Well, I guess you could check it all after sizing prior to loading, which will save priming some cases that will fail the gauge later. Then check them again after loading. If you get zero failures with the loaded rounds in the gauge after using sized/gauge checked brass, then you have to decide if you trust your process, or if the additional check is still worth it.
Chamber checking 9mm
- Thread starter KYregular
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Well I must be doing something wrong (or right" I load about every handgun caliber and 3 rifle. I check plunk test in initial set up, check OAL. Once set I just load and shoot Spot check OAL. Never had a round fail and yes I have several match grade barrels.
So I guess the reloader should:
Deprime all brass separately
Clean all brass in a 86 degree bath of purified spring water, use natural lemon extract and Woolite
Dry at a 87F degree temp
Clean and uniform all primer pockets
Trim all brass
Separate by head stamp
Visually inspect each piece under a 10x magnifier
Resize the sized brass
Prime OFF the press
inspect each primer depth
Charge each case with weighed powder charge
seat bullet Check OAL
Crimp bullet check each crimp diameter
Place each loaded round in measurement gauge
Of course do this all on a progressive press to save time and handle strokes
Record all load data and date
Then Find time to actually go and shoot the darn things!
So I guess the reloader should:
Deprime all brass separately
Clean all brass in a 86 degree bath of purified spring water, use natural lemon extract and Woolite
Dry at a 87F degree temp
Clean and uniform all primer pockets
Trim all brass
Separate by head stamp
Visually inspect each piece under a 10x magnifier
Resize the sized brass
Prime OFF the press
inspect each primer depth
Charge each case with weighed powder charge
seat bullet Check OAL
Crimp bullet check each crimp diameter
Place each loaded round in measurement gauge
Of course do this all on a progressive press to save time and handle strokes
Record all load data and date
Then Find time to actually go and shoot the darn things!
You post that as if some reloader doesn't do it that way
But do you shoot them in Action Pistol Competition which requires them to all go off the first time in lightened and tuned guns
LiveLife
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That's what I thought too as I shot several thousands of rounds without failure when I initially shot USPSA.
Then one day I experienced slide failing to go into full battery and my pistol locked up tight. It turned out to be brass that wasn't fully resized and hung in the chamber wall. Since then, I checked every finished match round in the tightest barrel and never experienced another "failure to go into full battery".
Even though I no longer compete, I still use my 9mm/40S&W match barrels and will check if I am loading to use in the tightest barrels. For my factory Sig 1911 barrel with tight chamber and no leade, I have to chamber check every finished round or I will suffer failure to go into full battery at the range. Rounds that won't pass the Sig barrel will get shot in M&P45 or PT145 with more generous chambers.
You post that as if some reloader doesn't do it that way
But do you shoot them in Action Pistol Competition which requires them to all go off the first time in lightened and tuned guns
No I do not shoot in action pistol competition but I have not had ANY that failed to fire let alone failed to chamber.
Why would a certain number if any be any different than the others? The dies have not moved. Heck one may get a bad primer strike from seating but a gauge will not determine that.
I do not shoot for money or trophies but I could as we have many events, I am not a gamer but can shoot as well or better than a lot of them at my club.
As I said I have LIGHTENED and TUNED GUNS and now I don't use Federal Primers either.
To each their own, its' a waste of time to me, Good enough is good enough. I don't worry about.0001" of set back either.
LiveLife
Member
But running your finger tip over the seated primer will, which is my QC for primer seating.
.0001"? I won't either
But will start to worry if the bullet setback is more than several thousandths.
I never did either...until I did
They wouldn't...until they are
We all evaluate the amount of risk we're willing to accept and prepare ourselves for eventual failure
LiveLife
Member
Congratulations!
That means your reloading process and QC checks are exceptional.
Me, I am human and have made many mistakes along my reloading journey.
How Very Zen!
Yes, this is a major risk factor in the overall scheme of life!
bds reports out of thousands of rounds he had "one" Oh My! Then is started check. How many duds did he find?
OK with all the checking, rechecking and preparation exactly how many failures (of founds failing to chamber) have you had.?
If any, who did this significantly change your life?
Did you score poorly in a match? Did you loose? Was there embarrassment and ridicule?
Has life been the same ever since?
Are you a Nationally ranked shooter?
As I mentioned, to each their own, if checking each round gives you confidence to reach the top, then by all means do so.
Pro shooters that have sponsors and endorsements and use factory ammo, do they check evey round or hire someone to do it for them?
LiveLife
Member
For my Sig 1911 factory barrel with tight chamber and no leade, out of box of 500 (MBC 200 gr SWC), I will have several that won't fully chamber and I set these aside to shoot in M&P45 or PT145.
For my newest Lone Wolf barrel with tight chamber and no leade, out of bag of 1000 (RMR In-House 115 gr FMJ), I will have a few that will hang up with the chamber (Due to thicker walled GFL, PPU, etc. brass) and I will set these aside and shoot in other barrels.
Rule3, thing is we all do not have same barrels and pistols. If you had same barrels and pistols as I have, chances are you will be checking the rounds too. Hence why we often end our posts with YMMV (Your Milege May Vary) or your results may vary from mine. It does not mean whether one is right or wrong.
If I never got the Sig 1911 and just kept on shooting my M&P45, I would agree with you and say chamber checking 45 loads was not necessary.
Yes, I considered replacing the barrel in the Sig 1911 or sanding the chamber (which I have done for some Lone Wolf barrel owners so they could shoot sloppy reloads) but I like tight chambers with short leade and prefer to chamber check finished rounds instead.
YMMV
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ray15
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I just check enough to ensure my die setup is good. I'll check the first 5 or 10 to make sure my OAL is short enough, and from there only check every 50th round or so to make sure nothing's moved. I've not had any issues with this approach, but if I do it's hardly the end of the world for my non-competitive shooting.You guys actually check each and every loaded round in a gauge or barrel??
wrench459
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You guys actually check each and every loaded round in a gauge or barrel??
I'll be the odd ball.
I'll check whenever changing bullet manufacturers or different lots of proven ones.
My experience has been similar to that of bds
Last year while prepping for the State Championship, I found about 6 out of 300 that I culled out. The Championship in my Division was decided by less that 20 seconds. If I'd had a bobble during the match, there is no doubt in my mind that it would have costed me the division win.
Base on my performance from last year, I'm going to go to the Nationals this year. For the investment in time for practice and the expense leading up to the National Tittle, I think chamber checking my ammo seems like a reasonable use of time
That's pretty funny and perhaps explains some of your perception.
Very few Pro shooters shoot factory ammo unless they are contractually required to. Even if they did, they like all the other competitive shooters, chamber check every round before a big match
Using the Shockbottle case gauge, it barely takes more time than boxing your reloads in a MTM plastic box. It actually takes less time as you are inserting the cartridges nose first.
After you fill the gauge, you lift it to see if any cartridges stick up, and then invert it into the plastic box...they're designed to align
No doubt!
Like bringing cheap ammo on a safari, it wouldn't make sense not to pony up a few dollars for the best ammo when it is 1% of the cost.
LiveLife
Member
When I started shooting USPSA I tested about 8 different factory ammunition and used ammunition that produced the smallest shot groups.
First thing I was told by other shooters was to reload so I could reduce my group size. With my reloads, shot groups shrank over 40%.
Also, factory ammunition could vary lot to lot especially depending on what bulk powder they were able to buy for that particular run. In comparison, reloaders can buy more consistent canister powders for more consistent loads, even when switching to same powder with different lot numbers.
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ray15
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I load my ammo as precisely as I can, but don't need to gauge every round. I'm just going 15 minutes south to the outdoor range and plinking. The rounds go in a zip-lock baggie; I take enough that if I box it all up the boxes overflow my rather large range box. I'm glad you've found a tool you like, but I'll spend that $99 elsewhere.
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I wouldn't pay that either...though, after getting it, I had to wonder why...but waited for a blem/sale
It is like the difference between using Lee powder dippers and their Auto Drum or a single stage press and a progressive.
You have to have the need, but if you do, there is no more efficient way to accomplish the task.
You guys actually check each and every loaded round in a gauge or barrel??
I didn't read through the 2nd page, but I've been burned also because I didn't plunk first. Fortunately it didn't happen during a match, but my pistol got so frozen that I couldn't move my slide forward or backward with a loaded round in the chamber. It was VERY unnerving. The pistol was my STI Marauder, so I was worried about damaging it. The gunsmith who "fixed" it for me said the round was too fat. Then I started plunking and discovered approximately 20-25 that didn't chamber properly. I'm not sure what the problem was because I've now loaded over 1500 with not 1 single reject.
I've since learned my lesson and plunk every round now. It's a hassle, but I REALLY don't want to freeze my pistol again.
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I ignorantly and blissfully shot 9MM with range brass for years before I bought my EMP (Younger son now has it). First range trip with the EMP and halfway through the first mag a reload locked it up tight as a drum. Turns out it had a slightly under SAMMI minimum chamber. (SA reamed it to minimum on their dime.) But minimum is still tight and some sized brass would still not fit. I checked those reloads in my other 9MMs and they dropped in just peachy.
That is when I started checking all my sized brass with the Wilson case gauge. Some would just barely fail, but occasionally there would be one that would only go two thirds of the way in. Yikes.
That is when I started checking all my sized brass with the Wilson case gauge. Some would just barely fail, but occasionally there would be one that would only go two thirds of the way in. Yikes.
Well:
I did not know that we where in the same company as Champions
You of course must do what you need to do.
How did 6 out of 300 not conform?
Do you weigh each and every powder charge on a scale? or rely on a powder measure?
Load every round single stage?
Weigh and measure each an every bullet?
Check each bullet for concentricity?
If not,
How can you be sure that each round is perfect?
All theses checking issue could be solved by just using the LEE FCD
I did not know that we where in the same company as Champions
You of course must do what you need to do.
How did 6 out of 300 not conform?
Do you weigh each and every powder charge on a scale? or rely on a powder measure?
Load every round single stage?
Weigh and measure each an every bullet?
Check each bullet for concentricity?
If not,
How can you be sure that each round is perfect?
All theses checking issue could be solved by just using the LEE FCD
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Actually, some folks choose to do that, let the FCD squish any offending rounds back into shape.
I did not know that we where in the same company as Champions
You of course must do what you need to do.
How did 6 out of 300 not conform?
Do you weigh each and every powder charge on a scale? or rely on a powder measure?
Load every round single stage?
Weigh and measure each an every bullet?
Check each bullet for concentricity?
If not,
How can you be sure that each round is perfect?
Now you're just being silly, or making fun of someone for excelling through practice and mental toughness.
No need to apologize, you're forgiven
Now you're just being silly and sullying the credibility of your position through deflection.
Introducing processes of precision into a discussion of functionality gives the appearance of grasping at straws when the basis of your belief in your process has been found to be lacking in substance.
While your process might not be optimal, it apparently has worked for you...just be happy
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