Forster Products 5.56 NATO MIN and MAX Headspace Gage Set

They do exactly what they say they do. Perfect spec. Every gunsmith or hobbyist who builds should have these.

Don't go cheap on precise measuring tools. I initially purchased a cheaper gauge set, but returned them after discovering they were out of spec. The Forster gauges are accurate and worked perfectly.

A bit pricey, but can you put a price on having piece of mind that your 556 rifle wont blow up on you? They work as expected.

Very well made and easy to use. I was able to use without removing extractor and ejector. Next, my neighbor wants me to help check his AR too.

I used to be one of those that believed the myth that ARs don't require checking headspace. A catastrophic failure with a build using a .223 wylde barrel from a highly regarded manufacturer my mind. Decided to try these gauges just to see if it was a headspacing issue. The ammo was definitely on the hot side (IMI 55gr) but I later found that the bolt would just barely close on the MIN guage when applying force in a squeaky clean chamber. Tight chamber and and spicy 5.56 is a bad combo. These gauges are perfect for ensuring the safety of a build and should be in the toolkit for any hobbyist who plans on doing a bunch of home brews.

Every AR owner should have a set of these.

Min is go Max is no The min should spin The max should not. Test 5 barrels and only one was a little tight on min but still spun It's works for quick checks. Best on new builds... Do not buy cheap guages...most of them are not to listed size.

If you're doing a build, you should be sure that you've got good headspace. You need to check it and this set affordable and accurate. On the small chance that the headspace is wrong, you need to know so you're not going to risk catastrophic failure and destroy your other parts and potentially harm yourself. I think there are other areas in building that you can compromise for cost, but ensure this part is correct. If not this set, get one. This set seems solid. They come in protective cases.

This worked perfectly for me, it may be expensive, but the peace of mind is important. After all, it's your head that's resting against the firearm. Made even worse by bull pup rifles lol. What is your life worth? Make sure after you have done any modifications that the firearm is safe.