Sinclair or Hornady depth gauge?

[Tgunz64]

as the title says. Which one do you guys prefer?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Hornady (Pacific Tool and Gauge).

 

[Tgunz64]

Hornady (Pacific Tool and Gauge).

I see Hornady makes modified cases for use with their gauge. But can you use a regular case to find your oal if they don't have a modified in your caliber. Didn't see one for 26 Nosler.

 

[ar10ar15man]

you can make your own case or they will make one from your case
odd tap from travers tool 5/16-xx.
i like the hornady type, case shoulder measurement and seating depth measurement.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Make my own modified cases, real easy with bushing dies and the tap.

 

[Tgunz64]

Make my own modified cases, real easy with bushing dies and the tap.

Where do you get bushings for this type of thing? I saw a link to the tap. I wouldn't mind making some of my own. Btw I ordered the Hornady gauge and comparator 14pc set. With modified cases for my calibers. Found a place called Copper Creek that makes cases for uncommon calibers for the Hornady gauge. Ordered one in 26 Nosler from them.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Turn my own comparator plugs from aluminum round stock.

 

[Tgunz64]

Turn my own comparator plugs from aluminum round stock.

Must be rough to be a machinist

 

[SidecarFlip]

Must be rough to be a machinist

Not really. Buy yourself a cheap Chinese lathe from Harbor Fright and some aluminum bar stock from MSC and make your own. While I have some expensive machinery, turning aluminum plugs is easy.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Where do you get bushings for this type of thing? I saw a link to the tap. I wouldn't mind making some of my own. Btw I ordered the Hornady gauge and comparator 14pc set. With modified cases for my calibers. Found a place called Copper Creek that makes cases for uncommon calibers for the Hornady gauge. Ordered one in 26 Nosler from them.

You need bushing dies first. A normal fixed chamber die won't work because a fixed chamber die sizes the neck to a static dimension. A bushing sizer die is required and bushings are available from Midway, Sinclair, EA Brown and other suppliers, anyone who offers bushing dies will sell the bushings. I take a once fired round, decap it and run it in a bushing die with a bushing that will allow the pill to slide in the neck with just a little resistance. The brass is sized (body) in the die and the neck tension is set to allow the bullet to move in the neck. A little resistance is necessary, but not much because with the Stoney Point COAL gauge that Hornady markets, it still relies on feel and averaging repetitive measurements to get the LTL dimension.

The COAL gauge that Hornady sells is the original Stoney Point design and the plug and anvil sets that Hornady offers are an original Pacific Tool and Gauge design. I'm sure Joyce Hornady bought the rights. In as much as he was a preacher, he's an upstanding person.

I only use bushing dies on bottleneck cases. Setting the resistance in the neck is one of the keys to a consistently accurate load.

 

[bigbulls]

Where do you get bushings for this type of thing? I saw a link to the tap. I wouldn't mind making some of my own. Btw I ordered the Hornady gauge and comparator 14pc set. With modified cases for my calibers. Found a place called Copper Creek that makes cases for uncommon calibers for the Hornady gauge. Ordered one in 26 Nosler from them.

Yes I got my 30 Nosler case from Copper Creek.

 

[Tgunz64]

Yes I got my 30 Nosler case from Copper Creek.

Mine should be in tomorrow. Then I can start getting some loads made up.

 

[MkJose]

The simplicity of the Hornady for me, run it 3 times on a new chamber, get an average, shoot a few test rds, redo, you're looking for a baseline number, not exacts, you still need to find the exact seat depth your gun likes by adjustment.