Krag ammunition and Head spaces

[FredC]

The difference between .060 and .070 inches is more the 10% so it is easily seen. If this were mine I would pull the firing pin and chamber ALL the .070 samples and check for ease of closing, any binding while closing the bolt will be a problem. Ideally you should feel a little fore and aft play in the bolt when closed. Any cases will have a tolerance on the rim thickness probably plus or minus .002 inches (you probably will not be able to see this). You do not want to order a bunch of cases and find the bolt does not close or closes with a resistance on a big percentage of the cases when you make a volume purchase.

[FredC]

Robert,
If you do not know how to remove the firing pin ask. The more experienced here can probably do it with their eyes closed. I do not play with my Krags that often. I can take them down but I have to look at them and think about it for a minute before starting.

[Robert]

Okay I got busy now bak to my fun stuff. To understand what does removing the firing pin do for me? I only have casings at this point. Like I had said both casings appeareaed to,fit in the gun fine. If removing the fire on will help me then I will need some instructions. Thanks

[KWK]

To understand what does removing the firing pin do for me?

I'm curious, too. Cocked, the mainspring tension will (on my son's bolt action) shove the bolt rearward making it difficult to detect any play. With the striker in the fired position on an empty case (no primer), I'd expect you could test for play--unless the firing pin bottoms on the primer pocket, in which case you could sacrifice a case and drill out the pocket. Perhaps it's easier to just remove the firing pin. Removing the pin on my .30-40 rolling block is easy enough. :D

[FredC]

I am attempting to attach a page out of the NRA guide to Rifles and Shotguns. I have done it several times myself with no written guide but not enough times to describe it in step by step. The attached page is a PDF upside down, print it and you can see it right side up.
There may be some info on the introductory pages to this site.

[Robert]

Thanks for the diagram. I will try this over the weekend. So removing the firing allows me to fire it to see if the headspace has any effect on it?

[KWK]

... I would pull the firing pin... Ideally you should feel a little fore and aft play in the bolt when closed.

With the pin out, the mainspring will not be pushing on the bolt, and you will be able to detect the play he mentioned earlier.

[FredC]

I just checked my original Krag from my dad and the bolt is free after the firing pin is released. Not sure if it safe to dry fire your Krag or not. But if you do not want to disassemble the bolt you could let the firing pin down on each UNPRIMED cartridge you check you check. On mine holding the trigger as I closed the bolt seemed to work.
The only reason to even check this is case rim thicknesses do have a tolerance. Plus or minus .002 inches total maybe with the most variation within a particular batch being plus or minus .001.
If you can detect a little play with 10 or so cases you should be good to go. You just do not want to find out that 50% of the plus .010 cases do not let the bolt close or are difficult to close as this would cause undo stress and wear on the gun.

[Robert]

Okay I removed the firing pin and tried it. There was very little play with the .6 and none with .7. So I should go with the .6?

[FredC]

The ones with the .07 heads do they bind closing the bolt with any effort? If not they probably have a little play that you can not feel. Every thing has a tolerance, I would not want you to get a batch that 50% was unusable because they were too tight or you use some that were marginal and caused undo wear to the locking lugs.