Use your barrel for case gauge instead of an actual case gauge?

[seeds76]

I'm using my barrel (taken out of gun) as a case gauge instead of an actual case gauge. Is that just as good or do I need to use a case gauge?

[Corey]

i think using the barrel is the best way to go. i just dont want to take my barrel out everytime i want to check a round, so I have a wilson case gage that i use. the barrel itself is the end test. if itll drop in nicely itll feed nicely!

[XRe]

I used to do the same, and was talked out of it through logic... Go figure... The thing is - a well made case gauge will actually be tighter than your chamber, and the case gauge will be perfectly round, whereas your barrel is a bit eccentric where the ramp meets the chamber. This eccentricity can allow a slightly bulged round to drop into the chamber in one orientation, but rotate it 90 degrees and it won't go... Murphy's Law says that the bulged round will always drop in while you are gauging your ammo, but will end up in a different orientation when you're shooting the match, and cause a problem, so....

If it gauges, it goes, at least with a well made gauge (the Dillon gauges seem to be good to go, haven't tried any others, personally...)

[Dan Hefta]

That works just fine, I like to use a case gauge though, that way the rounds I make will work in any gun of that caliber. I have had guys that had to borrow ammo when they have run low at matches.

[Corey]

I used to do the same, and was talked out of it through logic... Go figure... The thing is - a well made case gauge will actually be tighter than your chamber, and the case gauge will be perfectly round, whereas your barrel is a bit eccentric where the ramp meets the chamber. This eccentricity can allow a slightly bulged round to drop into the chamber in one orientation, but rotate it 90 degrees and it won't go... Murphy's Law says that the bulged round will always drop in while you are gauging your ammo, but will end up in a different orientation when you're shooting the match, and cause a problem, so....

If it gauges, it goes, at least with a well made gauge (the Dillon gauges seem to be good to go, haven't tried any others, personally...)

logic, shmogic, haha.

I think the Wilsons are slightly undersized as may be the Dillons.

[Sarge]

For now I run Glock Barrels. I use the Dillon Gauge since I know it is tighter than my Glock. However, if I change anything like bullet shape or oals I always load a few and drop in my barrel to make sure the rounds are not too long. I had this happen with an M&P last year after switching to Precision Molys. The shoulder was touching the rifling keeping the gun out of battery once in awhile.

[edison]

For now I run Glock Barrels. I use the Dillon Gauge since I know it is tighter than my Glock. However, if I change anything like bullet shape or oals I always load a few and drop in my barrel to make sure the rounds are not too long. I had this happen with an M&P last year after switching to Precision Molys. The shoulder was touching the rifling keeping the gun out of battery once in awhile.

+1

For some bullets like BBI 130gr. I prefer using the glock barrel because any longer than 1.11ish OAL, it touches the rifling. But for BBI 147gr. I can load it out to 1.17 before it touches the rifling. I usually load that to 1.13, so I just use a Lynman case gauge.

[calishootr]

back in the day, i was told thatthe case guages were in fact under sized just a tad, which was great, if it went in, i knew it would in my gun, annnnnnd i didnt haveto tear apart my gun and barrel drop everything, easier to use basically

[jmorris]

For quite a while I used a barrel as a case gauge and still had mystery malfunctions. After checking a malfunction round with my barrel and a borrowed case gauge I learned something. The problem with using a barrel as a case gauge is that you only “check” about 25% of the rim with the hood of the barrel, the rest of the rim is not in contact with anything (at least until it try’s to enter the breech face and hangs up). Of rounds that fail the case gauge almost all of them fail because of a problem in the rim area so I think it’s critical to ensure that it is correct by the use of a gauge. I guess you could clock each round, indexing it around in and out of the barrel until you have checked the entire circumference but that makes a case gauge sound cheap.

[Bob DuBois]

Use Midway gauges and if it's a bullet change or OAL change run the first of the run through a magazine.

Very seldom run into problems if the round fits the gauge, if I do it's usually 45ACP.

[XD Niner]

My case gauges are actually tighter than my barrels. Therefore, if a round passes the gauge I am 100% sure it will fit in the chamber. I find it much easier to use the gauge than the barrel so this works out will for me. YMMV.

[twodownzero]

I use my STI barrel in .40 because it's way tighter than any other .40 chamber I've come across. I rotate the cartridge and drop it in a second time before i call it good to go. I'd guess that something like 7% of my rounds fail this test.....40 is a cartridge that is no fun sometimes.

9mm and .45 I've never had an issue. Those guns/cartridge chow down anything.

[latech15]

My Dillon case gauge is looser than my lone wolf 40 barrel. I have found the lyman's to be the tightest. If it won't fit the Lyman I make sure it fits the barrel. I check every round on 40 and only a few per run in 9 and 45.

[G-ManBart]

Yep, if the case gauge is tighter, it's better than the barrel. Still, using the barrel is better than not checking them!

[TonyT]

I'm using my barrel (taken out of gun) as a case gauge instead of an actual case gauge. Is that just as good or do I need to use a case gauge?

You should never expereince any feeding problems using your method. I tend to use the case gauge since I may use the ammo in more than one gun. However when I participate in a significant match then I use the barrel of the gun I intend to shoot as the cartridge gauge.

Edited June 21, 2010 by TonyT

[470nitro]

Prefer the case gauge as:

a) its easier than removing the barrel each time.

its easier to insert/remove than the barrel.

c) its tighter than the barrel.

I don't compete with anything that doesn't fit the case gauge. However, some of my "no-fit" ammo works just fine for practice if they just barely don't make the gauge. I just segregate it and shoot all the slight no-fits together in a few mags, that way if I have a FTF or other malfunction, at least I know I had iffy ammo to begin with.

[470nitro]

Prefer the case gauge as:

1) its easier than removing the barrel each time.

2) its easier to insert/remove than the barrel.

3) its tighter than the barrel.

I don't compete with anything that doesn't fit the case gauge. However, some of my "no-fit" ammo works just fine for practice if they just barely don't make the gauge. I just segregate it and shoot all the slight no-fits together in a few mags, that way if I have a FTF or other malfunction, at least I know I had iffy ammo to begin with.

Edited August 10, 2010 by 470nitro

[TonyT]

I normally use a case gauge since I have more than one gun in each caliber. However with 9mm ammo I have found thaat one of my guns, a Dan Wesson PM-9, has a tight chamber and therefore use it's barrel as a case gauge. If it gauges in the barrel it is destined to chamber without difficluty.

[MARKAVELI]

After I complete my lots I check OAL, Crimp, gauge,load em in my Mag and rack em out 1RND at a time!

[MARKAVELI]

After I complete my lots I check OAL, Crimp, gauge,load em in my Mag and rack em out 1RND at a time, to see if the would a fit to my weapons

[MARKAVELI]

After I complete my lots I check OAL, Crimp, gauge,load em in my Mag and rack em out 1RND at a time, to see if the would a fit to my weapo

ns

[noylj]

You know, back in the old day (pre '90s), nobody used a case gauge. If you want to spend the money and run a case gauge, fine. Just don't talk as though it is necessary.

I have NEVER seen a barrel yet that would take a reload in only one orientation. Never.

If I did, I would think about getting a new barrel.

There is only one meaningful test:

for a semi, does it fit your magazine and feed and chamber in your gun?

for a revolver, does it fit the chambers and not exceed the length of the cylinder?

You can't know those things with any gauge. You have to try a couple of dummy rounds and function test.

I picture the person who has been told that if it fits the gauge, it is good to go.

He loads 500 rounds, goes to the range, and finds that his COL is not compatible with his gun or they don't fit his magazine.