Pin Gauge Question

[264 Win Mag]

I will be getting a lube/sizer for Christmas and I need to figure out what sizing dies I will be needing. After reading several threads about measuring cylinders and barrels I started looking into the pin gauges that were mentioned. My question is which set is the best, the plus or minus set?

Thomas

[leftiye]

Minus set. It is slightly (.0002") smaller than marked. A .454 gauge that is .454" won't go into a hole that is .454" as they are literally the same size and therefore interfere. Because of this you can't get anything bigger than the next smaller gauge into the hole with a plus gauge, and may be off .0008". The .0002" undersized pin gauge WILL go into a hole of the designated size. Seller 800 watt on evilbay has nice sets at great prices, and has treated me well.

[quasi]

minus, the chinese ones are good enough.

[Buckshot]

................Check Enco at www.useenco.com. You can get a shipping code for free shipping on orders over $50 at The Home Shop Machinsit forums. The most useable set of pin gages (besides being the minus set) is the .251" to .500" size.

I've done business with 800watt a couple times. You WILL eventually get your stuff, you won't get a shipping break (I live about 40 miles from his warehouse) nor will you get any communication from him, so don't try :-)

.............Buckshot

[264 Win Mag]

................Check Enco at www.useenco.com. You can get a shipping code for free shipping on orders over $50 at The Home Shop Machinsit forums. The most useable set of pin gages (besides being the minus set) is the .251" to .500" size.

.............Buckshot

Thanks for the info leftiye. I was guessing it was the minus set but the closest I come to knowing anything about being a machinist is being my father’s son. He was a machinist in the Navy during Korea.

Thanks Buckshot. My next question was where to get them without paying the $32+ they were asking for shipping on E-bay. Seems a little stout in these days of flat rate boxes.

Thomas

[leftiye]

15 dollars shipping.

[MtGun44]

I vote with Buckshot for Enco. My set is nicely made and the price was
very good, plus Enco is a pleasure to deal with. Never had a bit of problem
with them, bought many tools over the years. Prolly a lot less than
Buckshot, tho. :roll:

Oh - another vote for the minus set, too.

Bill

[alamogunr]

Minus set. It is slightly (.0002") smaller than marked. A .454 gauge that is .454" won't go into a hole that is .454" as they are literally the same size and therefore interfere. Because of this you can't get anything bigger than the next smaller gauge into the hole with a plus gauge, and may be off .0008". The .0002" undersized pin gauge WILL go into a hole of the designated size. Seller 800 watt on evilbay has nice sets at great prices, and has treated me well.

I just got a Meyer set of pin gages off ebay. I guess nobody else wanted it because it was missing 8 pins. I took a chance that they wouldn't be needed. Hooray! they aren't any that I am likely to need.

In checking some of my revolvers, I found, for example, that a .452 gage would not go in the throat but a .451 gage went in easily. Per the quoted post, is my .452 gage .4518-.4520 or is it absolutely .4518? Or does it matter and I can just assume that the throat is between .451 and .452?

Just a side note, the Rugers were mostly undersized and the S&W's were right on with the exception of the S&W 696. The throats on this would not accept a .429 pin. Now I need to slug the bore of this one and others to see if they need work.

John

[fivegunner]

Thank`s Buckshot for the info I just bought a set from Enco, and they are great ! and fast shipping too!:Fire::castmine:

[Buckshot]

In checking some of my revolvers, I found, for example, that a .452 gage would not go in the throat but a .451 gage went in easily. Per the quoted post, is my .452 gage .4518-.4520 or is it absolutely .4518? Or does it matter and I can just assume that the throat is between .451 and .452?
John

..............A .452" marked pin gage will actually mike .4518" at their certification temperature. For use in a revolver I would size slugs to the diameter of the pin gage that would not pass into the throat of the cylinder. If a pin gage will barely fit, but does go, you can just about bet it is at the nominal size of the pin gage. If a .451" marked pin enters and will rock a bit, but a .452" won't go you can figure you're in the .4515" area.

A tenth of a thousandth can really count in lots of things, but don't get hung up on it for everything. Remember a regular sheet of typing paper is .004" thick which is 40 of those tenths :-)

..............Buckshot

[alamogunr]

..............A .452" marked pin gage will actually mike .4518" at their certification temperature. For use in a revolver I would size slugs to the diameter of the pin gage that would not pass into the throat of the cylinder. If a pin gage will barely fit, but does go, you can just about bet it is at the nominal size of the pin gage. If a .451" marked pin enters and will rock a bit, but a .452" won't go you can figure you're in the .4515" area.

A tenth of a thousandth can really count in lots of things, but don't get hung up on it for everything. Remember a regular sheet of typing paper is .004" thick which is 40 of those tenths :-)

..............Buckshot


Found a little time to go back to the shop now that the holidays are over and tried a few things I was curious about. I measured a couple dozen of my pin gages and found that they all miked nominal diameter on the nose. I'm not an expert with a micrometer but I checked the vernier as best I could see and they were right on the money. Not that this makes a big difference. By the way all my stock Ruger revolvers came in about .001 under nominal except for one and it was .003 undersize. That one will get attention. The Freedom Arms was a tight fit at .452 in all three cylinders as were the Clement Bisley and the Stroh .44 Spec conversion. It can be done if you are willing to pay for it. Slugging the bores is next.

John