Case gauges NOT all the same

J

Jeryray

New member
Been using the Dillon case gauges on my 45 acp, wanted another gauge for my shooting bag. Purchased the Honady.

Found it does NOT measure OAL, just diameter.
Play of words, Midway says Hornady claims this gauge good all 45 cases.

Seems Lyman, Dillon are the only ones I found that do measure both.

Am I wrong?
 
What do you mean it does not do OAL ? Do you mean case length mouth to head ?? Does the cartridge just fall through the gauge ? If so the gauge is desingned to only measure the case with out bullet seated . I don't use that specific gauge but some are designed to use a flat surface as a stop for the case . You place the gauge on your bench and drop the case in . It then stops when the mouth contacts the bench . It should sit flush or below the top of the gauge
 
A quick google search only turns up there cartridge gauge that measure the completed cartridge .

FYI - gauges are NOT designed to measure COAL head to bullet tip . Reason is all bullet profiles differ greatly . A round nose bullet will be seated at a different OAL then a HP because the HP pretty much just has the tip cut off making it shorter
 
---A round nose bullet will be seated at a different OAL then a HP because the HP pretty much just has the tip cut off making it shorter
Click to expand...

Wow. Takes me back. That was actually the very FIRST mistake I made (but certainly not my last) when I took up reloading. I was reloading .45 ACP---which I still think is the easiest cartridge to reload.

That was a good explanation.
 
Gauging,in general.... You CAN make a representation of a minimum chamber.

It will tell you "If it GOES here,it ought to GO in any legit chamber"

But if,for example,you want to gauge cartridge "Headspace" (I know,spare me)

it just cannot measure diameters for you.

You have to know what dimension(s) you are gauging. A "plunk gauge" is not the same as a gauge for checking shoulder setback.
 
OK, link here.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/877674/hornady-cartridge-gauge-45-acp

After using the Dillon, I know (think) the finished round nose should fit in the gauge and not protrude past.

I have taken OAL case and crimp measurements so I am very close.

The Gauge is used on every round before putting it in the box.

What I am saying is the Hornady gauge is to short. 1/4 inch of the head is over the top.
So it can only be used to simulate a chamber.

Does this help explain my findings?
 
OK, I have to ask the "dumb" question because you've piqued my curiosity. I don't own a 45 so I don't know if there are nuances here (v. 9mm which I do own and load). Why isn't the barrel and a caliper sufficient for the process?

Thanks in advance.
 
That works too. But the gauge is much faster once the 650 press is set up. I do find some split brass this way. I check every round.

Thanks
 
I used a barrel for years before it failed to catch a problem with a lead bullet not seated deep enough. My eye did not see the vertical issue. Now I use gages, they are easier.
 
No single gauge can measure overall length for every barrel.
Some barrels have more freebore than others. A case in point is CZ uses minimal freebore while others have substantially more freebore. I found that I have to test the round to make sure the bullet doesn't hit the rifling in my CZ when loaded to the specs listed in the manual. only your chamber will tell you if the diameter and length of a loaded cartridge will fit your gun.
 
Yep my XD has a pretty long free bore but my Shield makes the XD look short . If I were to seat to the lands on my Shield with a 115gr bullet there would not be enough bullet in the case for antiquate bullet hold .
 
When I got back into it for my 9mm I got the gauge.

It does not relate what the chamber on my gun really is, it shows most rounds above the level of the edge.

They fit fine in the gun (using the barrel off the gun)

I assume the gun itself is on the far side of the SAMMI specs deliberately to allows a self loader to function to its best.

I can use it but I know its not spot on and how much the cases can stick up and still work fine.

A few do actually fit right, has to do with brass mfg, not a clue why, to sublet to figure out, not worth pursing.
 
How is the gauge faster than the barrel. Drop round in and either it fits or it doesn't and then remove round. The process is the same for the barrel or the gauge.

Early in my reloading I bought a 9mm gauge but soon learned that it only measures the brass for fit. The gauge doesn't touch the bullet and too long of an OAL is not detected. Now I use barrels and magazines to ensure the rounds will work.
 
Lyman vs Dillon, Midway

I have used case gages for the past year. Started with a Dillon for 45 acp, then added a Dillon 9 MM and a Midway .380. Lastly got a Lyman multi-caliber model, the single piece that measures multiple calibers from .380 to 45 Colt. Found that the Lyman gage "passed" rounds that "failed" in the Dillon and Midway single caliber models. Seems the "singles" are tight SAMMI and the Lyman must be for loose productions. None-the-less, if a round will not pass the Dillon or Midway's gages I reject the round and knock it down. I load for a number of firearms. If I only had one I would just do a barrel "plunk" test.
 
Jeryray is correct in that there are different types of case gages, but I am not aware of a case gage that will measure OAL of a finished and loaded round. They are called "case gages" for a reason. They measure cases, not loaded rounds.

I think reddog81 is correct to point to using the barrel to check a loaded round. If you have only one gun for that caliber, it works. It becomes rather painful if you have multiple guns per caliber.

The case gage is a tool to help during reloading, particularly in case preparation. I use them to check all cases after the resize die. If the case will not pass the check, there is no need to prime it and continue loading it, saving time and components. With rifle cases and proper sizing, once it fits the gage, that's the quick test for how much trim will be needed.

I believe case gages come in at least two types: Either maximum SAAMI case measurement OR SAAMI minimum chamber size. I believe my LE Wilson case gages are maximum case measurement while Dillon indicates theirs are minimum chamber size. There is a difference to me in that I get more reject cases with the Wilson than the Dillon. Likewise, the Dillon gives more rejects than a gun barrel. This reflects very small size differences but they are there.

What I discovered over the years is that I get a lot of rejects that have minor issues which will not effect the loaded round. What I have done to address this is to go to the maximum SAAMI case gage first and have determined that most reject problems are really easy to correct. After loading those that pass, my final check is with the minimum chamber case gage as a plunk test in place of a gun barrel. Rounds afterwards will function in any gun I want to use. (Unless an excessive OAL was used. These gages will not check for that.)
 
I received the Lyman 45 ACP gauge and it does measure OAL, works for me.
Instructions say SAAMI specs.

Thanks
 
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