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08-18-2019, 08:30 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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Home Made OAL Tool
A while ago I was asked if I had a tap that was compatible with the Hornady OAL gauge threads (which I do not). Today I looked in my junk tools box and found this “tool” that I made years ago for a cartridge for which there is no modified case. My answer was to find that stiff water feed line at Home Hardware ... make the cut for the caliper jaw, thread with a standard die ... then tap/thread a fired case with the same standard thread. Takes a bit of tinkering to turn down the case neck for the bullet to slide...but in a pinch, it works fine.
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08-18-2019, 09:11 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: North
Posts: 2,181
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Nice work, that saved you $70.
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08-18-2019, 09:39 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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The best plan when having a wildcat chambered is to have the smith tap/thread a case, but this works.
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08-18-2019, 10:24 PM
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Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,221
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The taps are easy enough to find on evilbay.
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08-18-2019, 10:44 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Northeast of Edmonton
Posts: 427
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I just cut new threads on the hornady tool, and thread my cases for whatever that is
Might be ugly, but I haven’t bought a modified case yet
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08-19-2019, 06:18 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,521
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Well done looks like a good tool. If anyone else has the tool and is looking for a drill and tap you can get them on amazon for about 10$ Each from a supplier in China. Would have been nice if Hornady would have just used a standard thread pure money grab.
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08-19-2019, 09:09 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubious
Well done looks like a good tool. If anyone else has the tool and is looking for a drill and tap you can get them on amazon for about 10$ Each from a supplier in China. Would have been nice if Hornady would have just used a standard thread pure money grab.
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Thanks for that info ... do you know size/pitch?
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08-19-2019, 09:42 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 399
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5/16" x 36 (tpi) Right hand thread. Case needs to be drilled out with a 0.290" HSS drill bit.
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08-19-2019, 09:48 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 399
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08-19-2019, 10:32 AM
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Shooting Xs
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 836
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Hornady used that thread pitch because it was obsolete in 1904.It's on the ITAR list banning export to Canada,crazy.Even the lettered drill bit needed won't ship here by most retailers or suppliers in US.
I ordered from mine from China.I use two pieces of hard wood,clamped together with an appropriate size hole drilled between the two halves,then put the case in between them and clamp them in a drill press vise.Give the case a wrap of masking tape if needed for grip.
I found it easier to drill in step up sizes,rather than starting with the final bit of 9/32",I found it centre's the hole more reliably.Use a fired case and usually size with a body die or pull the stem out of a FL die with little or no shoulder bump after tapping.
If you have access to a lathe even better,a machine shop would have the proper size lettered bit.
Between myself and buddies' I've probably made 40 or so using my method.Try out some old brass first for practise.
What you save making your own cases can be spent on the Hornady/Stoney Point OAL tool.Your first case mostly covers the Tap cost.
Be patient with China time frame shipping,I think mine took 6 weeks if I remember correctly.
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08-19-2019, 12:32 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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Thanks for all the feedback, I'm sure all those options and info will be helpful to a lot of shooters chambering wildcats.
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08-19-2019, 02:16 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 7
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I ordered from KCB tools, https://www.kbctools.ca/itemdetail/1-372-150, only downside is a $25 minimum so I ended up with 2. Delivery was quick as it came from Vancouver branch.
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08-20-2019, 02:58 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Near Drumheller
Posts: 6,733
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I did that 25.00 min order a few yrs back, no issue selling the extra ones. I bought 4 at the time.
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08-20-2019, 07:10 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 15,777
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“I love it when clients bring Berger bullets. It means I get to kill the bear.”
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08-20-2019, 08:01 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,158
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My oal tool is homemade as well.
Steel drill rod with collars that you operate from the muzzle. Works well.
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08-20-2019, 08:22 AM
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Shooting Xs
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 836
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck
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Do you use this tool Chuck?Seemed like a bit of movement when locking the rod against the bullet base.The fired case is supported in the chamber,how does the bullet stay supported against the lands?The threaded case method supports the bullet in the case neck to keep it aligned to the bore.
Rod just seemed to wobble a bit against the base of the bullet in the demonstration vid.
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08-20-2019, 08:31 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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I expect the rod/collar system is more precise than the Hornady tool. But for my level shooting, I find the former quite satisfactory as it seems accurate enough to produce measurements within a couple of thou of “actual.” In the end, the optimum seating depth as it relates to accuracy requires experimentation to find the sweetest spot... which almost always requires a jamb or a jump from the measured seating “to the lands”. And, I don’t really know if my $28.00 Canadian Tire digital calipers are accurate within a few thou anyways.
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08-20-2019, 10:15 AM
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Shooting Xs
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 836
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 260 Rem
I expect the rod/collar system is more precise than the Hornady tool. But for my level shooting, I find the former quite satisfactory as it seems accurate enough to produce measurements within a couple of thou of “actual.” In the end, the optimum seating depth as it relates to accuracy requires experimentation to find the sweetest spot... which almost always requires a jamb or a jump from the measured seating “to the lands”. And, I don’t really know if my $28.00 Canadian Tire digital calipers are accurate within a few thou anyways.
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I suspect you're correct given there may be variance between the actual ogive contact point of the bullet compared to the I.D. diameter of the comparator insert which may make contact at a slightly different location.
Both give a starting point measurement for load development to find the "sweet spot",especially if you consider other variances that can be introduced in the actual loading actions,bullet ogive variance ,seating stem contact ,copper jacket softness ,etc.
A couple thou variance here for the average shooter/loader isn't likely to make a huge difference.
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08-20-2019, 11:40 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 15,777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DLab
Do you use this tool Chuck?Seemed like a bit of movement when locking the rod against the bullet base.The fired case is supported in the chamber,how does the bullet stay supported against the lands?The threaded case method supports the bullet in the case neck to keep it aligned to the bore.
Rod just seemed to wobble a bit against the base of the bullet in the demonstration vid.
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I do. The rod will wobble as it slides across the base of the bullet. The bullet itself doesn’t wobble. The lands will retain the bullet to some extent and most of the time will require a cleaning rod to tap it out.
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“I love it when clients bring Berger bullets. It means I get to kill the bear.”
-Billy Molls
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08-20-2019, 02:02 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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I call bullets that stick in the lands as having a “hard” jamb. Jacket material is pretty soft and with a hard jamb, is likely into the lands a few thou. It is never a bad idea to recheck seating depth after a couple of hundred rounds to see if it is moving.
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08-21-2019, 07:05 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 15,777
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These are definitely not a hard jam. You can test this yourself. Drops bullet into the chamber and then knock it out with a rod. You will see that it takes almost no resistance to remove the bullet.
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“I love it when clients bring Berger bullets. It means I get to kill the bear.”
-Billy Molls
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08-21-2019, 08:36 AM
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Shooting Xs
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 836
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Even with the Hornady tool all it takes is a very light touch to make the bullet stick in the lands requiring at least a stock bump on the floor to pop it out,I also wouldn't say that's a hard jamb.
I call that "seated to soft touch"
My .30BR's 115 Berger's seat 18 Thou. ITL,most people would consider that a hard jamb but the bolt still isn't overly stiff on closing.
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08-21-2019, 08:40 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,530
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I have used the Sinclair tool for many years and was given a Hornady tool last year , both work well for a starting point , and as any hand loader with experience knows ,any measurement in relationship to the lands is a starting point only!
Cat
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Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't!
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08-21-2019, 09:47 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 256
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catnthehat
I have used the Sinclair tool for many years and was given a Hornady tool last year , both work well for a starting point , and as any hand loader with experience knows ,any measurement in relationship to the lands is a starting point only!
Cat
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This is true
by the time you “feel” the Bullet seat with a guage or if it takes a small bump to knock it free you are well into the lands somewhere between .010-.020 depending , it really is just a base line starting point so it doesn’t matter how it’s done.
If it’s a big deal to really find the first touch point the barrel needs to be off , the seated Bullet (in a fired case from that chamber ) needs to have zero run out and you will need a magnifier and some blue die , it’s a lot of work that for most people is a waste of their time.
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08-21-2019, 12:02 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Secret Creek. BC
Posts: 981
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Home Made OAL Tool
My neighbor who was into long range target shooting showed me this. I stopped the cut just shy off the shoulder of a fired case with a dremel. A fine tooth hacksaw blade will work also. Then a bit of fine emery cloth on a stick to take the burrs off the inside and out. Paint the bullet with a black sharpie start it into the case and insert slowly into rifle. The odd time it sticks in the lands but it doesn’t matter you see the rub marks on the bullet. Just give the neck a slight pinch to hold the bullet. Not high tech but it works for a starting point.
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08-21-2019, 01:18 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Central Alberta
Posts: 8,315
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Chewbacca - no doubt a split neck case can be handy. .... but... when using it to guesstimate the distance to the lands for a particular bullet, one should recognize that by the time the bullet showing it is engraved, it could be jammed several thou. .... and when the bullet sticks, it may pull out a bit from the case neck on ejection. When using this method, it is a good idea to make repeated measurements. We just need to keep in mind that these measurements are relative, and the measurement down range is the one that counts most.
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08-21-2019, 03:29 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Secret Creek. BC
Posts: 981
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 260 Rem
Chewbacca - no doubt a split neck case can be handy. .... but... when using it to guesstimate the distance to the lands for a particular bullet, one should recognize that by the time the bullet showing it is engraved, it could be jammed several thou. .... and when the bullet sticks, it may pull out a bit from the case neck on ejection. When using this method, it is a good idea to make repeated measurements. We just need to keep in mind that these measurements are relative, and the measurement down range is the one that counts most.
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If it does stick in the rifling, when it’s tapped out I found that you really have to look to see where the rifling marks are. When it does get pulled out you can see where sharpie is rubbed off. I found that if you use to much tension to hold the bullet it will stick. Just need enough to hold it. Repeated measurements are made as you do with other systems. I also found that it’s better to trim a case down to minimum length and not put a bevel on the inside.
Im not a precision shooter just a hunter so maybe I shouldn’t have said anything but from the trophies and targets my neighbor had on his wall it seemed to work.
Like you say these measurements are relative and it’s the ones down range that count.
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