Never Under Estimate the Value of a Case Guage

[Wild Gene]

I have been envolved in gun games for many years. Each one is different, and requires its own set of skills. Often what works in one game does not work in another nearly as well. I have reloaded thousands of rounds for my cowboy guns. I never had an issue. Same went for my Trap and sporting clays guns.

Yesterday at the local match, I learned about the "glock bulge". I also learned how to effectively clear a jam on a .40S&W 2011.

When I bought my Dillon Conversion kit for my 550 from Brian he told me I needed a case guage. When I finally got around to loading for my .40 a year later I even tried the case guage on a few rounds but then thought to myself "heck, this is no good, I am loading long so what is the purpose" so after those first couple rounds I put it on the shelf and there it sat.

Back to yesterday....I discovered the second way to find bulged cases...It may have only been three rounds that had a bulge, but that was one on three stages at about 10+ seconds each (one of which was a classifier).

I guess my point is that it does not take very long to check your loads, and if you are not addressing the possibility of bulged cases other ways, and are using range brass for your reloads, then you might just consider using your case guage.

Good Shooting,

WG

[jmaass]

The best case guage is the barrel of the gun you will be shooting the load in!

Remove the barrel from the gun, and drop in each of your match loads. They make a satisfying "ploop" when they drop in properly, and then fall freely back out.

Edited April 16, 2012 by jmaass

[kdhill]

Good ol barrel drop test, sounds like a good activity for my son to help me out with after we reload a batch

[BBBB]

I use range brass. I was recently gauging some 9mm rounds and had one drop below the top of the gauge. Upon closer inspection I realized the head stamp read "9 x 18 makarov". Fortunately I was able to remove the bullet using the less exciting of the two available options. I now inspect/sort the brass and gauge the rounds so hopefully I have two chances to catch something like this.

[Onagoth]

I find case gauges easier to use. Smaller, easier to handle, no gun disassembly required. Also, taking out the barrel only works for some guns.

[Dillon b]

I had the same problem a couple weeks ago about 5 times, and it was a level 2 match! man that sucked, a lot

[Sarge]

The best case guage is the barrel of the gun you will be shooting the load in!

Remove the barrel from the gun, and drop in each of your match loads. They make a satisfying "ploop" when they drop in properly, and then fall freely back out.

While I agree I prefer to use a gauge because it is much easier and faster to check the ammo right off the assy line. I initially use the barrel to check verify good oal. I make sure that ammo that passes the gauge will always pass the barrel test. My 9mm Dillon gauge is plenty tight enough that anything passing it will work in my gun.

Once you have that level of confidence in the gauge it is the way to go.

I gauge each and every round that comes off the press. Those that fail get put in a little bucket to be checked in the barrel whenever I take the gun apart to clean it. So far none have failed to fit the barrel.

Gauging also catches split cases and give you one more opportunity to feel for high primers and generally putting your hands on the final product one last time before using it.

[Wild Gene]

Good ol barrel drop test, sounds like a good activity for my son to help me out with after we reload a batch

Thanks for not rubbing it in.... I did end up finding a total of four rounds that were too big.

I think for the cost, a $15 guage is a way better deal to use than a $200 KKM barrel.

[bobmysterious]

I drop check every single round I load. It's kinda time consuming, but I can't remember the last time that I had an ammo issue in the middle of a stage either. Once you find yourself clamping the slide and punching the frame while on the clock, it's a great motivator to ramp up your quality control! The rounds that are seriously mangled get pulled, I use the rest for malfunction drills during my range sessions.

[kdhill]

Good ol barrel drop test, sounds like a good activity for my son to help me out with after we reload a batch

Thanks for not rubbing it in.... I did end up finding a total of four rounds that were too big.

I think for the cost, a $15 guage is a way better deal to use than a $200 KKM barrel.

I did notice that Midway has a chamber gauge that has 7 chambers in it for $20, or a 50 chamber block for $100. Does your kid have access to a milling machine at school where he could crank out a couple of them?

[sidnal]

I've found that the EGW guages work the best. The 50-hole version really saves a bunch of time too...MUCH faster than a barrel!If it guages with the EGW then it will drop in a chamber.

Edited April 16, 2012 by sidnal

[BillD]

Lee U die in the front and the Lee FCD in the back. If it doesn't jam up the press, it'll load and fire in my guns.

[jmaass]

The best case guage is the barrel of the gun you will be shooting the load in!

Remove the barrel from the gun, and drop in each of your match loads. They make a satisfying "ploop" when they drop in properly, and then fall freely back out.

While I agree I prefer to use a gauge because it is much easier and faster to check the ammo right off the assy line. I initially use the barrel to check verify good oal. I make sure that ammo that passes the gauge will always pass the barrel test. My 9mm Dillon gauge is plenty tight enough that anything passing it will work in my gun.

Once you have that level of confidence in the gauge it is the way to go.

Yes, IFF you have confirmed that your case guage accurately represents your barrel's chamber, then the guage is almost as good as the barrel for drop-testing.

I've heard of cases of a gunsmith building (or re-barreling) a custom gun providing a case guage bored with the same tool used to chamber the barrel. Deep in my fading recollection is that I have one of those (somewhere) for my 9x21 McLearn guns from when I had the second one built and the first re-barreled at the same time.

When I was actively shooting/reloading, I was anal about using only my own brass. I used only one 2000 piece lot of brass at a time (Win or TF), rotating them until each case was used six times, and then discarding (or selling to someone less anal). In the olde dayes, there were usually two or three 9x21 shooters at a match, even a local match, so I marked my brass. All this contributed to increased reliability.

As part of my contribution to enjoying 100% reliability at a match, I *always* removed the barrel and drop-tested *every* round that was carried to any match, local or larger.

[fuentesd99]

The best case guage is the barrel of the gun you will be shooting the load in!Remove the barrel from the gun, and drop in each of your match loads. They make a satisfying "ploop" when they drop in properly, and then fall freely back out.

+1

[Chris Keen]

Lee U die in the front and the Lee FCD in the back. If it doesn't jam up the press, it'll load and fire in my guns.

What he said!

No seriously, I agree with using the barrel as my case gauge, there is none better. But then again since I apply all the same anal tendancies as Jeff Maass in regards to buying new brass, marking my brass, and only picking up & using my brass again, I have had very very few and far between jams or other issues.

But I also side with BillD and have to wonder what is wrong with someones press that they have a "little bucket" of rounds that didn't pass the gauge? I mean, sire it's good to case gauge your ammo, but when was the last time you had a round NOT PASS the case gauge / barrel test? Hopefully your answer to that is something along the line of YEARS! I can't remember the last time I had a failed round. So there's no reason the keep a bucket for bad rounds. Maybe my choice of dies makes the difference, I don't know. But I sure do like the Lee U die & Lee FCD dies. They are awesome!

[NicVerAZ]

I am not sure as to why the barrel of the gun would be the best case gauge.

Ammunition is to fit in certain specs, with a slight tolerance under. Like between .375 and .378 instead of .380, for instance.

A case gauge is simply drilled to these specs and if the round fits in the gauge, it will fit in your barrel. If it does not, then there is something wrong with your barrel. If you don't have a case gauge or misplaced it, use the barrel instead, obviously.

Also I am not sure as to what case gauging has to do with checking the OAL, which is a totally different operation altogether and has different effects if you're off.

A case gauge is a tool which, with a bit of habit, will allow you to work fast, using the same hand to hold a bunch of cartridges to check as well as hold the gauge, the other hand picking the cartridges, dropping them into the gauge, receiving them when you let the cartridges slide naturally out of the gauge, then placing the new cartridges primer side up into the box. At the same time you gauge check, you inspect the primer visually (it could be missing or backward).

One last check with the finger on the back of the cartridges to detect any primer improperly inserted. One visual check from the side to detect obvious OAL deflections (which you inspect every now and then while loading as well).

Yup, it does take time.

[Sarge]

But I also side with BillD and have to wonder what is wrong with someones press that they have a "little bucket" of rounds that didn't pass the gauge?

Again friend that was my comment about a little bucket. FWIW 99% of the rounds in the bucket result from making final adjustments to oal until I get it just where I want it. I probably have one or two rounds a year that fail the gauge.

Since we are splitting hairs it's actually not a bucket. It's a small box about the size of a dollar bill two inches tall. It was just easier to say little bucket.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Sarge

[Braxton1]

Good ol barrel drop test, sounds like a good activity for my son to help me out with after we reload a batch

Thanks for not rubbing it in.... I did end up finding a total of four rounds that were too big.

I think for the cost, a $15 guage is a way better deal to use than a $200 KKM barrel.

I did notice that Midway has a chamber gauge that has 7 chambers in it for $20, or a 50 chamber block for $100. Does your kid have access to a milling machine at school where he could crank out a couple of them?

I have several of the 50-holers. They are definitely the Bee's Knees. The only one that I can't do is long-loaded 40. The bullet will catch in the bottom of the hole, since they're not cut for leade. For standard OAL, it works great.

[TonyT]

O vcase gauge all mu semi auto rounds but have found that my newer Dan Wesson PM-9 has a very tight chamber and it is best to use that guns barrel for any brass which has been reloaded more than 2 times.