Hornady OAL Guage and Bullet Comparator Question

[BadLoads]

Hi Guys and Gals,

I'm relatively new to reloading (~1 year) and have a newbie OAL Guage/Comparator question(s)....

First, when I measure the OAL with the Hornady Guage the bullet just slips through the mouth of the modified case and falls out without the gauge. No big deal but when I use the calipers and comparator the calipers are at an angle (not a straight line measurement) when I measure.

Is there a way to get my bullet to stay in the modified case better without being attached to the OAL gauge? The reason I ask is because when I unscrew the modified case from the OAL gauge to get a straight line measurement (like a normal reloaded case would give) the bullet just falls out. This leads to a different OAL reading between my "crooked" OAL/Modified Case/Comparator measurement and my reloaded Normal Case/Comparator measurement.

Any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[FN in MT]

ALL of my Stoney Point/Hornady OAL cases hold the bullet snug enough that the bullet doesn't move too much. I insert, push in the rod to seat against the lands,set the screw on the rod, pull out the case and take a measurement.

I have had the bullet stuck in the throat. All I do is push the slug out with a cleaning rod, insert in tool and take a reading. I do not take the case off of the tool. I leave it screwed on. As per directions with the tool.

Are you simply inserting a bullet...NOT pushing it forward with the rod?

 

[BadLoads]

Thanks FN in MT. I am pushing the rod forward. I think I figured it out....when I was measuring the calipers were at such an angle because I didn't realize the bullet comparator has an offset to compensate for the OAL gauge's slot for the calipers and I did not have the OAL gauge push rod's flat side showing on the caliper slot so I was getting pretty crooked calipers. So....setting up the comparator's offset and using the flat part of the rod in the caliper slot on the OAL gauge gets me a straight measurement.

Thank you for your comments!