Oldsmobiler....You could very well be correct. I suppose everyone's rifle behaves just a bit different. I went to the range today and did like you suggested. I measured my casings before and after firing. I also did what you suggested and turned the gas off (what a pain!!). In both examples, the fired casings were only .001" different than the original.
In the end, I think everybody provided some very sound advice on this thread. I tried using the bent paper clip and could not tell the difference (with my Remy 7600 blowing casings). I could however feel the "pimple" bulging at the bottom and a noticeably different discoloring of the casings about to fail on the next firing.
The four or five rule is a good one, I find after five, my casings are getting pretty beat up (many of those were with the old bolt too) and for $30 or so, I prefer just to buy new stuff.
In the end, I think everybody provided some very sound advice on this thread. I tried using the bent paper clip and could not tell the difference (with my Remy 7600 blowing casings). I could however feel the "pimple" bulging at the bottom and a noticeably different discoloring of the casings about to fail on the next firing.
The four or five rule is a good one, I find after five, my casings are getting pretty beat up (many of those were with the old bolt too) and for $30 or so, I prefer just to buy new stuff.
