
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Restock
Sadly, I could not salvage the forend that was on this rifle. It's a very nice piece of wood, but the Action (body) inletting is canted about 5 degrees counterclockwise from the nosecap. Aside from creating a terribly lopsided sight picture, it serves to tension the barrel and forarm by twisting the front sight base against one side of the the slot in the nosecap. I pondered this for a week or so, and finally decided that I couldn't straighten it out. I was able to find a NOS Aussie forend and also a L coachwood buttstock, marked Slaz 54. The quality of the Australian woodwork is top notch. I also replaced about half of the screws. The new wood is a little too nice for my taste, but the metal is so good it doesn't really look out of place. It took a good bit of time to bed the forend properly. She's ready to shoot now, when I can find some time.
MM
MM
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Aughnanure
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Aughnanure
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I did Adam, here goes again; after my recent successes elsewhere
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/ ... C00144.jpg[/pic]
Here they are
Eoin
Here they are
Eoin
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mozark
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Please tell more...
Eoin,
Please explain about the recoil plates, and cheek pins. I have neither on this rifle yet. I do have what I thought was the recoil plate, an odd shaped bugger on the rear face of the forend, that strengthens across the end-grain, and traps the flats of the butt socket bolt.
MM
This bugger here (borrowed from dhtaxi's post.)
http://6thofthe31st.com/milsurp/bb/file ... _5_154.jpg[/pic][/pic]
Please explain about the recoil plates, and cheek pins. I have neither on this rifle yet. I do have what I thought was the recoil plate, an odd shaped bugger on the rear face of the forend, that strengthens across the end-grain, and traps the flats of the butt socket bolt.
MM
This bugger here (borrowed from dhtaxi's post.)
Last edited by mozark on Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.