shred Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 When you make gauges, you discover there's a much wider variety of bullets and pistols out there than you can imagine. Over the past year or so we've seen ammunition made with coated and lead bullets that exceed the SAAMI .401" maximum diameter one way or another (coating thickness variance, out of roundness, slightly misaligned loading dies, mold parting lines, heavy crimps, and so on) and yet the shooters report the ammunition fits and fires fine and to please make them a gauge that it will fit into, so we went ahead and made a new gauge-- Announcing the ".40XL" 100-round case gauge. Same chamber-reamed chamber, but the bullet area is enlarged and designed for lead and coated bullets .401" and larger in diameter, loaded over SAAMI length or not. If you are loading ammunition with bullets that don't quite fit into the .40 or .40L gauge, or are tired of giving ammo a light push to seat it in the gauge, the 40XL is the gauge for you (make sure that slightly-oversize-bullet ammunition fits in your pistol properly before ordering however) Since .401" bullets are the SAAMI maximum spec and this gauge is larger than that, we still recommend the .40 gauge for regular-length SAAMI ammunition and the 40L gauge for shooters using jacketed or plated bullets .401" or smaller at over-SAAMI lengths. Think of them as the .40, 40-Long and .40 Long+Wide. Available at your favorite dealers probably by the time you read this if they are on the ball. If your favorite dealer doesn't carry Shockbottle products, slap them upside the head and tell them you are the customer and the customer is always right and you say they should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clawson2011 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) great I just received my 40L case gauge yesterday and my 200g Bayou round nose bullets aren't going in all the way. I am using a GRx push thru die and then a Lee Factory crimp die to finish. Could my bullet need the new XL gauge? if so where can I order one and does anyone want a new 40L at a slight discount? Edit: Wanted to add that i have the 9x19 and it is great when loading for my CZ Edited February 19, 2015 by clawson2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 The quick way to tell if it's bullets or cases that are the sticking point are to drop some ammo in the gauge brass-first. If they go in ok backwards then it's the bullet. Send a mail to sales@shockbottle.com and we'll work on trading that out if you can't find somebody locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaylanGivens Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Ben has them in stock... Just ordered one... Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enutees Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Wish I would have had this option. I basically have to force every round out of my gauge using coated bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breacher217 Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I got mine today. Just what I needed for 180gr JHP Zeros loaded out to 1.223 OAL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 25, 2015 Author Share Posted February 25, 2015 Anybody wanting to trade in a 40 or 40L for a 40XL, contact sales@shockbottle.com and we'll get you details on the program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Breacher, Did you get the L or XL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaylanGivens Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I have had a 40L for several months... Gauged about 4,000 rounds by now... I've gotten accustomed to evaluating the height of the brass sticking above the top of the 40L gauge to determine useable/match ammo. Most will sit flush with the gause with some pressure. Got my 40xl yesterday... Gauged a couple hundred rounds and found most all of my rounds to "plunk" in the new 40xl gauge. A few were slightly tight... a couple seemed to be fairly tight, so I put these in the "practice" box. The new 40xl gauge is a much better predictor of good ammunition (for me). I'm using Bayou 180gr TCG bullets. These are grooveless .401 bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breacher217 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Breacher, Did you get the L or XL? Ive had the .40, .40L and now the .40XL. The profile of the Zero 180gr JHP loaded out to 1.223 was causing issues with the .40L gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlightMedic376 Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 On 2/25/2015 at 9:15 AM, shred said: Anybody wanting to trade in a 40 or 40L for a 40XL, contact sales@shockbottle.com and we'll get you details on the program. Is this still an option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 We're not making the 40L anymore, and the program changed a little but drop an e-mail to sales@shockbottle.com and they can get you the details. Same for people that somehow got the wrong caliber gauge for X-mas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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