Hornady OAL Gauge case question?

[Mram10us]

Are you looking for alternatives or are you set on the hornady?

 

[misterc01]

Simple answer is: YES! Yu can do it your self, with each brand of brass you are going to use.

 

[redneckdan]

I use a piece fired in the rifle and bumped .001 in a body die. I found bumping the should helps with measurement consistency.

After I get the bump I need I reinsert the case into the die just enough to hold it then spin the holder around so it can be slid off the base and out of the ram simultaneously. This leaves the case stuck in the die.

The top of the die is machined square to the bore. This sets real nice on the drill press table. I hand hold the die in place while drilling in steps and then power taping the threads. You could use a bolt down fixtureing kit or a vise if you wanted to.

After threading I put the assembly back into the press, reinstall the shell holder and easy the case out. .223 was a little tricky to do without tearing off the remaining rim. All the other cases I have done were super easy.

All in all, I still use the oal as just a reference point. I seat .005 over the min listed length then seat further until land marks disappear.

 

[Doug Herold]

Are you looking for alternatives or are you set on the hornady?

Yes, to what Mram posted. That's the only way to find what ur looking for EXACTLY. I have been down the "Horndaddy tool"

Are you looking for alternatives or are you set on the hornady?

rabbit hole... won't give you what ur looking for.

 

[Pdyson]

If they make one for your cartridge I'd buy it. The difference in headspace can't be more than 2-thou and if your worried about it measure and correct against your fired brass with a headspace gauge. Hornady quit making them for the 7STW, so I bought the tap and made my own...it is a "ROYAL PITA". I boogered up several before getting it right. I had to hold it in my hand to keep from marring the brass in a vice.

 

[redneckdan]

...it is a "ROYAL PITA". I boogered up several before getting it right. I had to hold it in my hand to keep from marring the brass in a vice.

If you have a body die or a bushing die, use it as a holding fixture.

 

[Travis sackwar]

Most shooters that are using the OAL guage just use Hornady's modified cases which (obviously) haven't been fired in shooter's rifle. Presumably, any case actually fired in your rifle would be a better option.

I have probably 25 modified cases. Several were made specifically from my fired cases because Hornady didn't offer one for the rifle. I just got one back the other day for the 458 SOCOM. Either way, all the modified cases seem to get you where you need to go.

Unless you load bullets "just touching" or .001-.002" off I can't see that the measurement is all that critical.

One other thing: If you have rifles with minimum spec chambers the Hornady modified cases probably won't work without modification. It happened to me on two different rifle.

Good to know! Great info

 

[ddruck]

The length of the case, from base to shoulder, matters. See

 

[nksmfamjp]

The tool locks at a preset shoulder to ogive length. Then you measure cbto with calipers. The base to shoulder datum can be/are different from Hornady case to your cases. I just measure that difference and adjust dimensions accordingly. No need for custom cases.

 

[Aggie1999]

The tool locks at a preset shoulder to ogive length. Then you measure cbto with calipers. The base to shoulder datum can be/are different from Hornady case to your cases. I just measure that difference and adjust dimensions accordingly. No need for custom cases.

How do you measure from cartridge base to shoulder datum for each case (Hornady vs rifle fired)?

 

[Mach 1]

I haven't used their oal gauge but I don't see why you couldn't thread them yourself with a tap and die set

a typical tap and dye set with not have the appropriate tap for the hornady tool. The hornady tool uses a 5/16 36 right hand thread. Also a 7.3mm still bit works best with this tap. About the only place I found this tap was on amazon.

 

[Mram10us]

How do you measure from cartridge base to shoulder datum for each case (Hornady vs rifle fired)?

Usually a tool with a hole the size of the datum. Stick the case in the hole and measure from base to top of tool. You can also make a cylinder that goes over the case, measure from top of cylinder to base and do the math. Lots of other ways, but that is what I use to make go gauges and it works measuring cases too.

 

[nksmfamjp]

How do you measure from cartridge base to shoulder datum for each case (Hornady vs rifle fired)?

I use the Hornady headspace bushings. I measure 5 sized cases and take that average compared to the modified case.