LE Wilson Case Gauges

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PepNYC

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So I bought 2 LE Wilson Case gauges. One for 223 and one for 9mm. I check my cases with the 223 and they go right in and measure no problem. Now the 9mm is confusing me. I put a round in and some slide right through and on some the rim sticks out. I thought I did something wrong so I tested a factory Speer Gold Dot 115gr FMJ HP and it didn't even go in all the way stopped half way through. I did a plunk test on 3 different 9mm firearms. A Glock 19, A SIG P365 and a S&W full size M&P and they all went in fine and lined up perfectly in the barrels. They were lightly crimped. Could the amount of crimp have something to do with it? I just want to be sure before I get these to the range and find out something's off when it's too late and I'm picking my fingers up off the floor.

Here's what I'm loading.

Brand New Magtech Brass right out of the bag
124gr Sig Sauer V-Crown JHP projectiles.
CCI small pistol primers #500

Case length measure at .745
OAL - 1068


Here's the reload that falls through the gauge.



Here you'll see the reload that the rim sticks up.



Here's the Speer Gold Dot that won't even go in all the way.

 
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That wasn’t as funny as I thought it would be.

You probably have way too much crimp, got a pic of your reload?

case gauges are tight to meet min standard, just plunk and see what works in your gun, except for those reloads, they are a problem.
 
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It’s my understanding that the rim should be below the top shoulder but above the bottom shoulder where that grove is cut across the top. I could be wrong and I didn’t stay at a holiday inn express last night.


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Zbizzle911 said:
It’s my understanding that the rim should be below the top shoulder but above the bottom shoulder where that grove is cut across the top. I could be wrong and I didn’t stay at a holiday inn express last night.


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Click to expand...

That's exactly my concern. That was my understanding as well. That's how it works with my 223 gauge but the factory 9mm round doesn't even fit so I'm not sure what's going on.

Holiday Inn sucks anyway. :)
 
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9MM SHOULD HAVE ZERO CRIMP

Sorry I didn't mean to yell that but there it is. no crimp. nada. no flare either. When you look at the case mouth from the side the brass should not curve into or away from the bullet, it should be straight.


But there's no way in hell that cartridge should slide that far into your case gauge. can you post a pic of the inside of the gauge? there should be a lip in there for the brass to engage when you drop it in.

It's common for about 10% of my reloads to hang up at the lip like your photo #2. I'm using range pickup brass and those 10% have a burr on the rim. I chuck em up in a drill, spin them and touch a file with the rim to knock off the burr and then they'll check out just fine.
 
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Catfish said:
9MM SHOULD HAVE ZERO CRIMP

Sorry I didn't mean to yell that but there it is. no crimp. nada. no flare either. When you look at the case mouth from the side the brass should not curve into or away from the bullet, it should be straight.
Click to expand...

You yelled at me. :(

If you don't flare how do you seat the bullet?

Nope. No lip.

 
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Take the rounds out of the case gauge, line them up in a row, take a pic, post that pic so we can see what the rounds look like.
 
He means flare, seat, then use the crimp die just to remove the flair. You should be able to pull the bullet and see only the slightest ring, if any, from the crimping.
 
Exactly. You use the De-Flare Die (tm) to remove the flare and stop there. I'm going to get the makers to stop calling them crimp dies, eventually :)

That gauge is still suspect. if these cartridges plunked fine in your guns but fell through the gauge, something sho ain't right in there.
 
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JimB said:
That wasn’t as funny as I thought it would be.

You probably have way too much crimp, got a pic of your reload?

case gauges are tight to meet min standard, just plunk and see what works in your gun, except for those reloads, they are a problem.
Click to expand...

Ah so you took advantage of my naivety did ya. Easy on me. I'm a rookie.

From left to right. Speer factory round. The round that the rim sticks up. The round that slides all the way through.

 
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JimB said:
He means flare, seat, then use the crimp die just to remove the flair. You should be able to pull the bullet and see only the slightest ring, if any, from the crimping.
Click to expand...

Catfish said:
Exactly. You use the De-Flare Die (tm) to remove the flare and stop there. I'm going to get the makers to stop calling them crimp dies, eventually :)

That gauge is still suspect. if these cartridges plunked fine in your guns but fell through the gauge, something sho ain't right in there.
Click to expand...

Ok so let's start on the last step after I seat the bullet. The "crimp" or "de-flare" die. I put in the die all the way in until is touches the shell holder. Back out the adjusting screw on top. Put in the loaded round. Turn in the adjusting screw until I feel it just touch. Slide the ram down and screw in the adjusting screw 1/2 turn and raise the ram. That's what I've been doing for every round. No good?

Now keep in mind all of these passed the plunk test in all of my pistols.
 
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PepNYC said:
You yelled at me. :(

If you don't flare how do you seat the bullet?

Nope. No lip.

Click to expand...
That's not right... did you buy that new?

ETA it looks short but that could be perspective. did someone chop it off to make a push-thru die for 9mm?
 
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Looks like they have to different pistol case gauges. One that only measures length and one that measures max length , max cartridge dimensions and max loaded round length. Whats the part number on yours? the length only one is clg - 9mm and the other is the PMG-9mm
 
Zbizzle911 said:
Looks like they have to different pistol case gauges. One that only measures length and one that measures max length , max cartridge dimensions and max loaded round length. Whats the part number on yours? the length only one is clg - 9mm and the other is the PMG-9mm
Click to expand...

Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner. Correctamundo my friend. I was looking at their site and noticed that as well. I have the case length gauge. CLG. It slides over the top of the cases to gauge the length. So yeah. Operator error. I'm going to order that Pistol Max Gauge if I can find it in stock anyplace. Amazon has the Lyman for $20. I may just go with that one.

Sorry to drive you guys crazy. Actually, let me offer a blanket apology in advance for any future confusion because I'll probably do it again. :)



 
I quit using photo hosting and just upload the photos here. Photobucket can kiss my arse.
 
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