Case gauges NOT all the same

I'm confused about how a case gauge will measure OAL when there are many differing bullet profiles? How can one Lyman gauge measure the Over All Length of the Lyman loads ranging from 1.138" to 1.275" OAL as shown in my Lyman manual?

If it does that - well, I've gotta get me one of those!

But until then, I'll stick with my pistol barrels (which I feel must be used as gauges when loading some of the lead or odd shaped bullet profiles in chambers which have shorter distance to lands).
 
My Dillon pistol case gauges measure max cartridge length. The gauges measure 1.275 for .45 ACP, 1.590 for 357 Mag and 1.169 for 9mm all SAAMI max cartridge length.
 
I'm with the confused crowed and at this point willing to give this a chance . Can someone explain the max COAL gauge in a different way ? I ask that because I sometimes get stuck in my way of thinking and the explanation/definition being put forth is not breaking through . Often if it's explained in a different way using different words the light bulb goes on .

What is a 45acp max COAL ? ( loaded cartridge max length regardless of bullet type ) I see SAAMI says it's 1.275 , Why is that ? What if you wanted to load a 250gr SST bullet and shoot it from a contender . I'd think with those long pointy bullets your COAL would be or could be longer the SAAMI max length ????

How is max COAL determined ? Is it mag length ? Depth/length of lead/throat ?

What about the 45 colt revolvers that also shoot 45acp using moon clips . I'd think your MAX COAL in those firearms can be substantially longer then say if you were using a mil-spec 1911 .

I'll leave it there for now and see if I can get some clarity .

Let me add an example : SAAMI spec says a 308win max COAL is 2.810 . How ever I have a 175gr TMK I load to 2.925 and I'm not over max for my firearm so how could a 308 gauge that maxes out at 2.810 accurately determine what is a max COAL for my rifle or that set of components ??? Don't I need to chamber it in my firearm ( plunk test ) and see if it goes in before saying it failed just because if failed the 2.810 gauge ???
 
The thread is confused, and we've had a couple of complaints of posts being off-topic, but I don't see how one can be sure. It appears to me that what happened, if you read the OP carefully, is Jeryray wanted a cartridge gauge, the flat metal things with stepped cutouts in the for OAL, but instead purchased a case gauge that checks to see if a case or a loaded round will fit in SAAMI standard headspace.
 
I will take a stab at easing the confusion here.

I have LE Wilson case gauges. They measure brass. When you insert a 308 Win for example, the trimmed end of the case neck is flush with the bottom of the case gauge.

That is what most of us are used to. That is NOT what the OP wanted.

Dillon case gauges have an extra bit of length at the bottom that is matched to the saami max OAL for a particular pistol round. I have one for 10mm and it does indeed measure cartridge OAL as well as the case at the same time.

There is a ridge that stops the brass from going any further just as it would in the chamber of a barrel. This ensures that your loaded rounds are within saami spec.

So each one is the same length as the SAAMI max OAL for the cartridge. If the bullet is seated long, then it will protrude from the end of the gauge and you will know it's too long. Instead of a case gauge, think of it as a completed round checker.

Better????

:eek:
 
Yes thank you . I was starting to come around after my last post and the more I thought about the gauge likely being a SAAMI spec item . Not really sure why I had not been thinking that way before . So I went and measured my LE Wilson 45acp and 9mm gauges and they in fact match the MAX SAAMI COAL respectively .

I guess I never even gave it a thought likely because I loaded rifle well before hand gun and I knew COAL can differ greatly based on bullet profile . Especially now a days with the VLD profiled bullets compared to round or flat nose bullets . Like my example of my TMK 308 COAL . My round blows way past SAAMI max for the 308 but is still perfectly safe .

This was one of those times I needed to just get out of my own way to understand what was being said . ;)
 
Wow never knew such a thing existed. I was convinced the op was confused, now I need one. :) not sure why though, calipers work just fine. My seating die doesn't move once I set it... or does it? Checked all my 9mm, 10 out of each 100 rnd box. Same COAL:( no new toy for me.
 
I don't really see a usable use for a COAL gauge that fails the round only because it's past SAAMI COAL . I've went and looked and I have a few loads that "fail" SAAMI spec in this way . It does not effect anything for me . There are way to many other variables that are more important then SAAMI max COAL .

I did not look , does SAAMI state what bullet and weight they are using to come up with these "recommended" COAL specs ?
 
I did not look , does SAAMI state what bullet and weight they are using to come up with these "recommended" COAL specs ?
Click to expand...

Case Overall Length: COL and then there is Maximum COL and after that there is into, against and my favorite, the running start or bullet jump. SAAMI recommended: We still have members that insist the case has head space, many members purchased case head space gages.

F. Guffey
 
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