Hornady oal gauge

[Abolt]

I'm having a little trouble with my hornady oal gauge with my 270. I am getting a wide range of values so I cannot use any of the data.

I am using this with a browning abolt 270 and using hornady 140g btsp

My first three readings I measured from the case head to the tip of the bullet and came up with:
3.3265
3.3280
3.3250

These are all fairly close and could be caused by the soft point.

Now this is where my problems started, I put the insert on my calipers that measures from the ogive and these are the readings:
2.7760
2.7830
2.7805
2.7615
2.7535
2.7755
2.7740
2.7535
2.7550

This seems to be a very wide spread just looking for ideas on what I could be doing wrong. Thanks

 

[dsculley]

From what I see, it seems that your seating stem may be resting on the tip of the bullet which results in variation to the ogive. If your seating stem cups the ogive rather than pushing on the tip, you will get a more consistent base to ogive measurement. In your case, with the seating stem resting on the bullet tip, you are getting a more consistent overall measurement. You can remove the seating stem from the seating die and place it on a bullet tip to test this. What brand seating die do you have?

Dennis

 

[Abolt]

None of these are loaded shells, Sorry for not being more clear. All I'm trying to do is find where the bullet will touch the lands so I can start the load for this bullet. These measurements are using the hornady oal gauge using the modified case. I'm just sticking it in the chamber then easing the bullet forward until the bullet stops. Tightening down the set screw, Then pulling it out and sticking the bullet back in the case and taking my measurement.

 

[Bigeclipse]

None of these are loaded shells, Sorry for not being more clear. All I'm trying to do is find where the bullet will touch the lands so I can start the load for this bullet. These measurements are using the hornady oal gauge using the modified case. I'm just sticking it in the chamber then easing the bullet forward until the bullet stops. Tightening down the set screw, Then pulling it out and sticking the bullet back in the case and taking my measurement.

Never measure to tip and are you using the proper OGIVE insert when measuring to ogive. I do get some differences when I measure but nowhere near your spread. that is pretty inconsistent.

 

[WVGuns]

Ive had some of the same issues with mine as well. I think alot of my issues were pushing the bullet too tight into the bore and overtightening the hand screw on the adjustment. Another thing to check is dirt and grit around the bullet where it goes into the comparator and make sure the bore of the comparator is clean as well. Dirt and grit can get hung up in there as well. Also make sure your not picking up dirt from the chamber.

 

[Lone Hunter]

I always back my seater off with each bullet. That way the all are seated the same to the ogive. Takes a little longer but I know they are done right. Never measure the tip of the bullet as lead or plastic are never or close to being the same. I use a Compt. Seating die so I can back off a few thousands and then measure so each is seated to the same point on the ogive. Little anal but the loads shoot good. Bench rest shooters shoot small groups and they say being consistent is the key to small groups.Can't understand why your measures vary so much. Never seen them that drastic measuring from the ogive .

 

[deerassassin22]

I recently started using one of these so here is my .02... I use the Bullet comparator to measure mine to the OGIVE of the bullet not to the tip of the bullet. You may get some slight changes due to the bullets you using with my 208grn AMAX i do get some difference in each bullet. Also I notice that you have to spin the case in the comparator to get it to snug up and get a consistent reading. Also with measuring Soft Points the tips are all going to be different causing readings to shift. If you are using bullets from the same box try another box or another bullet type to see if the readings even out. I have gotten bad bullets from Hornady a few times esp 5.56mm with the canlaure.

 

[Abolt]

Ive had some of the same issues with mine as well. I think alot of my issues were pushing the bullet too tight into the bore and overtightening the hand screw on the adjustment. Another thing to check is dirt and grit around the bullet where it goes into the comparator and make sure the bore of the comparator is clean as well. Dirt and grit can get hung up in there as well. Also make sure your not picking up dirt from the chamber.

Thank you for the help, I think I was pushing the bullet into the chamber with different pressures and so I was messing up my readings. I checked again tonight and these are the readings for where the bullet should hit the lands

2.7765
2.7780
2.7760
2.7765
2.7765
2.7775

I think I can safely call my base line to work from 2.7765 and back off .02 and go from there with this bullet. Thank you again for the help

 

[mountaincarver]

ive had pretty good luck doing this. close the bolt on an empty chamber. file the end smooth on an old jag and attach it to a cleaning rod. run the cleaning rod with the jag down the barrel and rest it on the bolt face. about an inch up from the end of the barrel, clamp something on to the rod (split bolt electrical connector). use calipers to measure from end of barrel, up to clamp and write down. open bolt and insert bullet up into the lands (without brass) and push it slightly into place with a short wooden dowel. run cleaning rod back down to tip of bullet and measure. subtract first measurement to reflect oal to tip. now insert the same bullet into a case and push it in till you reach your oal to tip. now use the ogive tool to measure again.

 

[barefooter56]

Abolt,
Try this. Using the Hornady tool , modified case and bullet you want to use . Shove the bullet out until it stops in the lands. Measure the dummy cartridge from bullet tip to base with a set of calipers. Then take a ONCE FIRED NECK SIZED cartridge case from that rifle and seat the bullet you used in getting your measurement in the neck till the tip of the bullet to base of the cartridge case equals the measurement off the dummy round to make another dummy round. Now, polish the tarnish off the bullet and chamber this round in your rifle. Extract and look for LANDS MARKS on the bullet. They should be rather long and match the number of lands your barrel has. Re-adjust the seater stem in your seating die down a bit , re-seat the bullet lower in the neck, polish the lands marks off re-chamber and re-check. Do this until ( and this is a reference point I use) you have lands marks on the bullet that are about the same thickness as a very sharp#2 pencil makes on paper. You are still slightly in the lands but you still have a reference point. Now measure the round from base to ojive with your comparator to get you OAL to the lands. Remember! The more you push a bullet into the lands or into a comparator the deeper it will go due to the copper jacket so try to keep your measuring to the least you can. And use only one comparator! No two comparators are alike !

 

[16Bore]

Easy with a split case or rod stop method. Unless the Hornady case is kissing the boltface it's still going to come up a little short. New brass is undersized, but the distance from the boltface to the ogive isn't going to change. Well, until stuff starts to wear of course.