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Head Spacing tools

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Category: Firearms, Bows, and Ammunition
Forum Name: Reloading & Ballistics
Forum Description: Anything to do with ammunition
URL: http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=27510
Printed Date: March/18/2024 at 22:49
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Topic: Head Spacing tools
Posted By: Urimaginaryfrnd
Subject: Head Spacing tools
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 10:50
http://www.hornady.com/store/OAL-Gauges/ - http://www.hornady.com/store/OAL-Gauges/
http://www.hornady.com/store/Headspace-Gauge-Kits/ - http://www.hornady.com/store/Headspace-Gauge-Kits/
http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Comparator-Set-Body-and-14-Bullet-Inserts-1-Each/ - http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Comparator-Set-Body-and-14-Bullet-Inserts-1-Each/
http://www.700rifle.com/precision_mic.php - http://www.700rifle.com/precision_mic.php
 
Are any of you using these type tools and how do you like them?


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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
Texas Ranger



Replies:
Posted By: Bigdaddy0381
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 10:58
I use the AOL gauge and it works great. It lets you find the lands with out all the trouble. I can mail you mine to use if you want me to . Just shoot me the PM and I'll see if I have the cal cases you need. I have the straight AOL gauge.
 
 


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P&Z Firearms , Pro gun cleanings and gun repair and wood refinishing.

Ecclesiastes 10:2


Posted By: supertool73
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 11:04
I use all those Hornady tools you have listed.  They seem to work quite well.

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Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack.

"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."


Posted By: Urimaginaryfrnd
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 12:05
I was just thinking about picking up some of these tools and wanted to know how you like them.

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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
Texas Ranger


Posted By: trappinjohn
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 16:25
I'm glad you ask.  I've been looking at the same things.


Posted By: SD Dog
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 16:50
Ur, I have the straight OAL gauge and the Lock N Load comparator set.  They have worked great for me.

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If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. AP Herbert

Stupidity & ignorance have been the foundation for many certainties.


Posted By: RifleDude
Date Posted: February/04/2011 at 17:49
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:

http://www.hornady.com/store/OAL-Gauges/ - http://www.hornady.com/store/OAL-Gauges/
http://www.hornady.com/store/Headspace-Gauge-Kits/ - http://www.hornady.com/store/Headspace-Gauge-Kits/
http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Comparator-Set-Body-and-14-Bullet-Inserts-1-Each/ - http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Comparator-Set-Body-and-14-Bullet-Inserts-1-Each/
http://www.700rifle.com/precision_mic.php - http://www.700rifle.com/precision_mic.php
 
Are any of you using these type tools and how do you like them?


I use essentially the same bump gage tools from Sinclair, but the ones from Sinclair are less expensive.  they work well.  You simply install on your calipers, use the insert for your particular case family, insert a once-fired case, take a reference dimension, then use the comparator to measure how far you adjust your sizing die down to bump your shoulder back, which doesn't need to be more than .001" - .002" shorter than the fireformed case shoulder dimension.

Bump gage body here (ignore bullet OAL comparators):
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=34014/Product/Sinclair_Insert_Style_Bullet_Comparator - http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=34014/Product/Sinclair_Insert_Style_Bullet_Comparator

Shoulder inserts here:
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=35265/Product/Sinclair_Bump_Gage_Insert - http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=35265/Product/Sinclair_Bump_Gage_Insert


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Ted


Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle.


Posted By: sakomato
Date Posted: February/05/2011 at 15:36
I use all the Hornady tools and a couple of others.  Have no experience with the Precision Mic.
 
These are 2 different tools that do 2 different things.  One is a headspace tool and the other is an OAL tool.
 
The OAL tool will tell you your "distance to the lands" if you allow for the headspace of the modified case.  For instance when you use the headspace tool on a modified case and a fired case in my 30-06
 
 
 
the measurement has a difference of .010".  The fired case has been fired 5 times and I would push the shoulder back .001" when sizing so there is a difference of .009".
 
So if I took a measurement with the OAL tool I would push the modified case all the way in until it hits the shoulder of the chamber and then push the bullet to the lands.  When I retracted it and took the measurement from the case head of the modified case to the tip (or ogive if using a comparator) then the actual measurement would be .009" short.  It will depend upon the headspace measurement of your chamber and the particular modified case you get.
 
If I then expected to seat .015" off the lands by subtracting that .015" from the measurement, I would actually be seating .024" off.  Not a big deal since seating deeper does not cause any problems and actually decreases pressure and velocity. 
 
The headspace tool is accurate and will give you a comparative measurement to show how much your case is expanding in your chamber and how much you are pushing the shoulder back during resizing.  Very simple to use and fool proof (helps me out!).  It does not however measure "headspace" on a belted case but rather the gap between the case shoulder from new case to fired case.
 
For instance on a 264 win mag I bought as a donor action the gap at the shoulder was significant
 
 
 
if I had kept the caliber and fired this case 3 or 4 times to fully expand it, the shoulder would have moved ~.040"  Shocked   The "headspace" on this gun as measured to the front of the belt was .007" but that excessive case expansion could have led to premature case head separations and other problems.  Useful info
 
I use the OAL tool to hold the bullet against the lands while I use another tool to measure the distance to the lands.  The tool I use is the R-P tool shown here with the Hornady
 
 
It is just a stainless steel rod with a brass removable tip.  You just insert down to the bolt face (make sure it is cocked and firing pin retracted, don't ask me how I know!) and lock the outside collet
 
 
insert the bullet to the lands with the Hornady tool and insert the rod down to the bullet tip and lock the inside collet
 
 
measure between the collets
 
 
It gives you 2 hard square surfaces to measure between and there can be no mistake (again that helps me out).  The only variance you will get will be because of how hard or soft you set the bullet into the lands.


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Guns only have 2 enemies, rust and politicians



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