What does everyone here think about reloading ammo sizing blocks? I have usually did the plunk test, is the sizing blocks a waste of money when reloading or is there good information to be had with these sizing blocks? Just for my information, from a beginning re-loader.
LYMAN SIZING BLOCKS
- Thread starter 74man
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PWC
Member
Do you mean gauge blocks? Sizing takes place in a die.
tightgroup tiger
Member
I use them to make sure my ammo is good. It will tell you if your crimping the cases enough. If you don't they won't go in there.
Bazoo
Member
Using your guns chamber is sometimes a pain in the keister. Like if your gun is in the safe, or the ammo you're making is for the gun you're carrying and you have to unload it, and disassemble it to check.
That said, I use my guns not the checkers because I'm stingy. Once you get your crimp figure out, you don't have much problems. I use the same crimp for 3 different bullets in 45 auto, and again the same for 3 in 44 special. All I change is the seating stem to change the OAL.
For my 1911 I've had some ammo that wouldn't plunk, sorta sticks in the chamber because it had to much crimp. Or because the length was just a touch long. It cycled into the chamber and fired without issue, but wouldn't officially pass the plunk test. I tell you this, because, being new to loading, it might help you save some frustration. Just keep those rounds separate in a baggy so if they do jam, you don't have them mixed in your good batch.
That said, I use my guns not the checkers because I'm stingy. Once you get your crimp figure out, you don't have much problems. I use the same crimp for 3 different bullets in 45 auto, and again the same for 3 in 44 special. All I change is the seating stem to change the OAL.
For my 1911 I've had some ammo that wouldn't plunk, sorta sticks in the chamber because it had to much crimp. Or because the length was just a touch long. It cycled into the chamber and fired without issue, but wouldn't officially pass the plunk test. I tell you this, because, being new to loading, it might help you save some frustration. Just keep those rounds separate in a baggy so if they do jam, you don't have them mixed in your good batch.
Thanks Tiger and Bazoo, that is what I needed to know since I load mostly pistol, 38 spl, 40 S&W, 9MM, and 30 Carbine for both a Blackhawk and an M1 Carbine. I haven't found one for the Carbine but I am looking, any suggestions?
Soonerpesek
Member
tightgroup tiger
Member
I can't see which block that is, Lyman makes two different ones that look the same. One of them is all the same caliber and the other is all different calibers.
My grandson was helping me in the loading room one day and I had him gauging finished rounds and he found a 9mm Mac in with my Luger rounds.
Chance are it would have shot fine out of my Shield but the gauge still caught it.
Heres one with a 380 in it.
Much easier to see.
AJC1
Member
Guages are handy tools that are just handy. They dont require that you lock them back up, and if dropped or damaged are cheaply replaced. They are especially nice in multi purpose areas where other man stuff happens like my garage where wood working and metal working happens. Some people find guages fit their lifestyle a lot better when guns and ammunition stay separate for safety.
I got one for my hand gun loads and it has come in handy since I use my own and some range brass. I often find 1 or 2 deviations in every 50 rounds or so. And guess what, Santa is bring me a new ammo checker for Christmas, cause I'm getting too old to run up to the gun room and plunk into a rifle chamber. This year, at sighting in, I did run across a 30.06 cartridge that wouldn't feed. And it's not just for the ones that won't go into battery. Some go in, but some are also a little tight going in and those shoot a lot higher at POI and probably don't do the gun much good either.
About 30 years ago when I started reloading 45 ACP, I thought I needed a cartridge gauge. I had more trouble trying to get my handloads to fit the gauge including buying a new RCBS die set, sorting brass, and sizing cases two or three times. when discussing my problem with an old reloader I was asked "Do they fit your gun". Hmmm. Yep, they fed, fit, fired, extracted quite well and were accurate. I placed the gauge in a drawer and forgor about it. I have since reloaded 4 different semi-auto calibers without a gauge, just plunk testing, and have no feeding/chambering problems (32 ACP up to 45 ACP in 9 different pistols).Some competitive shooters use gauges to be extra cautious avoiding a misfeed. I'm not telling you not to use a guage, but my experience (I could have saved much time and money just punking), a gauge is in the same class as a Lee FCD for handguns, worthless to me...
GeoDudeFlorida
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After decades of resisting I finally broke down last year and got an EGW 4-hole pistol cartridge checker. It's kind of nice to have and well worth the $20 it cost.
For the most part, I have not used case gauges to check whether rounds will function in my firearm. I rarely have chambering issues once I do due diligence in checking the functioning of my reloaded ammunition in a new-to-me firearm.
When I was shooting IHMSA handgun silhouette, I had some trouble chambering some of my 357 Magnum rounds. The ultimate solution was to trim the cases to obtain a uniform crimp. But, it got me check my ammunition for competition use as many other competitors do.
When I was shooting IHMSA handgun silhouette, I had some trouble chambering some of my 357 Magnum rounds. The ultimate solution was to trim the cases to obtain a uniform crimp. But, it got me check my ammunition for competition use as many other competitors do.
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