Update:
I received the "Clymer No Go" gauge, pulled the firing pin and extractor from the pistol then inserted the gauge and let off slowly on the toggle until it stopped. I then checked to see if the pistol was in battery and it was not. I applied some pressure and it would not budge. There is no question that I do not have too much headspace. I then used a sized, de-primed factory casing and added layers of tape until it would just close with no added pressure required. I measured the case at 0.764 and as noted the Clymer gauge would not lock down or go into battery even with some moderate pressure no movement. So based on the Sammi headspace being 0.754 with up to 0.22 allowance for a max of 0.776 I should be good to go on a test fire?
The more I looked at the breech and where it failed up close there appears to be almost small bubbles in the metal or more what one would see in "pot metal" or cast iron. I think as many have said the failure may have been just due to age and wear. The only issue I could see now is if for some reason the firing pin pushes through too far on a primer? The rest of the parts are all in excellent shape and the replaced "old stock" breech block looks to be new other than the number does not match.
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