Context: 9mm; RCBS Rock Chucker Single Stage; 124gr RN Zero Bullets Bullet
I had a "learning" today that I don't fully understand and would value people's opinion and expertise.
I put every case through a case gauge after sizing. My thought is that I just want to be sure early in the case prep process that the sizing was done right and that the case is holding the size. After sizing if a case fails the case gauge I toss it. I don't use the case gauge nor plunk anything after this step in my process. I've loaded and shot about 1,000 rounds this way and haven't had any issues.
I was charging and seating bullets this morning and by chance noticed this round after bullet seating. Clearly I didn't put the bullet on straight enough and the die wasn't able to correct it. When I run my fingernail over the case I can feel the bump from the base of the bullet. Heck - you can see it! I figured it wouldn't make it through the case gauge - and it didn't.
Based on that I decided to run all 100 rounds from the batch through the case gauge and about 6 didn't pass. I plunked those six in the barrel and they "basically" passed. I say "basically" because they didn't initially just fall out of the barrel. The gun needs a cleaning. And when I tried them a 2nd time they fell out. The bottom line is those 6 I think are fine. But the one pictured did not plunk.
So once your dies are set up (i.e. using plunk to ensure COL is correct) what do people do with with case gauges and/or barrel to check rounds - if anything - as part of your normal production process? Do you rely on visual inspection to catch the scenario seen below? Do you case gauge or plunk every finished round? Something else?
Thanks!
I had a "learning" today that I don't fully understand and would value people's opinion and expertise.
I put every case through a case gauge after sizing. My thought is that I just want to be sure early in the case prep process that the sizing was done right and that the case is holding the size. After sizing if a case fails the case gauge I toss it. I don't use the case gauge nor plunk anything after this step in my process. I've loaded and shot about 1,000 rounds this way and haven't had any issues.
I was charging and seating bullets this morning and by chance noticed this round after bullet seating. Clearly I didn't put the bullet on straight enough and the die wasn't able to correct it. When I run my fingernail over the case I can feel the bump from the base of the bullet. Heck - you can see it! I figured it wouldn't make it through the case gauge - and it didn't.
Based on that I decided to run all 100 rounds from the batch through the case gauge and about 6 didn't pass. I plunked those six in the barrel and they "basically" passed. I say "basically" because they didn't initially just fall out of the barrel. The gun needs a cleaning. And when I tried them a 2nd time they fell out. The bottom line is those 6 I think are fine. But the one pictured did not plunk.
So once your dies are set up (i.e. using plunk to ensure COL is correct) what do people do with with case gauges and/or barrel to check rounds - if anything - as part of your normal production process? Do you rely on visual inspection to catch the scenario seen below? Do you case gauge or plunk every finished round? Something else?
Thanks!