Case guage question

[problemchild]

I have a 308 case gage and its totally worthless. I tested some brass the other day because I wasn't sure If I have trimmed or trimmed/sized. I dropped a few in my gage and the slid right in. I tested a few in my gun (lmt mws ) and they slid right in. I got to the range and I found one that wasn't sized and it stuck in my chamber hard about 7/8ths the way in.

So my question is this. Is there any gage that would be the same tolerances as my chamber? If It gets stuck in my gage it would also get stuck in my chamber. I brought the bullet home that stuck in my chamber and it slides loosely into my guage. I mean WTF? What am I missing?

 

[sinister]

Re: Case guage question

A drop-in case gage will tell you three things:

has the shoulder been pushed back (yes/no);
has the case been re-sized too far (yes/no);
does the neck need trimming (yes/no).

It will not indicate whether or not a case will fit into a tight match chamber s (i.e., requiring new factory ammo or handloads from virgin cases). You can determine that using calipers above the extractor groove around the base of the case.

 

[EWP]

Re: Case guage question

A rifle case gauge is not chamber cut, they are cut larger than the chamber so you can insert your fired brass to measure how far above the end of the gauge the case head is before sizing and then again after sizing so you can get an exact measurement and amount of shoulder bump if your not just sizing back to SAAMI spec(between the groove).

The only thing they are meant to measure is head space and trim length, they in no way measure if the body of the case has been sized enough, or at all for that matter(chamber type doesnt matter).

Now a pistol case gauge is chamber cut(same reamer) and does gauge the entire case, so if your pistol ammo doesn't fit your case gauge it will not fit your chamber either.

 

[problemchild]

Re: Case guage question

So is there a custom gage or way to drop piece of brass into something that will tell me if its going to fit in my gun?

Every once in a while some brass gets mixed up and it would be nice to have a drop in gage vs having to mic everything. It would also tell me if I had to full length size the brass.

.466 brass that got stuck at the base
.462 new round black hills

 

[Jimmym40a2]

Re: Case guage question

Rcbs has case mic's that you can use to measure yiur brass and chamber.

 

[Leaddog]

Re: Case guage question

When rebarreling your rifle, ask your gunsmith to chamber a separate piece of barrel stock to your chamber dimensions. This becomes a very handy tool on your reloading bench to check your brass.

 

[samnev]

Re: Case guage question

On occasion (I was reloading 7.62X51 Lake City brass for my M1A that had been fired in an M60) an had one that wouldn't chamber. Like your experience it fit in my Wilson case length gauge. An old timer told me to try this. I then I reversed the gauge a put the round in backwards and the round only went in about 1/2" due to the swollen head. With new Lake City 7.62X51 the rounds would go in about 2/3 of the way. Since then whenever I have brass that is not virgin I do this every time and have never had the problem again. In any case it worked for me.

 

[problemchild]

Re: Case guage question

OK SOLVED

The answer is the JP case gauge. It uses the minimum sammi specs and will catch a non-sized or over sized brass. If it fits in the JP gauge it will fit in your gun.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=41313/avs|Manufacturer_1=J%20P%20ENTERPRISES/Product/JP_CHAMBER_CASE_GAUGES

 

[k2peaker]

Re: Case guage question

It's a common practice in the IPSC/USPSA world to use JP's case gauges as you describe. I'm sure it's no accident JP has their roots in 3-gun & USPSA.
For pistol, the Dillon gauges were better than what we used to do prior to major matches, i.e., pull our barrel and drop every round to chamber check.
Too bad JP doesn't make them in a bunch of different rifle calibers. I use his for .223 often (and I have a Wylde chamber).

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: Case guage question

Wilson gages are cut to min. spec.
LG

 

[EWP]

Re: Case guage question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lumpy grits</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wilson gages are cut to min. spec.
LG</div></div>

Only for head space, they still do not check the OD of the case in any way.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: Case guage question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EWP</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lumpy grits</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wilson gages are cut to min. spec.
LG</div></div>

Only for head space, they still do not check the OD of the case in any way. </div></div>

Yeah, they do....

Range picked up brass for both of my wil. gages don't fit due to OD and me thinks std chambers.
Cases from both of my match chambered sticks fit just fine AFTER firing.

Cheers,
LG