Case length gauges

[red_zr24x4]

Would I be correct in assuming you primarily shoot at a private range and also mostly only pick up brass that went through one of your chambers ? Much chance you could get some brass mixed into yours from a gun with a chamber with questionable support ?

Curious as to how much you would guess that percentage would change for the reloader who commonly frequents a public range and picks up brass from many other shooters... I ask this because I often times shoot at a public range and many times come home with several hundred casings where the shooter didn't want them. It only took a couple times getting bulged brass mixed into my can that I easily justified spending the $15.00 for the gauge. My wife and son both know if offered brass, it only goes into the can if it drops about 80% of the way into the gauge...

I fully understand I could always tote one of my tighter barrels to the range.... I could always tote my calipers to the range also.. But given a choice of a 15.00 tool or a set of $150.00 B & S calipers, I leave the calipers at home.

I think there might be a misconception on those who justify having the gauge... I do not randomly check every so many rounds... I use the gauge at the range like mentioned... I have on a few occasions loaned it out to help troubleshoot not going into battery issues... I very seldom use it at the bench... I only use it at the bench only when I know something just didn't feel right, which would be in the sizing or the crimping step...

Being I've defended my justification for using the gauge and to be fair, I will disclose (1) circumstance I learned first hand where I would have to admit the gauge wouldn't be worth $.05 in scrap metal.... A few years ago I was shooting a favorite 9mm load using Missouri's 125 gr small ball... The ogive was quite a bit more blunt than your typical 124gr NATO RN jacketed... I had a load for the Glocks, a FN, and a few more platforms that I really liked so I spent the winter loading quite a few for the following spring/summer... I added a XD the the mix, and even though the gauge said everything was fine, the ogive would embed into the rifling about .060 before the gun would go into battery...

Do you not FL size your brass? I ask because I often bring home range brass or buy brass at gunshows. After FL sizing I've never had an issue with sized brass fitting into any chamber, Even with Military brass shot in machine guns.

 

[XtremeVel]

Do you not FL size your brass? I ask because I often bring home range brass or buy brass at gunshows. After FL sizing I've never had an issue with sized brass fitting into any chamber, Even with Military brass shot in machine guns.

Yes, I FL resize... I won't pretend to know what all is out there, but there are SOME guns out there (primarily .40 S&W and 9mm) that bulges the brass to the point where the combination of FL resizing and the secondary sizing if using the Lee FCD just doesn't cut it. As common as that brass is, I simply refuse to use a pass through die to resize... If the brass is bulged to the point a traditional sizing die doesn't cut it, I simply don't collect it.

Like you, many times I have had no issues buying brass at a gunshow or getting it from the range... Saying that though, you will eventually come across a bag that was obviously shot out of a older Glock chamber and traditional FL sizing might work if loading for a generous chamber, but won't for something with a more typical sized chamber.

 

[Broom_jm]

Yes, I FL resize... I won't pretend to know what all is out there, but there are SOME guns out there (primarily .40 S&W and 9mm) that bulges the brass to the point where the combination of FL resizing and the secondary sizing if using the Lee FCD just doesn't cut it. As common as that brass is, I simply refuse to use a pass through die to resize... If the brass is bulged to the point a traditional sizing die doesn't cut it, I simply don't collect it.

Like you, many times I have had no issues buying brass at a gunshow or getting it from the range... Saying that though, you will eventually come across a bag that was obviously shot out of a older Glock chamber and traditional FL sizing might work if loading for a generous chamber, but won't for something with a more typical sized chamber.

From my perspective, that is a whole different can o' worms. The case length gauges we're discussing here are used after ammo has been reloaded. If you're picking up brass that is suspect to bulging around the web area, because it was shot in a gun without a fully supported chamber, then you have to sort through it prior to or during your resizing process. I fail to see how that relates to using a case length gauge after reloading the brass.

 

[noylj]

I don't case gage and don't plan to, ever. However, I did have a round that did not chamber in one of my P08s (Lugers, to some of you). Ejecting the round, there was a raised ridge about half-way around the case above the extractor groove. I assume the case had a small bulge that wasn't visible by eye and the sizing die ironed it out and left a raised ridge. Since then, I run all my 9x19 cases through a 9mm Mak Lee FCD and Bulge Buster (case had to have been a range pick-up). For those that don't want to Bulge Bust, then they use a case gage to find those sorts of cases before they load a magazine.
Based on that one experience, I now run my .40 and .45 Auto through Bulge Buster also. Probably as much a waste of time as a case gage, but I would rather solve the problem than simply find it.

 

[mongo404]

Over the past 8 years or so I have been loading 10,000 - 26,000 rounds of 40, the higher end when my son was competing with me. I case gauge every round that we shoot. IMHO if you are using range brass and you are not case gauging you are just asking for issues. I have one pistol that has a tighter chamber than the rest. So if Im shooting that one I use the chamber as my case gauge. I have seen way to many guns locked up because of a bulged case. I have had it happen twice to me before I figured out my new pistol had a tighter chamber.
Although this winter I switched to a U die.

I have also experienced issues with 9 brass as well in USPSA there are a lot of major 9 open guns. Which really do a job on the brass. If I load 9mm I case gauge every round as well.

To me its just a added insurance for a good match.. Nothing worse than a 12 second stage turning into a 50 second stage

 

[Broom_jm]

Over the past 8 years or so I have been loading 10,000 - 26,000 rounds of 40, the higher end when my son was competing with me. I case gauge every round that we shoot. IMHO if you are using range brass and you are not case gauging you are just asking for issues. I have one pistol that has a tighter chamber than the rest. So if Im shooting that one I use the chamber as my case gauge. I have seen way to many guns locked up because of a bulged case. I have had it happen twice to me before I figured out my new pistol had a tighter chamber.
Although this winter I switched to a U die.

I have also experienced issues with 9 brass as well in USPSA there are a lot of major 9 open guns. Which really do a job on the brass. If I load 9mm I case gauge every round as well.

To me its just a added insurance for a good match.. Nothing worse than a 12 second stage turning into a 50 second stage

I could see a serious hunter checking every round he has loaded to make sure they will chamber reliably when a shot on a game animal presents itself. The difference is the volume of ammo to be checked; a big game hunter may only need to check 50 rounds a year, so running them through the chamber of the gun is not very time-consuming.

 

[XtremeVel]

From my perspective, that is a whole different can o' worms. The case length gauges we're discussing here are used after ammo has been reloaded. If you're picking up brass that is suspect to bulging around the web area, because it was shot in a gun without a fully supported chamber, then you have to sort through it prior to or during your resizing process. I fail to see how that relates to using a case length gauge after reloading the brass.

If you're wanting to keep the discussion to only (1) use of a case gauge , then you'd be correct.... My comments above wouldn't relate... Not only would they not relate, but I'd also have to agree with you and say I would have no use for them either... My comments were more toward your first comment in the OP...

I have recently seen several folks recommending case length gauges to new reloaders. It started me wondering just how many folks use a case length gauge to check their loaded rounds.
Thoughts?

My comments were to explain why I recommend the gauge to new reloaders.... Granted, my reasons are not what you would be expecting, but new reloaders need to know there could be benefits to the gauge other than just checking a finished round.

 

[jonny4523]

I could see a serious hunter checking every round he has loaded to make sure they will chamber reliably when a shot on a game animal presents itself. The difference is the volume of ammo to be checked; a big game hunter may only need to check 50 rounds a year, so running them through the chamber of the gun is not very time-consuming.

Honestly, neither is gauging large amounts. I'll load a couple thousand, and then gauge each and every one while sitting in front of the tube. Also give you an opportunity to visually check the primers (sometimes old primers don't get punched out or new primers go in upside down / sideways).

 

[Stryker1025]

I am new to reloading, after taking class at Profire w Andrew and reading online, i use a guage for every caliber and ammo i make. My thought here is I am the only quality control person involved, so if I or others shoot my reloads they should have been checked by me. Just my two cents

 

[Broom_jm]

Honestly, neither is gauging large amounts. I'll load a couple thousand...

I load a couple thousand rounds a year, total. Instead of loading thousands of 9mm or 223, I load 50 to a couple hundred rounds of a wide variety of cartridges, mostly for various rifles.

I think many of the differences I notice on this forum, versus one that is not focused on Indiana, is that in states where you can use regular rifles for deer hunting, the focus of many reloaders is on low-volume, precision cartridges. If I were to run this same poll on a national forum, I'm willing to bet more than 50% of the respondents would say they never use a case gauge on their reloads.

 

[kludge]

Since this thread is still going, here's my philosophy:

"You can't inspect quality into a product."

I've been reloading for about 20 years now. And, yup I've made a few bad rounds, some of them due to the component or firearm failure, and some of them due to the guy pulling the lever. And yes I've pulled a few bullets too. Now I've never shot 10,000 rounds in a year, but once the machine is set up, I can't remember a single round that didn't chamber at the range...

Well, OK, I take it back... but it has never been a "round doesn't fit in the chamber" issue and was always a bullet profile/seating depth, magazine, or feed ramp issue (some bullet profiles/seating depths just don't run 100% in some guns even if it fits into a case gauge or even the chamber itself).

I forget who made the comment in this thread, but cycling rounds through the gun (SAFELY!) or with dummy rounds that you have made to test a new bullet style is worth more to me that dropping it into a case gauge.

 

[XtremeVel]

I've been reloading for about 20 years now. And, yup I've made a few bad rounds, some of them due to the component or firearm failure, and some of them due to the guy pulling the lever. And yes I've pulled a few bullets too. Now I've never shot 10,000 rounds in a year, but once the machine is set up, I can't remember a single round that didn't chamber at the range...
.

Considering your experience and depending on what equipment you might use, the fact you've never had a issue doesn't shock me...

What would shock me though would be that you have never seen many instances where this was a problem with other reloaders.... For clarity, I am only talking about (2), maybe (3) calibers and issues usually are with newer reloaders using range brass or brass they have shot out of something with questionable support... The one thing in common I usually see is they are usually someone with the caliber only in (1) platform... The issues seems to only magnify when they then knee jerk and go and buy a tight aftermarket barrel, thus they have (1) chamber that is large and bulges brass and then add another chamber that is tight and/or short chambered... A gauge is a nice, cheap tool that some would benefit from as using as a "standard"....

Personally I know a guy about a year ago started loading for a Glock 35. He thought all was fine because the rounds were dropping right into the chamber. Problems arouse when he decided to try lead and he bought a KKM barrel from me. You can guess what the issue was. If only he would of asked to borrow my barrel or my gauge prior to loading them all up. Granted, this still shouldn't of happened... Calipers and knowing the specs of the round should of caught it just as easily as the gauge.

Well, OK, I take it back... but it has never been a "round doesn't fit in the chamber" issue and was always a bullet profile/seating depth, magazine, or feed ramp issue (some bullet profiles/seating depths just don't run 100% in some guns even if it fits into a case gauge or even the chamber itself).
.

Now that is a great point... Even though I defend the use of a case gauge, I really hope no one who might read this ever thinks a case gauge is a tool to replace pulling a barrel out and dropping a round in to determine OAL..... Using the actual chamber, IMO, is the only way to determine OAL... The case gauge is only a tool for times when a "standard" might be beneficial for troubleshooting issues for loaders with chambers with questionably specs... Saying that though, as long as there are platforms out that that bulge brass, I will probably always strongly recommend the gauge to new reloaders in these few calibers, especially new reloaders that will add additional platforms at a later date.

 

[ilcaveman]

Any tool that makes my reloading faster and easier has my vote

 

[Broom_jm]

Any tool that makes my reloading faster and easier has my vote

Are you thinking a case gauge would somehow make your reloading faster or easier?

 

[ilcaveman]

I stop every couple hundred rounds and do a quality check. Its easier and faster than a caliper.

 

[Broom_jm]

I stop every couple hundred rounds and do a quality check. Its easier and faster than a caliper.

Yeah, that must save you...at least 15 or 20 seconds per reloading session.

Given that you have to ensure your bullets aren't seated too deep, are you sure it's a good idea to avoid the caliper altogether? A case length gauge won't tell you that.

 

[ilcaveman]

I didn't say I gave up the caliper.