Have never seen comments on OAL gauge for pistol reloads

[357reloading]

I have found that OAL gauges help me weed out reloads where the case has been stretched. Can check before or after i load. Something can't do by just measuring total lenght of loaded round. Simple tool.

[Rusty W]

I shoot revolvers mostly. I just take my cylinder out and see if a round will slide in. I have a convertible Ruger 45 and sometimes a certain boolit will not chamber with the suggested OAL on the ACP, such as the Lee 230TC boolit. I just have to seat it a little deeper so the shoulder don't stick out of the case mouth. You could do the same with a semiauto, just have to take the barrel out & check for fit.

[spqrzilla]

Never found a use for a OAL gauge in pistol rounds myself. Certainly not for case stretching in .45 ACP which I've never seen in thousands of rounds.

A chamber gauge has been a requirement for me in 9x19mm however. The combination of tapered case and bullet diameter variation means that I am constantly fiddling with getting 9x19mm rounds that will chamber and a gauge is a necessity for me.

Other pistol calibers? Not really.

[noylj]

Every one of my 9mm guns came with an excellent case gage—the barrel.

[357reloading]

some seem to be missing the point . about the lenght of the case. . Dont shoot 45 acp. my self but I do 32 acp, 380 auto 9 mm 40 s&w 10 mm 38 special and 357. The above comments correct about the 9 MM.

[geargnasher]

I always wondered if anyone actually used those things. My needs are different but so is my methodology. My revolver stuff gets trimmed often enough to not need a case gauge and a case gauge in .40 S&W or .45 ACP is about as useful as a case trimmer in those calibers, which is to liken them to teats on boar hogs. I have yet to ever see a .45 ACP case that would come closer than .005" of actually headspacing on the case mouth, no matter how many times it had been reloaded. I don't reload for the nine para but it seems that if certain combinations are prone to be problematic a no-go gauge would be handy to ensure reliable functioning.

Gear

[357reloading]

I have a case trimmer, but find best to trash cases that should be trimmed. Pick up so much brass first fired at indoor range. Only thing almost never see at range is 10 MM 38 special and 357.

[mdi]

My case gages are the cylinders of my Blackhawk and 629, and the barrels of my RIA 1911 and Contender. But, I do understand your want/need for the gage; for loaded rounds it's easy to grab the gage rather than pull a barrel out or use a cylinder, and they (the gages) are cut to S.A.A.M.I specs. I just haven't gotten around to buying one yet...

[GLShooter]

I've used the barrel or cylinder for any gauging of ammunition. Never had an issue with any auto cases needed trimming and I have enough revolver brass that has never been a concern.

I suppose if I started having functioning problems in my cartridge fit then I might consider a case gauge but 35 years of reloading hasn't shown me a need for one yet.

Greg

[I B Jeepin]

I like them and use them every 20-30 rounds. Is it necessary? No. But it saves time by not having to dissasemble the handgun to use the cylinder/barrel. I look at them as another set of eyes. Another check and balance to the reload process. I dont think they are super accurate. For example you can take a Field Reject headspace gauge and drop it in a cartridge length gauge and its like a hot dog in a coffee cup.

I think when you are starting out reloading, they are a cheap verifyer. I dont think it would be wise to check the chambering of a reload in a handgun without taking it apart. Too much can go wrong. $20 is not that much to worry about. Drop a round in the gauge, *ya, it'll chamber".

[cajun shooter]

I have always used the gun that the loads are intended for. I used my OAL for my 92 44-40 rifle and made the mistake of thinking they would also work in my 1873. WRONG! After this I place what ever gun that I am loading for and try the first few rounds to see if I have fit. I had the same problem with 45 Colt revolvers made by USFA. My cheap gun loads would not fit the cylinders of the USFA. Load with cylinder on bench.

[Mk42gunner]

I use a dial caliper as a snap guage; set it to the length you want then pass the cases through the jaws. It makes for less clutter on the loading bench.


Robert

[LowPE]

I teach pistol shooting, and use case gauges to inspect the quality of students' reloads at the firing line.

The stories from new, know it all reloaders I could tell....

[357reloading]

Yes been reloading since 1972, gauges for every handgun round i reload, except 32 acp, that i cant find . Recently started reloading the 9 MM,40 S&w, 10 MM with lead bullets. I check EVERY round with case gauge when doing lead. Jacketed bullets do not seem to have the headaches. No small shavings of lead on the case head. Always find a few that need a tad of extra cleaning. sometimes is lube build up, often find small flake of lead. Revolver rounds not a great problem.




I teach pistol shooting, and use case gauges to inspect the quality of students' reloads at the firing line.

The stories from new, know it all reloaders I could tell....