Case Gauge Or Barrel Gauge?

[Sean Gaines]

I guess let me start by telling you my setup. I have a kkm barrel for my glock. I am using a dillon case gauge. I have the Lee Udersizing die for the first station.

I noticed that my slide was not going into battery fully, and it cost me some time clearing the jam and having to cycle a new round into the gun, on a couple of occasions recently. At first I thought that maybe my recoil spring was getting weaker and that it was time to replace the spring. Well I was wrong. Normally when I reload, I case gauge every round, even though I use the udersizing die. Alls good to this point all 500 rounds passed the case gauge test. well it dawned on me that maybe I ought to use the barrel instead of the case gauge. sure enough 7 out of 500 rounds would not go into the chamber. I mean I would try to push the bullet into the barrel and with no luck. I was always told that if it passed the case test you were good to go, well maybe thats not always the case (no pun intended). Just wondering if I am the only one that uses the barrel gauge method instead of case gauging. Because that has to be the ultimate factor. If it doesn't fit in the barrel than its not going to work. As someones signature says this forum is about learning and I think that we use the case gauge as the ultimate decider if the round is good or not, but shouldn't we be looking at the barrel instead?

[davidball]

Using the barrel is less convenient but it is the only way to be certain that your ammo will feed into your gun, unless the case gauge you have happens to exactly match your barrel.

[D.carden]

I had the EXACT same problem last weekend.

KKM barrel, and using a U-die.

First stage of the match about half way through I get a jam. Wont go into battery.

Spent a minute or so trying to clear it. Zero'd the stage. Oh well.

Went to the safety area, removed the barrel and gauged every rnd with it ( not in the safety area of course). Had about 10 or so out of 300 that would not drop in.

I plan on using the barrel to gauge every rnd before it leaves my bench.

The stock barrel will eat those up on a practice day when i get a few hundred.

Dan....

[boo radley]

I have had the exact same problem recently.

I have both the KKM and stock barrel for my G35. Since the stock barrel was handy, I used it to case gauge 500 rounds or so (with 2-3 downright no-go's, and 7-8 questionable rounds).

Sure enough.

The KKM barrel is significantly tighter, and I now do just the opposite -- use the KKM barrel to gauge, and the stock barrel in matches.

I don't even know why I bought the KKM, in retrospect, since I don't shoot lead....It's an expensive case gauge!!

[George]

Trusting a case gauge blindly without KNOWING it is the same, or smaller than your guns chamber is a good way to learn how to fix jams on the clock ;-)

[Nolan]

Whenever you change barrels or case gauges always check that a fired case from that barrel will not drop in the case gauge. If a fired case will pass the case gauge, the gauge is too big.

Nolan

[splashdown]

I'm shooting a Barsto in my G35. I use the barrel to gauge every round.

[ctgun]

Ran into the same problems with rounds not going into my KKM barrel. I bought a EGW undersize die and now use the barrel as a case gauge. But since I put the EGW sizing die in I have not had a round that won't fit the barrel.

[Clay1]

Do you do this with all calibers? I have heard of this more often with 40 cal glocked brass than anything else. Do you do this with 9mm ammo as well? Thanks

[GuildSF4]

I use the barrel on match ammo, for practice I use the case gauge.

(A note on using the barrel, it is possible (although not very likely) to have a slight bulge on one side of the case have have it pass in the barrel and when shooting have the cartridge with a different orientation cause a jam.)

[Don At PC]

I am using a Barsto in my G17L for GSSF Unlimited and always use the barrel as the guage. I shoot a stock G17 in the stock classes and the dillon case guage works fine with the stock Glock barrel. I am loading on a Dillon 550B and use the Lee Factory Crimp Die in the last (Crimp) stage. It has eliminated most sizing problems.

[GuildSF4]

I am using a Barsto in my G17L for GSSF Unlimited and always use the barrel as the guage. I shoot a stock G17 in the stock classes and the dillon case guage works fine with the stock Glock barrel. I am loading on a Dillon 550B and use the Lee Factory Crimp Die in the last (Crimp) stage. It has eliminated most sizing problems.

Welcome to the forums Don.

Edited December 30, 2005 by GuildSF4

[J.Bagakis]

I have always used the barrel to check match ammo.

Most of the time I will find 1 or 2 rounds that don't drop in. In practice they usually will load fine with the slide closing on them. But is nice to know your match ammo all drop in.

I am using a stock Glock barrel and a 650 press.

[Don At PC]

I am using a Barsto in my G17L for GSSF Unlimited and always use the barrel as the guage. I shoot a stock G17 in the stock classes and the dillon case guage works fine with the stock Glock barrel. I am loading on a Dillon 550B and use the Lee Factory Crimp Die in the last (Crimp) stage. It has eliminated most sizing problems.

Welcome to the forums Don.

Thanks GuildSF4, I appreciate the welcome. I have only made a couple posts so far but have done some very interesting reading. Seems to be a 1st Class site.

[DEJ/FL]

Just a thought for the ones of you having feeding problems with aftermarket barrels(KKM, Barsto, Est). Not all the barrel chambers are the same depth, so the COL will have an effect on the slide going into battery! A little checking of the depth will help you in several ways, one being no feedings problems and second better accuracy, if you're reloading your on ammo!

You want the COL custom fitted to your barrel for the type of bullet you are using due to the ogive of the projectile and of course the barrel chamber. If the COL is a little to long the bullet ogive will engauge the barrel rifling causing the case to extend beyond the breach surface of the barrel not allowing the barrrel and slide assembly to go into full battery.

I hope this is helpful information!

Dan

Edited January 10, 2006 by DEJ/FL

[open17]

Had the same problem with my wifes Open G17. All rounds fit the Dillon guage, but

maybe one out of 500 wouldn't fit the chamber. After a "jam from hell" inside the

Sub at 05 Area 1, I bought and used a 9mm finishing reamer. No problems since.