- Location
- Hamilton, Ontario
Worth the investment?
223 headspace/cartridge gauge worth the buy?
- Thread starter tinymike66
- Start date
- Location
- Hamilton, Ontario
Im just reloading 223 for my AR
I trim the brass, was gonna buy a gauge to check the cartridges
I trim the brass, was gonna buy a gauge to check the cartridges
I think what your refering to is a cartridge gauge. Rather than a headspace gauge.
Like this dillion one
And no I bought one and returned it as fast as I could. For measuring headspace I'd use a hornady or sinclairs headspace comparator coupled with a digital caliper.
Edit: saw your post, for what you want it to do. Then sure it's worth it if it makes reloading faster/easier.
Like this dillion one
And no I bought one and returned it as fast as I could. For measuring headspace I'd use a hornady or sinclairs headspace comparator coupled with a digital caliper.
Edit: saw your post, for what you want it to do. Then sure it's worth it if it makes reloading faster/easier.
^ I'm with fdc on this. My case gauges are used frequently to QC full-sized cases. I also use them to check fired and neck-sized cases to see if they are in need of a trim or if they need to be full-sized - so much easier than using your rifle's chamber.
One thing to note that caught me by surprise is that most case gauges only measure case length, not case diameter. You can have cases that case gauge perfectly but do not fit in the chamber if the chamber is tighter than your sizing die.
One thing to note that caught me by surprise is that most case gauges only measure case length, not case diameter. You can have cases that case gauge perfectly but do not fit in the chamber if the chamber is tighter than your sizing die.
FirearmsEnthusiast
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kingston, ON
Depends on your application. Case gauges are great for spot checking loaded rounds for conformity with SAAMI specs. In that application, consider ordering a slotted gauge from Sheridan Engineering - it's a cutaway case gauge so you can see the shoulder contour visually - very cool.
If you are shooting .223 from a bolt gun and plan to neck size only, then cause gauges are useless - consider a Hornady headspace measuring kit instead that clip on to your calipers and measure to a fixed datum point on the case neck, then bump the case back but 2-3 thou.
Sorry - missed the reference to the AR from the original post. Full length resizing and a Wilson case gauge for length checking after resizing before bullet seating plus final QC of loaded rounds is the way I would suggest.
Hope this helps.
If you are shooting .223 from a bolt gun and plan to neck size only, then cause gauges are useless - consider a Hornady headspace measuring kit instead that clip on to your calipers and measure to a fixed datum point on the case neck, then bump the case back but 2-3 thou.
Sorry - missed the reference to the AR from the original post. Full length resizing and a Wilson case gauge for length checking after resizing before bullet seating plus final QC of loaded rounds is the way I would suggest.
Hope this helps.
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The problem with a Wilson type case gauge is a fired case might bind and not drop into the gauge. Meaning you will not know the "fired" length of the case from your rifle.
Below a "fired" (not resized) case from my AR15 carbine in my Hornady cartridge case headspace gauge.
Below the same case after full length resizing and .003 shoulder bump.
I'm 65 and have chronologically gifted eyesight and the big digital numbers on the vernier calipers sure make life easier.
So to answer your question a AR15 chamber is .002 larger in diameter and has longer military headspace settings. And a Wilson type case gauge is setup for civilian SAAMI chamber dimensions and may cause you to over resize the case. On top of this these type gauges only check from the case shoulder to the base of the case and not case diameter.
Below a fired .223 case will not drop all the way into the gauge.
And if you buy the Hornady cartridge case gauge pictured above you only need this single gauge for all your rifles.
I do use a .223 JP Enterprises Case gauge to check my loaded rounds, and the gauge is cut with chamber finish reamer. Meaning this gauge checks the body diameter of the case and a Wilson type gauge does not. I load for my two AR15s and my sons AR15 and this case gauge makes sure all my loaded rounds fit all three rifles as the last inspection check.
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