How many of you use the Hornady Overall Length Gauge?

[dlouie87]

Midway has them on sale right now and I've seen them mentioned a few times on here. I was just wondering if it's worth the money or should I do it the old school way with a permanent marker and my own brass?

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[fx77]

Since I switched to the Dummy Round technique...no more.

 

[FN in MT]

I have one and have used it for several years. I think it's easy to use and reasonably accurate. Sure beats the old methods previously used.

 

[18Echo]

Use it for every new barrel, doesn't get any easier.

 

[hrfunk]

I have it and like it. It takes a little practice to get repeatable readings, though.

HRF

 

[308Gunner]

I to have one and as stated above with practice it is accurate.

 

[mtang45]

I use one every time I develop a new load and find it invaluable. The only issue I have with it is that the caliber specific collets have very little relationship to the actual diameter of the bullet being measured. So you merely measure some random arbitrary point on the ogive and not a point that corresponds to the diameter that makes contact with the lands. This feature of the tool forces the measurement of every bullet design of the same caliber you want to load, instead of being able to measure one bullet and having a fixed value for the distance from bolt face to lands.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Get one, you won't regret it.

Sent from my POS phone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Wannashootit]

If someone's got an easier- or more accurate way to measure the jump to the lands, I'd love to hear about it.
Measuring OAL isn't even part of my vocabulary. Every bullet type seating depth is measured from the ogive with the LNL gauge.

 

[captcoop]

I have it and like it. It takes a little practice to get repeatable readings, though.

HRF

Very true!

 

[dlouie87]

Ok. Thanks guys. I ordered one from midway. They are on sale right now. I'm going to go to the LGS to check to see if they have the modified .308 case

 

[Squid284]

Being without one is like reloading in the dark. You can also make your own modified case from a fired piece of brass with the right drill and tap that will give you more accurate results for your chamber/headspace.

I do prefer the sinclair comparator inserts over the hornady.

If you just reload to mag length it's probably a moot point, but if you reload to 0.0XX" off the lands then get one.

 

[wilecoyote]

...mandatory_

 

[targaflorio]

I have used mine many times and the measurement comes out almost the same as the dummy bullet method. Redundant, but satisfying. I find the dummy bullet gives me a smaller SD, but after 5 or 6 repeats, the Hornady tool tells me what oal to use. I tend to error on the long side, so when I am seated touching the lands, none of the bullets will be jumping. Better to be slightly jammed than have some of the bullets not touching due to error margin in the bullets, seating process, etc.

You have to be very gentle and make sure the rod doesn't move when you extract the device.
The downside is you are not using a case fired in your chamber. Even with the cut out for the caliper, I don't think the measurement is perfectly straight. But like I said, the results are definitely usable.

 

[Blackbrush]

Use it all of the time with my own cases fired in my chambers. It's easy enough to make your own "modified" cases. Good stuff.

 

[dlouie87]

Squid,

May I ask why you line the Sinclair or recommend that over the Hornady? I already bought the hornady comparator and the attachment.

 

[dlouie87]

Hello,

Can you give me some more details on making the modified case specific to my chamber? What is size are the threads to drill the case and I assume I would just have to split the case neck slightly?

 

[Squid284]

The tap size is 5/16"-32 and is an oddball size that usually has to be ordered (try Enco.com and maybe double check the tap size). If you take a fired piece of brass the bullet should slip into the neck freely. The point of this is the hornady modified cases have more headspace (like factory new brass) than your particular chambering. This will throw off your cartridge base to ogive measurements, giving you slightly more jump than actual.

Sinclair makes a shoulder bump gage that datums to the angled shoulder surface rather than a particular diameter on the shoulder like the hornady comparator. The hornady bullet comparator inserts are aluminum and can get nicked easily. The sinclair bullet comparators are steel and I think are a little more consistent in how they contact the bullet. The sinclair inserts will fit in the hornady comparator and vice-versa.

You should be fine with the hornady stuff, nothing wrong with it but I just prefer sinclair comparators. Also, if you find the larger VLD bullet tips bottom out on the caliper, sinclair makes a comparator body that is longer.