If I want to check a ton of resized cases to make sure they will feed and function properly before loading which gauge should I buy? I tried feeding the cases 1 by 1 in my AR but all I have to show for that effort is a large blister from pulling the bolt too many times on cases that would not feed properly. Thanks.
Which gauge?
- Thread starter layusn1
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layusn1,
Here you go this is what you need, fortunately they are out of stock at Midway bout check elsewhere you should be able to find one:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=268983
Here you go this is what you need, fortunately they are out of stock at Midway bout check elsewhere you should be able to find one:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=268983
I don't get it. That one is $32 from them and it says "Requires the Stoney Point Chamber-All Bullet Comparator (sold separately)" and I can't seem to find that in their page. Is that set and them comparator, if I can find it, that much better than the other one that was suggested? Is my functioning problem a trimming problem or a diameter of the case problem? The cases all drop in just fine but the bolt won't close. When I can make the bolt close it is a super #$%^& to get the bolt back.
Wilson, Dillon, and Lyman make case gauges. But, here is a thought to ponder. You might want to check the brass after loading, too. You ask why? Well, there are numerous reasons, but here are a couple.
#1 you might tweak the neck when seating a bullet
#2 you might kink the shoulder from seating a bullet
So, your time ought to be spent doing QC check on loaded ammo with a Dillon/Wilson/Lyman case gauge.
#1 you might tweak the neck when seating a bullet
#2 you might kink the shoulder from seating a bullet
So, your time ought to be spent doing QC check on loaded ammo with a Dillon/Wilson/Lyman case gauge.
layusn1,
The problem most likely with your cases is one of the two items P0832177 point or possible even length of you case is too long. I am not familiar with the gage that steve4102 recommended but the Lyman I recommend is also like the Dillon and L.E. Wilson that steve4102 recommended. Those three gages check that all the critical dimensions at once, you just drop your loaded round into gage and the bullet should be flush with one end, the rim of the case should be flush with the other and it should slide in easily just like the chamber of your gun. I have just started used the L.E. Wilson gages for checking 9mm and 40 S&W since they will belly over time and the web will blow out if you don't catch it. Take P0832177 advice and get one and check all your rounds, it is good advice.
The problem most likely with your cases is one of the two items P0832177 point or possible even length of you case is too long. I am not familiar with the gage that steve4102 recommended but the Lyman I recommend is also like the Dillon and L.E. Wilson that steve4102 recommended. Those three gages check that all the critical dimensions at once, you just drop your loaded round into gage and the bullet should be flush with one end, the rim of the case should be flush with the other and it should slide in easily just like the chamber of your gun. I have just started used the L.E. Wilson gages for checking 9mm and 40 S&W since they will belly over time and the web will blow out if you don't catch it. Take P0832177 advice and get one and check all your rounds, it is good advice.
Well, the problem with these cases are I am case prepping 10,000, its turning out to be more of a job then I thought, 223 cases for a guy that shoots 3 gun so I won't be loading them. He keeps telling me he doesn't so much care about pretty or match accuracy, just that the function properly and don't fail to feed and such during a match. The best I can do is assure they are within spec when I hand them over. That being said I want the best gage to assure that I don't cost him a match.
snuffy
Member
Hold on just a minute. There's a difference between a case guage and a cartridge guage. A case guage, or sometimes called a headspace guage, checks the distance between the shoulder and the head of a case. It also checks the overall length of the brass, tells you if it needs trimming.
A cartridge guage measures the head to shoulder length AND the overall sammi length of the loaded round. I have one in .223 that WAS made by frankford arsenal. For some reason they quit making them!
You drop the loaded round into it, there's a step cut accross the back end, or a high/low go, no go datum line. If the head is above the high datum line, the shoulder length to the case head is too long. Ideally it should be between the high-low datum line. If the point of the bullet is even with, or short of the other end, the shell should feed through a standard magazine.
A cartridge guage measures the head to shoulder length AND the overall sammi length of the loaded round. I have one in .223 that WAS made by frankford arsenal. For some reason they quit making them!
You drop the loaded round into it, there's a step cut accross the back end, or a high/low go, no go datum line. If the head is above the high datum line, the shoulder length to the case head is too long. Ideally it should be between the high-low datum line. If the point of the bullet is even with, or short of the other end, the shell should feed through a standard magazine.OK, so what I think I am really getting here is that there is not really a more suitable gage for what I want to do than to just go ahead and chamber test each case? I think the problem with the cases that failed to feed were too wide in the body of the case. They took extreme effort to pull the bolt open and I thought a couple of them were going to be stuck in there.
shenck
Member
Small base die
I hate to ask the obvious, but are you using a small base die, and are you full length sizing? I'm just looking for the easiest fix.
I hate to ask the obvious, but are you using a small base die, and are you full length sizing? I'm just looking for the easiest fix.
I am full length sizing with the Lee pacesetter dies. The only difference I can think of between my handloads always loaded with this die that fit my chamber and with cases resized with this die that don't is that I switched from a Lee lock stud type trimmer to an RCBS lathe type trimmer but I checked several rounds when I first set the trimmers length. I wouldn't think there would be much drift but I suppose that could be the case.
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