Does anyone still use case gauges?

[tinker]

I still use them.

I called redding today because I bought a set (sizer and bullet seater) of redding competition full length bushing dies. I had only ever sized brand new brass with it as I only bought this set about 6-8 months ago and rand about 500-600 pieces of new brass for uniformity and neck tension with a mandrel after sizing. Before this I had always just used plain die sets with expander balls.

Well today I started loading some of my once fired brass in that caliber and it wouldn't fit a case gauge.....I checked everything thinking maybe I was overlooking something simple as of course I am human and no....it just won't fit a case gauge.

so I grabbed my RCBS match master set (which I actually like better) and after adjusting it to bump about 2 thousandths, it fits a case gauge, snug but it fits.

So I called up Redding to inquire and the older gentleman on the phone asked me "well does it chamber?" and of course it does since it was shot in that rifle. to which he replied "case gauges don't mean ANYTHING and you shouldn't bother with one". I explained to him I have several rifles in that caliber and will most definitely make probably 5 or 6 more in the next year or two and would prefer to have ammo that I know will fit them all......He didn't appreciate that at all. I said thank you and ended my call.


So I wonder, am I the only one left using case guages? I use one for every caliber I load. While it's true someone could make decent ammo without one.....

If I try to picture someone NOT using a case gauge all I see if a old fudd using a lee hand loader making 5 rounds of 30/06 or something similar for dear season so he can use three of them to sight in his ruger model 70 for the season and then miss with the other two.

 

[OREGUN]

What’s a case gauge?

 

[Doom]

Resizing once fired brass for Semi Automatics- Case Gauge (especially if notified in my rifle)

 

[MarshallDodge]

My experience is that the case gauge doesn't always give you the whole picture. I much prefer a dial caliper.

 

[FimRire RongLifle]

Cases gauges only commercially exist for common calibers. Never saw one for my wildcats and 33xc or cheytac even. A custom one to desired specs would be kinda cool I suppose. I have to use calipers.


I don't believe one leads to maximizing a loading for a particular system especially for benchrest,elr,fclass disciplines will only sometimes adopt body sizing and mostly for a minimal shoulder bump. And quite often as above we will never know since our chamber and calipers are our reference gauge in that case.

However if your looking to reload book safe ammo for a variety of similar rifles in a caliber, I understand and consider it a valid use case to use one. I assume you load with jump in mind for the smallest measured cbto?

I would be interested in your case measurements delta, between the dies especially if it's 6.5cr as I have Redding type s outputs fit a case gauge with .001-.003 shoulder bumps, using a Redding or Hornady shell holder.

 

[kilizyrag]

What’s a case gauge?

 

[Huskydriver]

For semis and pistols yes

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I still use them.

I called redding today because I bought a set (sizer and bullet seater) of redding competition full length bushing dies. I had only ever sized brand new brass with it as I only bought this set about 6-8 months ago and rand about 500-600 pieces of new brass for uniformity and neck tension with a mandrel after sizing. Before this I had always just used plain die sets with expander balls.

Well today I started loading some of my once fired brass in that caliber and it wouldn't fit a case gauge.....I checked everything thinking maybe I was overlooking something simple as of course I am human and no....it just won't fit a case gauge.

so I grabbed my RCBS match master set (which I actually like better) and after adjusting it to bump about 2 thousandths, it fits a case gauge, snug but it fits.

So I called up Redding to inquire and the older gentleman on the phone asked me "well does it chamber?" and of course it does since it was shot in that rifle. to which he replied "case gauges don't mean ANYTHING and you shouldn't bother with one". I explained to him I have several rifles in that caliber and will most definitely make probably 5 or 6 more in the next year or two and would prefer to have ammo that I know will fit them all......He didn't appreciate that at all. I said thank you and ended my call.


So I wonder, am I the only one left using case guages? I use one for every caliber I load. While it's true someone could make decent ammo without one.....

If I try to picture someone NOT using a case gauge all I see if a old fudd using a lee hand loader making 5 rounds of 30/06 or something similar for dear season so he can use three of them to sight in his ruger model 70 for the season and then miss with the other two.

Ummmm.... Winchester makes a model 70.... Ruger makes a 77

 

[Herb Stoner]

Not for rifle as sizing is monitored with a micrometer. For pistol coming off the Dillon is use an “ammo checker” - a case guage of sorts. I like it - this one…
https://www.armanov.com/shop/ammo-checker-100-rnd-with-flip-cover-36?category=90#attr=4

 

[BobinNC]

If your going to use a case gauge, use the best: A Sheridan Slotted Case Gauge

Sheridan Ammunition Gauges

 

[tinker]

Ummmm.... Winchester makes a model 70.... Ruger makes a 77

It was meant to be funny. Like how old fudds says clip instead of mag or a certain group of young people call every pistol a glock...and put something called a "beam" on them.

 

[krunchnik]

For semis and pistols yes

Same here-

 

[tinker]

Not for rifle as sizing is monitored with a micrometer. For pistol coming off the Dillon is use an “ammo checker” - a case guage of sorts. I like it - this one…
https://www.armanov.com/shop/ammo-checker-100-rnd-with-flip-cover-36?category=90#attr=4

you measure the base with a micrometer? I could but a case gauge is faster for myself.

I did however measure the base of a few with a mic to verify which part of the case was and was not being sized enough to cause it not to fit in the gauge.

someone mentioned gas guns. I totally forgot and then remembered I have a 308 gas gun and a 6.5 cm AR 10 then realized I also have an SBR AR10 in 308. So for me I want to case gauge ALL my ammo because even if I loaded it for a match rifle, I can still shoot it later in something else if I fee like it.

I just found a small 50 rd ammo box the other day while organizing some things. It had about 30 rds of 6.5 CM from doing some load development on a gun about 5 years ago i don't even have anymore. I will use those for plinking at steel for fun, But I know whichever gun I run them in they will run. May not be optimized for "that" gun, but will run just as well as factory stuff for plinking.

 

[tinker]

View attachment 8469030

I think he was being satirical implying he doesn't bother.

 

[Haney]

If your going to use a case gauge, use the best: A Sheridan Slotted Case Gauge

Sheridan Ammunition Gauges

Another vote for Sheridan .

 

[Herb Stoner]

you measure the base with a micrometer? I could but a case gauge is faster for myself.

I’ll check the base when I’m first setting up the sizing die - check the first couple sized cases in the rifle’s chamber too sometimes. Beyond that - No

Hope you sort it out.

 

[straightshooter1]

I still use them.

I called redding today because I bought a set (sizer and bullet seater) of redding competition full length bushing dies. I had only ever sized brand new brass with it as I only bought this set about 6-8 months ago and rand about 500-600 pieces of new brass for uniformity and neck tension with a mandrel after sizing. Before this I had always just used plain die sets with expander balls.

Well today I started loading some of my once fired brass in that caliber and it wouldn't fit a case gauge.....I checked everything thinking maybe I was overlooking something simple as of course I am human and no....it just won't fit a case gauge.

so I grabbed my RCBS match master set (which I actually like better) and after adjusting it to bump about 2 thousandths, it fits a case gauge, snug but it fits.

So I called up Redding to inquire and the older gentleman on the phone asked me "well does it chamber?" and of course it does since it was shot in that rifle. to which he replied "case gauges don't mean ANYTHING and you shouldn't bother with one". I explained to him I have several rifles in that caliber and will most definitely make probably 5 or 6 more in the next year or two and would prefer to have ammo that I know will fit them all......He didn't appreciate that at all. I said thank you and ended my call.


So I wonder, am I the only one left using case guages? I use one for every caliber I load. While it's true someone could make decent ammo without one.....

If I try to picture someone NOT using a case gauge all I see if a old fudd using a lee hand loader making 5 rounds of 30/06 or something similar for dear season so he can use three of them to sight in his ruger model 70 for the season and then miss with the other two.

I rarely use mine. If some cases don't feel quire right when trying to chamber them, I'll check with my Lyman case gauge.

 

[mtrmn]

I use them on semiauto ammo. Like you, I want my ammo to work in any gun I happen to grab. I DO NOT load ammo for PRECISION shooting, although it usually outperforms MOST factory ammo in my guns. I use these, click on the reloading tab:

JP - Maintenance

 

[Sheldon N]

So I wonder, am I the only one left using case guages? I use one for every caliber I load. While it's true someone could make decent ammo without one.....

IMO, sizing to a case gauge is effectively sizing to the lowest common denominator aka making the smallest possible ammo so that it will fit in every rifle possible. The net result of that is that you are oversizing your brass and will shorten brass life. And you may be running way more bullet jump than necessary.

For an AR platform, that might make sense if you have multiple rifles and need the ammo to work in all of them. For a bolt gun, I would not recommend sizing to a case gauge and I would agree with the perspective of the gentleman on the phone from Redding.

For a bolt gun, measuring with comparators allows you to know the specifics of your rifle and have dimensional targets for each measurement - the shoulder bump dimension that allows easy chambering without oversizing, the distance from bullet to lands, and even measuring base diameter and shoulder diameter to see if your dies are a good match with your chamber. Then when you are sizing brass you measure to see if you're hitting the exact dimensions.

Generally speaking this is a site full of precision rifle bolt gun shooters, and the vast majority are not sizing to a case gauge.

 

[hlee]

My case gauge has a bolt and a case extractor…

 

[kthomas]

I occasionally use Whidden case gauges, which have measurements for every thou.

Easy way to directly compare brass pre and post shoulder sizing operations.

The datum itself (i.e. 'GO') is not necessarily important, but rather finding out how measurements compare before and after sizing.

 

[OREGUN]

I think he was being satirical implying he doesn't bother.

I was being a smart ass. I don’t use one. I usually just check my resizing with my chamber and track using a comparator. If I’m running multiple chambers of the same caliber, I either have specific sizing settings for each or I size the lowest common denominator and accept that I’m working the brass more than I need to. The same goes for semi auto calibers.

 

[spife7980]

If you actually want to know whats happening when you are reloading then you need to measure and put a number to it.
Otherwise youre just guessing.

 

[hlee]

I have a 6.5 mm CM case gauge. The ammo that I load for my rifle will not completely seat in the case gauge. Factory ammunition will. But, my loaded ammo fits in the chamber of my rifle fine. Funny thing, the case gauge doesn’t shoot any of the ammo, but the rifle shoots all of it. After realizing this last point, I’m not really concerned about what fits in the case gauge anymore.

 

[tinker]

IMO, sizing to a case gauge is effectively sizing to the lowest common denominator aka making the smallest possible ammo so that it will fit in every rifle possible. The net result of that is that you are oversizing your brass and will shorten brass life. And you may be running way more bullet jump than necessary.

For an AR platform, that might make sense if you have multiple rifles and need the ammo to work in all of them. For a bolt gun, I would not recommend sizing to a case gauge and I would agree with the perspective of the gentleman on the phone from Redding.

For a bolt gun, measuring with comparators allows you to know the specifics of your rifle and have dimensional targets for each measurement - the shoulder bump dimension that allows easy chambering without oversizing, the distance from bullet to lands, and even measuring base diameter and shoulder diameter to see if your dies are a good match with your chamber. Then when you are sizing brass you measure to see if you're hitting the exact dimensions.

Generally speaking this is a site full of precision rifle bolt gun shooters, and the vast majority are not sizing to a case gauge.

I do measure with a comparator. I only bump the shoulder back .002". But they still fit in a case gauge (at least 99% of them do).

 

[camocorvette]

I use a wilson case gauge for 556, and 762x39, all bolt gun ammo, no.

 

[tinker]

IMO, sizing to a case gauge is effectively sizing to the lowest common denominator aka making the smallest possible ammo so that it will fit in every rifle possible. The net result of that is that you are oversizing your brass and will shorten brass life. And you may be running way more bullet jump than necessary.

For an AR platform, that might make sense if you have multiple rifles and need the ammo to work in all of them. For a bolt gun, I would not recommend sizing to a case gauge and I would agree with the perspective of the gentleman on the phone from Redding.

For a bolt gun, measuring with comparators allows you to know the specifics of your rifle and have dimensional targets for each measurement - the shoulder bump dimension that allows easy chambering without oversizing, the distance from bullet to lands, and even measuring base diameter and shoulder diameter to see if your dies are a good match with your chamber. Then when you are sizing brass you measure to see if you're hitting the exact dimensions.

Generally speaking this is a site full of precision rifle bolt gun shooters, and the vast majority are not sizing to a case gauge.

also I just learned it looks like redding dies are not suited to a Dillon 650. I don't really use my rock chucker much anymore. But I am seeing that Redding dies are meant to be used with their shell holders and will fall a little short of full sizing if using a standard shell holder. Supposedly you can tune it with their shell holders in the minus sizes.

I haven't tried that but prefer to do all my loading (bulk plinking and precision stuff) now on the dillon as it saves a lot of time for brass prep. But I could do prep on the dillon and seat on the checker if I really wanted to use the redding dies. Honestly I don't feel them sizing much between the two dies and from what I recall the base was only about 1-2 thou different from the two dies from not fitting the case gauge and fitting. I could agree the RCBS die would be causing a bunch of extra work hardening if it was 6 or 7 though but 1 to 2, I think I will see primer pocket issues before I see case head separation. But time will tell.

 

[BuLLet]

I've been using these in various forms for years...

Gages

Also the Whidden's that @kthomas posted