laz2011 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I case gauge all my rounds.This way i know the ammo will work and i can catch bad rounds like a crack in the case i missed reloading. I you don't have a case gauge you can chamber check your rounds. It doesn't take long and it's time well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardy Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I second case/chamber checking. I went from a problem almost every match to no problems once I started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicVerAZ Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 More often than a 9mm round that was not crimped right, or which has a bullet issue, I find a 380ACP case that was used accidentally. Unbelievable how you don't realize you are using one of them instead of a 9mm case because you are concentrated on checking the powder drop and aligning the bullet and case properly in the shell plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I only check match ammo with a case gauge but I do box everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooster mcbee Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I case gauge every round that I'm going to shoot in a match. I also put every match round in a box after it passes the case gauge so I can check for high or upside down primers. Then I mark the bases with a green Sharpie so I can tell my brass from all of the 9mm laying on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lebayer Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) I find that if I just accept running every round through a gauge, as part of the reloading process, it saves lots of headaches. Some of my friends intentionally practice with un-gauged rounds, in order to practice malfunction clearance but I think it's wise to control every aspect of the shooting experience possible. There will be malfunctions caused by more than bad ammo (although that causes most!). I'm especially fussy about gauging .223 rounds. Of course, I also weigh every AR round; not because I worry about a double charge - can't really happen, given limited case capacity - but because I worry about the 1/2 charge that will blow the gun. Edited October 3, 2012 by Lebayer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillChunn Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 why not just use your barrel till you get a case gauge.field strip the gun and drop the rounds in the barrel A buddy of mine went to the Open Nationals a while back and used this technique. He did have a bulged case and when he barrel checked it, the bulge happened to line up perfectly with the feel ramp, so it went all the way in. Good to Go! When that round finally came up in competition, it locked up the gun so tight, he had to push a squib rod down the barrel to get it out. Needless to say, he zeroed the stage. An EGW Case Gauge is part of every reloading session. The rounds go through the gauge before going in the box.... even the practice ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmorris Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) Yes, a barrel test only tells part of the story. Some won't give any feed back on the rim area, that is the most likey spot to fail given that unless you have a casepro or push through sizer it won't be fixed by your reloading operations. Pass the barrel test then FTF entering the breech face. Seems funny folks will practice say drawing for hours just to shave a second off a match time and won't spend a few minutes preventing a several second malfunction. Edited October 3, 2012 by jmorris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlgentlegiant Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I need to order a case gauge (and will the next time I order some Dillon parts) but until then I use a spare barrel and rotate the rounds in the chamber to be sure I do not have an issue of a bulge. Yes, it takes a little extra time but to me it is just part of the reloading process. I am still fairly new to reloading but my process is: 1. Load in my 550 2. Take from blue bin on the 550 and drop into spare barrel (Gen 4 Glock 35 that is pretty tightly chambered). Visual check at this step too. 3. Rotate in chamber 4. Double check primer seating, rim and case. 5. If all passes place in marked ammo box or bag 6. If it does not pass place in my "need to pull" box 7. Randomly mic (OAL and crimp) 1 in every 25 rounds So far using this process no issues (knock wood) and that is more than I can say about some factory ammo I have shot lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a matt Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Case gauge every round. So far non issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jollymon32 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Man, you guys have ALOT more time on your hands than I do! I'm jealous.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppa Bear Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Man, you guys have ALOT more time on your hands than I do! I'm jealous.... I've had a round get stuck and then detonate when I finally applied enough force. That can change your priorities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillD Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I case gauge all my rounds.This way i know the ammo will work and i can catch bad rounds like a crack in the case i missed reloading. I you don't have a case gauge you can chamber check your rounds. It doesn't take long and it's time well spent. Doesn't take long? Depends on how much you shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Case gauge every round. Rounds that pass can be used at matches. Rounds that fail the case gauge, are chamber checked. Those that pass the chamber check go into the practice box, those that fail the chamber check go into the dis-assembly bin. The extra couple of minutes invested checking my rounds can be the difference between an acceptable stage or a DNF, or worse. Think of it as a Zen exercise, mindless, but yet mindful at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz2011 Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I case gauge every round that goes in my gun,for a match or for practice even plinking.I have caught some cracked cases and other problems. It is easier than buying a new gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben b. Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I case gauge every round...It is easier than buying a new gun. But not nearly as much fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmorris Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 (edited) Man, you guys have ALOT more time on your hands than I do! I'm jealous.... You must buy factory ammo because I can case gauge ammo faster than you can reload it. For that matter, faster than you can pick up empty cases on the range or clean them or load them in a mag to shoot once loaded. With all the other time you put into your loads why not spend another second on each to make sure it passes a final test? Seems silly to me, like not checking tire pressure on a race car, after all the expense and time involved, you skip one critical step toward perfection. Edited October 8, 2012 by jmorris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted October 22, 2012 Author Share Posted October 22, 2012 I'm with poppa bear ... All my ammo is match ammo. ... Can't afford to have one standard for practice ammo and one for match ammo ... And I send 600+ rds/week down range .... With 50 rd case gauge fom EGW it's amazing how quickly you can check a few hundred rds before they go into the tumbler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cguy1177 Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Hi Nimitz, I just got a 9mm 50 holer from EGW. The rounds go in fine but I gotta turn the block over and poke most of them out to get them all out. Is it the same way for you? I'd love it if they would just all fall out when turned over. Do I need teflon spray or something?? ** and as someone suggested, it would have been great if they had made the block to match up with the MTM cartridge box holes so you could just turn the block over into the mtm case. I'm with poppa bear ... All my ammo is match ammo. ... Can't afford to have one standard for practice ammo and one for match ammo ... And I send 600+ rds/week down range .... With 50 rd case gauge fom EGW it's amazing how quickly you can check a few hundred rds before they go into the tumbler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinosaurMikeGolf Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 (edited) Hi Nimitz, I just got a 9mm 50 holer from EGW. The rounds go in fine but I gotta turn the block over and poke most of them out to get them all out. Is it the same way for you? I'd love it if they would just all fall out when turned over. Do I need teflon spray or something?? ** and as someone suggested, it would have been great if they had made the block to match up with the MTM cartridge box holes so you could just turn the block over into the mtm case. I'm with poppa bear ... All my ammo is match ammo. ... Can't afford to have one standard for practice ammo and one for match ammo ... And I send 600+ rds/week down range .... With 50 rd case gauge fom EGW it's amazing how quickly you can check a few hundred rds before they go into the tumbler Knowing the rounds are snug in the gauge is reassuring to me. This tells me they will chamber in my firearms with no problem. Edited October 22, 2012 by DinosaurMikeGolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillD Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I managed to get through the Nationals without case gauging a round. No issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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