rharfo
Well-Known Member
I have a Hornady bullet comparator. Do I need a LE Wilson case gauge? Are they doing the same thing?
Case Gage vs Bullet Comparator
- Thread starter rharfo
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QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
Two different things.
The bullet comparator is used to measure base-to-ogive (BTO) measurements, either of the loaded cartridge or of an in individual bullet. It's used in conjunction with a seating depth testing method (Hornady modified case, split case, stripped bolt, etc) to set seating depth when loading rounds.
LE Wilson makes two types of drop-in case gages. Their "case gage" measures min/max headspace and case length. It's reamed out larger in the body than SAAMI minimum spec so that you can put fired brass into it, and combined with their depth micrometer measures headspace. This is similar to what the Hornady Headspace Comparator kit measures:
www.hornady.com
The second one they make is the brass "min dimension gage" which acts more like the other case gages on the market in that if the round drops into the gage it will chamber in any rifle chamber because it's less than max SAAMI in every dimension.
More Case Gage info including other brands:
www.longrangehunting.com
The bullet comparator is used to measure base-to-ogive (BTO) measurements, either of the loaded cartridge or of an in individual bullet. It's used in conjunction with a seating depth testing method (Hornady modified case, split case, stripped bolt, etc) to set seating depth when loading rounds.
LE Wilson makes two types of drop-in case gages. Their "case gage" measures min/max headspace and case length. It's reamed out larger in the body than SAAMI minimum spec so that you can put fired brass into it, and combined with their depth micrometer measures headspace. This is similar to what the Hornady Headspace Comparator kit measures:
Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator & Anvil Base Kit - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc
Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator & Anvil Base Kit Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator The Lock-N-Load® Headspace Comparator extends brass life, improves accuracy, and enhances safety. The gauge measures...
The second one they make is the brass "min dimension gage" which acts more like the other case gages on the market in that if the round drops into the gage it will chamber in any rifle chamber because it's less than max SAAMI in every dimension.
More Case Gage info including other brands:
Case length/headspace gauge
Any recommendations for a case length/headspace gauge? I’ve been reloading for a while, but have always just resized with my FL die according to the die companies set up. I’d like to see if bumping the shoulder back would help tweak my loads a little more, but I noticed that there are a variety...
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rharfo
Well-Known Member
Let me correct myself... I have the Hornady cartridge headspace gauge bushing set for caliper use. Vs LE Wilson case gauge...
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
Those measure pretty much the same thing. LE Wilson is more expensive because you need a case per cartridge plus the $120 micrometer to actually measure with it, otherwise what you do is use a precision straight edge to make sure it's between the min/max settings. LE Wilson is a better quality tool with tighter tolerances than the Hornady tool, but it's up to you you need better precision and repeatability, and if that's worth a 3-4x increase in cost. I've never seen a difference of more than 0.001" between the two systems.
