StephenG Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Out of about 100 rounds, 6 of them will not go all the way into the case gauge.It seems like the bottom of the case is too wide. They all stop just before the rim. Is that what causes this? Should these cases be discarded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Classic case, ahem, of not-fully-sized bulged brass. Get an EGW sizing die if you are loading .38 Super Auto or .40 S&W. Sometimes failure to remove the expanding flare with your crimp die can cause failures to gauge. They have a different feel, a more scratchy feel in the gauge. Some cases can't be salvaged. Usually after a lot of firings or an overpressure firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 In my Kimber, if it doesn't gage completely, I use it for practice - unless they're really bad, they should be fine. Some people toss them after that - do a search - it's been covered a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Pressure causes this. I throw cases like this in my practice bin, they tend to still work most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 If it sticks hard before the rim gets near the top of the gauge, don't use it! It will stick hard in your chamber and you will break your extractor trying to remove it. If it is sticky but you can lightly push it all the way in the gauge, it's practice ammo. Don't re-use the brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 L2S brings up a great point. Just because it doesn't gauge, doesn't mean it won't fire. However, being anal as hell, I throw 'em in the practice pile. Another alternative (although more expensive) is a Case Pro roll sizer. It's price, but I can resize 1000 pieces of brass in about 30-40 minutes. Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Geek Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Lee Factory Crimp Die 10 Bucks at Midway - cures all the ills. Removes the wrinkle look as well. Makes'em work, makes'em purty. BTW: I occasionally shoot in matches where they don't allow reloads . They say it is safety, but I think they're trying to get you to buy ammo at the range (damn communists). That's what happens to the other guys when they do an ammo check. They get busted and go to the counter and buy 200 rounds at $13.00 per box. I keep my brass separated by headstamp for this very occasion. I load FMJ in 45ACP and nobody can tell that I'm shooting home brew because the FCD, consistient headstamp and a finishing tumble makes the rounds look just like factory!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Gun Geek, That’s just sneaky as Hell… I like it! I’ve been thinking of taking a class (shhh, it’s a tactical handgun class) and they require 1000 rounds of factory ammo and I’m too cheap. BUT now I know a secret…. Thanks, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Come on Ed, don't get all girly on us, some of us have been doing what GGeek says for over 25 yrs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I’m not by nature devious. I CAN be scheming and conniving if necessary (I DID sell used cars for 5 years!) but in my mature years I follow the rules. I know it sounds corny but I make an effort to be honorable and upright and fair, but when those yahoos stand there and look me right in the eye and won’t take MY word as principled experienced re-loader that my ammo is safe as any factory load, then it’s time for a little underhandedness! I’ll be damned if I’m going to run dirty (usually) AND expensive ammo through my gun to satisfy some lawyers idea of safety. So, once again, GG I thank you for the tip. Ed, The (apparently) girly-man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Geek Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Damn, I thought I came up with that little trick all on my own Run-n-Gun: I just took a tactical class. They had the same requiremetn, for factory rocks. I called them and talked through it. I told them about my investment in a 650, and that I had loaded a little over 10,000 rounds they were OK (I know 10K rounds doesn't impress you guys, but it does impress the average mere mortal!!). They had a problem with a couple of guys taking up re-loading so they could keep the cost of the class down. These guys put powder in by scooping the brass through an open bowl. Their results were "interesting" as the instructors put it. Might try giving them a call. If they refuse, then it is time to go dark. Just don't do anything obvious. For example, Winchester primers are brass colored, so don't stuff a nickel colored primer in a Winchester case and try to pass it off as factory. Also remember that S&B factory loads have a red laquer seal applied. Either duplicate that or use another headstamp. Completely agree about the dirty AND expensve ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Should these cases be discarded? No, absolutely NOT! Pull the bullets, use the powder to fertilize your garden, pop the primers (a revolver chambered in the appropriate caliber helps) Then carefully drop them at the range where your nearest competitors will find them! Or if you're really in a bad mood don't bother picking up the brass of the guy that's kicking your behind, just hand him this brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerT Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Up to about 25% of my cases were starting to get the same way. I was able to borrow a Case Pro, and since the beginning of December I have been cleaning and resizing all of my brass. It is a pain in the rear, but so far the number of bad cases is down to about 2 or 3 out of 250. The ones that still wont case gauge go into the practice bag, since they still seem to feed without any problems the vast majority of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGH Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I have just started reloading for my .40 and have what may be a silly question. Are the tolerances for the case guages tighter than the chamber? I have been checking mine by just dropping them in the chamber to be sure they fit. Is this acceptable? Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 There was a post here (I think Erik W. posted, but I couldn't find it), talking about this. I took from it, that the Case Gage is tighter, and more reliable, since the round could seat into a chamber that wasn't symetrical, then during shooting might rotate, and not feed (at least not feed well). There was some differing view points. I know on my gear, anything that case gages will feed 100% - as will most that doesn't. But I'd rather not take the chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I used to case gage every round --- now I just case gage every round for major matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I case guage everything. If it won't go in the gauge, I usually pull the bullet, dump the powder back in the hopper and toss the bad case. If it is tight, it is practice ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Are the tolerances for the case guages tighter than the chamber? Yes the case gauges are supposed to be smaller than the chamber, but not all case gauges are created equal. I've seen 2 case gauges for the same caliber where one would pass a loaded round and the second would fail the same round. The Dillon case gauges are pretty consistantly sized, but are on the generous side of max. cartridge size. The Wilson case gauges are tighter, but aren't as consistantly sized. Whenever I buy a new case gauge or new gun I always check that a fired case out of the gun will not fit into the case gauge, ie the case gauge is smaller than the chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew_Mink Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I have heard that some people will even go so far to have a case gauge reamed to match the gun's chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I use Midway gauges for 9, 40, and 45, and they are all to SAAMI maximum cartridge dimensions. Anything that will go into those gauges will go into various guns. Most that fails those gauges will still chamber and fire, except for the heinous "hard sticks." When I got a Super foo-foo gun, I got an EGW .38 Super gauge. Rounds that passed it wouldn't chamber in my gun! On my gunsmith's advice I got a Dillon gauge, which is tighter. Rounds that pass it go in my gun. Yet Nolan says Dillon gauges are loose. Yet we both had the same gunsmith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 In my experience, the gauges are tighter than chambers. I use the Dillon gauges exclusively and if it goes in there it'll run flawlessly in the gun. Like Matthew said though, a lot of people have gauges reamed to the same dimensions as their chamber. Jason - BTW, dropping them in your gun works. I just like the added protection of a gauge. I'm anal as hell though (to the degree of roll-sizing brass that came out of my gun...just cause). Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 Oops, sorry Erik. The Dillon gauges are smaller than my chamber, but are slightly looser than either of my Wilson/Midway gauges. Rounds that will pass the Dillon may fail in the Wilson/Midway gauges. One of my Midway gauges is out of round, loaded rounds will sometimes fail, but then pass if rotated 90 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I have Midway and Dillon in 38 Super. I had a zip-lock baggie full of rounds that would pass the Dillon, but not the Midway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I think this is why people say have your gunsmith make you a gauge at the same time he cut your barrel chamber, with the same reamer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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