Help ///// What is this item?

[Marlin 1888]

Can you tell me what this item is?
It is the size of a 5.56 cartridge when collapsed and a half inch longer when extended.
In the photos the item in question is on the right, a 5.56 blank round is on the left.

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[roguebowhunter]

snap cap ??

 

[the4thshake]

Is it something for measuring headspace?

 

[Gunner3456]

I've seen something like that, but probably in another brand. Very similar in form and function. It was part of a headspace gauge set. What's missing is the micrometer or fixed gauge you put it in to measure it to see if it's within saami specs. It's somewhat more accurate but more time consuming than a go no-go set.

Imho you'd use it when a gun wasn't assembled to the point you could just use a fired case to get the same results, or if you thought your chamber's headspace was short.

You extend it, close the bolt and it gets pushed back to the length of the chamber, then you measure it. Since you're trying to measure the distance from the base to the shoulder very accurately, you also need that mic or gauge.

There is a fixed gauge you can drop it into and see if the base sits flush but it's hard to measure how much it's off unless you have a depth mic.



Then there's one that's actually a mic and will give you an exact length measurement. It would look similar to this.

 

[Marlin 1888]

Thank you Gunner3456