Gauging Reloads

[movaughn]

Hey guys,

An earlier post about keeping several thousand rounds of any given caliber on hand got me thinking about running your rounds through a gauge.

Maybe I have become anal about it but I gauge check every round I reload. My desire is to have "zero" ammo related problems on the range. I cause enough problems on my own

Thanks for your input.

dj

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not familiar with the term "gauge round" how about an update?

Edited September 23, 2005 by movaughn

[gmshooter]

They are referring to using a case gauge to see if the casing is bulged or will not fit into the barrel. I only gauge for big matches and use the barrel of my gun. It is the best way because the case gauge will not be the same size as the barrel.

[Crusher]

To insure the case gauge diameter is smaller than your barrel chamber insert a fired case (from the handgun) into the gauge, if it binds/drags in the case gauge, the gauge diameter is less than you the barrel chamber, if it (fired case) drops freely into the case gauge the case gauge has a diameter slightly larger than your barrel chamber and may not be a good indication of properly sized round.

I case gage every round as I box the reloads (most times I will load several thounsands of rounds at one loading session). It does not take me that much extra time and by gaging and by boxing rounds I am able to check for high primers and ensure if I have a malunction it will not be ammunition related.

[benos]

I never gaged rounds. Part of my pre-stage routine was to visually examine every round as I loaded it into the magazine. Of course I got to be pretty good at eliminating suspect rounds by looking at them. I felt this also kept me a little better grounded, rather than just mindlessly cramming rounds in the mag.

be

[ampleworks]

I figure whether I'm going to drive 30 minutes or 3 hours to a match, why take the chance that a round doesn't fit the barrel or ends up hanging in a mag because the bullet didn't get seated good.

Drop it in, let it fall out, while putting them into my ammo boxes; ll that the same time checking diameter, case head, and primer seating. Each round takes less than a second and I believe its worth the time and effort regardless of whether its practice or match.

[wide45]

The idea of loading rounds that you know won't work is nuts.

Spend the time you would be gaging/rejecting finished ammo, on inspecting your brass. Use the right tools, so every round is good.

Come out of the dark.

[Alan550]

Shooting the 9X23 as I do, I'm not aware of a gauge that is available in that caliber, so I use a "dirty" barrel to "barrel-drop" anything that's gonna be shot in competition of any kind. Then after the ammo's been boxed, I check for primers and press for loose seating before marking the stuff to make it easier to get back my brass. I never shoot "range pickup" brass, so any problems are pretty much mine.

Alan~^~