...by looking at the used brass? With all these surplus rifles around, each having their unique caliber, that makes it expensive to purchase headspace guages for each one. What are some good indicators to look for on used brass? What are the signs on the brass of too much headspace or too little?

It's nice to have the gages.<G>

Otherwise you will have to rely on gross examples of improper headspace such as way too little and you won't be able to chamber a cartridge or you will put dents and creases in a cartridge trying to load it.

Likewise truly excessive headspace will show up as totally distorted cases or immediate head separations.

Like I said it's nice to have the gages.<G>

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: ...by looking at the used brass? With all these surplus rifles around, each having their unique caliber, that makes it expensive to purchase headspace guages for each one. What are some good indicators to look for on used brass? What are the signs on the brass of too much headspace or too little?