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Lee Case Length Gauge

Printed From: The Carbine Collector's Club
Category: The Club
Forum Name: Safety/ Accuracy/Shooting/Ammunition/Care and Maintenance
Forum Description: What to Check, Reloading, Tips for Accuracy, Competitive/Recreational Shooting
URL: http://www.uscarbinecal30.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6113
Printed Date: Mar 29 2024 at 9:01am
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Topic: Lee Case Length Gauge
Posted By: Rebel92
Subject: Lee Case Length Gauge
Date Posted: Mar 24 2022 at 8:58am
Am I the only one who has had the issue with the Lee Case Length gauge not fitting inside SOME of my brass? Mostly the ones it does not fit into are commercial brass cases, but occasionally it will not fit inside some of my Lake City Surplus. I searched this online and saw someone had issues with a 450 Bushmaster case length gauge, and he just sanded it down slightly so it would accept the brass easily? 

Someone please tell me I am not the only one who has experienced this, as I bought 2 different case length gauges, and the issue persist with both of them

Using the Lee sizing die. 



Replies:
Posted By: Smokpole
Date Posted: Mar 24 2022 at 3:55pm
That is normal. I use a bit of steel wool to reduce the diameter by a couple thousandths. Has worked fine ever since.

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Posted By: Rebel92
Date Posted: Mar 25 2022 at 8:30am
Okay sounds good, thanks SmokePole. I wasn't able to see where anyone else had talked about it online. Was thinking for a moment that I might just be one of the unluckiest folks out there. But I got it figured out now, just needed to take a tad bit off thanks! 


Posted By: floydthecat
Date Posted: Mar 25 2022 at 10:08am
On this subject. I have mentioned that I never could obtain consistent results using this style trimmer. I also mentioned the reason might have been me and not the tool. Do you that are using this tool and modifying the pin, use it on all manufacturers of brass? My theory was that all brass may not be created equal, some is thicker than others. It seems to me the diameter of the case mouth will vary after sizing depending on brass quality, resulting in the pin not fitting in some cases, or fitting loosely in others resulting in wobble, which results in a ruined case during trimming.

Are you having consistent results using all manufacturers brass? Maybe custom fitting the pin has more to do with your sizer die? Fit the pin to the case your die creates and the diameter of the mouth is not significant enough to matter?


Posted By: Rebel92
Date Posted: Mar 25 2022 at 9:41pm
Floyd, I bet you are right as some brass fit perfect and others did not. But I took some 800 grit sandpaper and about 5 minutes later they all fit. I have some wobble, but as far as I can tell I’m having great consistency in my trims. 


Posted By: floydthecat
Date Posted: Mar 26 2022 at 9:09am
I belong to the group that suggest brass may not need trimming after each firing. If you desire consistency, nothing at all wrong with that. I just don’t grind-up brass if it doesn’t need it. Depending on the strength of the load you shoot, the quality of the brass and the condition of your action, it might not require a trim after each firing. One could probably trim to 1.284 and get two firings from it before it requires trimming again, maybe three. I think trimming it back shorter than 1.284 is a waste of time and brass and also increases head space unless your carbine is set-up that tight on purpose.

Labor intensive maybe, but I measure my sized brass. Anything under 1.288 skips the trimmer. Anything over goes to the trimmer set to 1.285. If you want to be real careful and precise, you only need to trim-to-fit the action. If the actual head space is 1.297, you can safely run brass closer to that length without danger. You have to know the carbine you’re shooting.


Posted By: Rebel92
Date Posted: Apr 27 2022 at 11:04pm
Umm. Is it ok that my brass, when measured at different positions, will vary 1.279-1.282, on the same piece of brass?


Posted By: floydthecat
Date Posted: Apr 28 2022 at 4:11am
Normal for brass that has not been ran thru a trimmer to square it up. If you use the longer figure, the case is still in spec. If you run it thru a trimmer and square it up, it would probably measure shorter than 1.280 and be deemed out-of-spec, but whether it’s safe or not depends on the particular carbine head space based on the rule-of-22 (1.302-1.280=22). You get back to the difference in what the spec says and what the carbine will still safely shoot and what the user believes or does. If you follow the spec, the round should be tossed if at below 1.280. If you know your carbine and how tight it is-or-isin’t, it will still fire and be safe at shorter case lengths.


Posted By: Rebel92
Date Posted: Apr 28 2022 at 11:55am
Floyd, to test that, I would need to fashion a gauge that is shorter than a go gauge, correct??


Posted By: floydthecat
Date Posted: Apr 28 2022 at 12:48pm
Originally posted by Rebel92 Rebel92 wrote:

Floyd, to test that, I would need to fashion a gauge that is shorter than a go gauge, correct??

Yes. You can use a sized case and scotch tape to determine exact head space, but if the carbine in question doesn’t close on a 1.295 no-go, you could shoot brass shorter than 1.280. I’d find out exactly what it was though.


Posted By: Rebel92
Date Posted: Apr 28 2022 at 2:29pm
none of my 3 carbines  on a no go, and only one of them even comes remotely close. So that means that short brass (within reason) is of no concern to me, but long brass must be watched for.  Am I thinking correctly? I have done the scotch tape and my favorite shooter is a 1.295



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