50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

[michaelt454]

Can anyone recommend the 50 cal tools they are using for measuring neck setback and to check the length to the ogive dimension. Been reloading for the 50 for a while but just been bottoming out on the Lee die to resize and loading to OAL for bullet seating. Getting ready to get a little more precise with my loading and can't find very much to choose from. Shooting 750 AMAX, 647 Barnes TSX, and 750 Barnes solids in an AR50. Thanks.

Michael T.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

Jerry Hazlett made a custom headspace gauge for the 50 and may have a few left to sell. It is the only one I know of. His email addy is jerry Hazlett <[email protected]>

As far as the ogive thing goes, you can try a deep well socket of the size that gets you closest to the ogive. It works.

 

[427Cobra]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

Giraud makes one

http://www.giraudtool.com/50bmgcomp.htm

 

[kd185]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

you may have to trim a few thousandths of the shell holder of the lee to be able to bump the shoulders back
when i had my lee i was not able to bump shoulders back
now im using a hollywood with rcbs dies and a custom shell holder and i can bump the shoulders WAY BACK if i need to

i have the amer-i-can guage that jerry makes and use it every time i resize my brass works great

i also have the Giraud comparator and that works well also
the comparator fits some verniers better than others, the wider the fingers on the verniers are the better the fit

 

[michaelt454]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

Why can't you bump the shoulders with the Lee dies and shell holder? Don't you just back the die out a little to bump the shoulder?

Michael T.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

We had to modify both the sizer and the seater in the Lee set to get them to load for a minimum dimension FA blueprint chamber and seat AMAXs.

 

[wfjames22]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

50 BMG is not where you need to learn basic reloading.

 

[kd185]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: michaelt454</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why can't you bump the shoulders with the Lee dies and shell holder? Don't you just back the die out a little to bump the shoulder?

Michael T. </div></div>
your thinking backwards

Righty tighty
lefty lucy

you want to turn the die down on the brass to bump a shoulder back

 

[Ouch!!]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

Doesnt sinclair or whatever carry all of that comparator stuff?

 

[michaelt454]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

Without a headspace gauge I was assuming that the brass was being under sized and was planning on backing the die off to size less. (Set the shoulder back less) I'm not thinking backwards but I am just guessing at the headspace and chamber dimension until I get a gauge. Thank yall for the input!

Michael T.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

The AR50 is not known for having tight headspace.

Get you a piece of 1x fired LC brass out of a Ma Deuce. Try it in your chamber prior to sizing. Most likely it will not close or close with difficulty.

Turn your die up a turn and a half above touching the shell holder.

Size the case, then try it in your chamber.

Repeat until the bolt closes with slight resistance, then take the die down another 1/8 turn.

If you don't get to that point and are bottomed against the shell holder, have someone machine .010" off the bottom of the die and keep doing the steps above.

 

[michaelt454]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

9H, I was thinking the whole time that I was sizing the brass too much, and that I needed to back the die off to size it less. I am just basing that off of how much the brass grows in case length after every firing. Thanks for your input I will try to find some M2 brass and give it a shot.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

You want to measure brass growth after sizing, not sized versus fired, to determine brass growth.

This assumes you are properly sizing your brass in the first place though.

Chamber checking in your specific rifle is the "cause gauge" that matters the most. You can run the math on the threads per inch of the die to figure out how much you are setting the shoulder back once you get it pushed back enough to close the bolt with resistance.

 

[Twinsen]

Re: 50 BMG Headspace tool and bullet comparator

Doesnt sinclair or whatever carry all of that comparator stuff?

I just bought a Sinclair comparitor. It is too small to accept brass fired in a bolt gun. So it can't be used as a bump gauge. I checked reviews, all 1 star and they say the same thing.

Necropost, but it might save somevody $20.

 

[secondofangle2]

that is correct. Only one that works is the Giraud. But it has sharp edges that I had to burnish off. A little disappointing for a $50 little dodad.