What would change the headspace in a FAL. If I put in a new/referbished bolt and carrier would this affect headspacing?
Or is it to do with the barrel or ????
I have had this Fal, its a half and half by the look of it an L1A1 on a meteric reciever.
I didnt know you could mix parts though!
I referbished the metalwork and put a wood furniture set I refinished on it. Doesnt look bad but its no master peice. Shoots ok though.
I assume there is a meteric and an Inch pattern bolt carrier. Can you mix them or is one larger than the other?
I would be interested.....

headspace is made up of a combination of bolt and chamber.  you change the bolt you change the headspace.

So i shouldnt change the bolt and carrier, I should just refinish the original one that is with the rifle then?

I should just refinish the original one that is with the rifle then?

that's what i would do.  how many thousand rounds do you think were fired thru the rifle.  maybe it's out of tolerance and needs a new bolt?  if you are concerned i would have your local gunsmith headspace it.

I thought the locking shoulder controls the headspace?

First of all, there is little chance that changing your bolt or carrier will affect headspace.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't check it though, because in theory, it could.  If you have the one out of 1000 that headspace did change, you would need to change your locking shoulder to the correct size.

I've checked several different rifles of mine and none have had any difference in HS due to different bolts and carriers.  That doesn't mean it can't happen though.

Your bigger concern should be the rifle itself.  I removed a barrel from a Century inch gun this week and discovered the only thing holding it on was the gas tube.  The barrel was only hand tight.  Now there's something that will affect headspace!

The headspace is the relationship with the chamber the bolt and the locking shoulder. It is usually adjusted by changing the locking shoulder.  You need a set of guages to determine the right shoulder.  

I have an L1A1 from Century and the barrel was hand tight.  It has been fixed, but the REALLY SCARY THING WAS I ALREADY SHOT IT!  Thank god it did not move enough to blow.  

My new motto: Buy a HS guage and check it.