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Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
#7719026
01/15/20 11:41 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 843
DuckKiller2010
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 843 |
I just got one of these. Not at all satisfied FYI.
Trying for find length for a 150 grain SBT. Book says COAL should be 3.625. I have loaded to this and never hit the lands.
Tried to get exact length to lands with this Frankford tool. Says my COAL is only 3.618.
Gonna use the Hornady gauge tomorrow and see what it says. Don't think this Frankford deal is worth it.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: DuckKiller2010]
#7719035
01/15/20 11:52 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 92
JP4065
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 92 |
I got one of those some how and it is a poorly made. The best advice I can give is keep the bag it came in and throw the contents away, use the bag for something else.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: DuckKiller2010]
#7719041
01/15/20 11:58 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,424
jeffbird
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,424 |
Those gauges are not helpful.
The only thing needed is either a Sharpie marker or an old fashioned kitchen match or a candle.
Seat the bullet of choice a bit long. Color it with the Sharpie marker all the way around, and then gently slide it into the chamber and close the bolt.
Extract the round, and the lands should have made marks all the in 3 - 6 places around the bullet depending on the number of rifling lands.
The same can be done holding a dummy round over a kitchen match or candle and covering the ogive in soot.
Keep adjusting the seater down 0.010" at a time until the lands no longer make a mark.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: DuckKiller2010]
#7719111
01/16/20 01:31 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 18,954
ChadTRG42
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 18,954 |
I load the bullet long, chamber check the round, extract the live round, and see if it's hitting the lands by leaving rifling marks on the bullet. I do this in small increments and adjust my bullet seating (in or out) depending on if I'm seeing rifling marks on the ogive of the bullet. It takes me about 3-5 rounds to find the exact seating depth of the where the lands are. I never use the tools as they take too long to use, are caliber specific, and often induce error into the measurements.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: ChadTRG42]
#7719116
01/16/20 01:36 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,173
J.G.
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,173 |
I load the bullet long, chamber check the round, extract the live round, and see if it's hitting the lands by leaving rifling marks on the bullet. I do this in small increments and adjust my bullet seating (in or out) depending on if I'm seeing rifling marks on the ogive of the bullet. It takes me about 3-5 rounds to find the exact seating depth of the where the lands are. I never use the tools as they take too long to use, are caliber specific, and often induce error into the measurements. ^^This And I cut the neck of a piece of brass, and it is kept forever as a tool to find lands in the next rifle in that chambering.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: DuckKiller2010]
#7719129
01/16/20 01:51 AM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,506 |
I basically do the same that Jeff, Chad and Jason are talking about. For a repeater though I start at magazine length as I want a repeater to be a repeater not have to load single shot. Do as Jeff describes and chamber the round. If it does not touch the lands I will just start with that length, if I am into the lands, I start seating deeper to ind the contact point and load up from there and lock the die in my final load position Lock rings and seating stem.
If it is a rifle I load different bullets for then I make a dummy for depth seating and when changing back to that bullet screw the seating stem down to contact the bullet and lock it in place to load those bullets again
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: jeffbird]
#7719181
01/16/20 02:22 AM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 92
JP4065
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 92 |
Those gauges are not helpful.
The only thing needed is either a Sharpie marker or an old fashioned kitchen match or a candle.
Seat the bullet of choice a bit long. Color it with the Sharpie marker all the way around, and then gently slide it into the chamber and close the bolt.
Extract the round, and the lands should have made marks all the in 3 - 6 places around the bullet depending on the number of rifling lands.
The same can be done holding a dummy round over a kitchen match or candle and covering the ogive in soot.
Keep adjusting the seater down 0.010" at a time until the lands no longer make a mark. That is how I have done mine for years. I do not know how I ended up with the Frankfort Arsenal deal, but it is poor. I have a Hornady OAL gage and use it quite a bit, I have had to make all my dummy cases for my Ackley Improved calibers. I bought the 5/16-28 tap from Amazon and after fire forming, drill out the primer pocket with a letter "g" drill bit and tap the case. I still use jeffbird's method as well.
Last edited by Blue dot; 01/16/20 04:04 AM.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: DuckKiller2010]
#7719303
01/16/20 04:11 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,638
DStroud
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,638 |
I have found the Hornady to be quite accurate but I use the curved one no matter what type action and I use a stainless rod to gently push the bullet loose from the lands. I checked a new bullet in my 22 Creedmoor last week and got the exact same reading 3 consecutive times. I used the same technique Chad described for years but this Hornady gauge and method takes maybe two minutes max and gets me spot on numbers quick.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: J.G.]
#7719462
01/16/20 01:57 PM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,200
Korean Redneck
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,200 |
I load the bullet long, chamber check the round, extract the live round, and see if it's hitting the lands by leaving rifling marks on the bullet. I do this in small increments and adjust my bullet seating (in or out) depending on if I'm seeing rifling marks on the ogive of the bullet. It takes me about 3-5 rounds to find the exact seating depth of the where the lands are. I never use the tools as they take too long to use, are caliber specific, and often induce error into the measurements. ^^This And I cut the neck of a piece of brass, and it is kept forever as a tool to find lands in the next rifle in that chambering. Maybe dumb questions but I still sometimes have trouble exactly finding markings. 1. I have a Hornady tool. Where the tool meet the bullet is where i should see the markings from the rifling, is that correct? 2. potentially really dumb question, does marking bullets with a Sharpie (whether for finding the rifle lands marking the bullet or for painting the holes on paper targets) do anything negative to your barrel?
I'm a dude who likes long barrels!
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: kmon11]
#7719464
01/16/20 01:57 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
I basically do the same that Jeff, Chad and Jason are talking about. For a repeater though I start at magazine length as I want a repeater to be a repeater not have to load single shot. Do as Jeff describes and chamber the round. If it does not touch the lands I will just start with that length, if I am into the lands, I start seating deeper to ind the contact point and load up from there and lock the die in my final load position Lock rings and seating stem.
If it is a rifle I load different bullets for then I make a dummy for depth seating and when changing back to that bullet screw the seating stem down to contact the bullet and lock it in place to load those bullets again I do the same.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: J.G.]
#7719667
01/16/20 04:55 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,449
aggiehunter03
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,449 |
I load the bullet long, chamber check the round, extract the live round, and see if it's hitting the lands by leaving rifling marks on the bullet. I do this in small increments and adjust my bullet seating (in or out) depending on if I'm seeing rifling marks on the ogive of the bullet. It takes me about 3-5 rounds to find the exact seating depth of the where the lands are. I never use the tools as they take too long to use, are caliber specific, and often induce error into the measurements. ^^This And I cut the neck of a piece of brass, and it is kept forever as a tool to find lands in the next rifle in that chambering. This is what I use. It doesn't seem to ever lie to me. I also measure COAL to the ogive and not the bullet tip as the tips can vary. http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/07/tool-tip-make-your-own-length-to-lands-gauge/
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: DuckKiller2010]
#7720443
01/17/20 06:27 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,424
jeffbird
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,424 |
KR,
ink will not hurt your barrel.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: Korean Redneck]
#7720533
01/17/20 01:41 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 92
JP4065
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 92 |
I load the bullet long, chamber check the round, extract the live round, and see if it's hitting the lands by leaving rifling marks on the bullet. I do this in small increments and adjust my bullet seating (in or out) depending on if I'm seeing rifling marks on the ogive of the bullet. It takes me about 3-5 rounds to find the exact seating depth of the where the lands are. I never use the tools as they take too long to use, are caliber specific, and often induce error into the measurements. ^^This And I cut the neck of a piece of brass, and it is kept forever as a tool to find lands in the next rifle in that chambering. Maybe dumb questions but I still sometimes have trouble exactly finding markings. 1. I have a Hornady tool. Where the tool meet the bullet is where i should see the markings from the rifling, is that correct? 2. potentially really dumb question, does marking bullets with a Sharpie (whether for finding the rifle lands marking the bullet or for painting the holes on paper targets) do anything negative to your barrel? The problem with the Hornady tool is repeatability, it took me while to get the hang of it and gravity is you friend with that tool. Which ever way you decide to measure be sure to do it on a clean chamber and bore, do not let fouling or carbon build up give you false readings(do not ask me how I know this ) Like Mr. Jeff said, ink will not harm the barrel.
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Re: Frankford Arsenal COAL Gauge
[Re: JP4065]
#7721054
01/17/20 10:09 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,979
Buzzsaw
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,979 |
Those gauges are not helpful.
The only thing needed is either a Sharpie marker or an old fashioned kitchen match or a candle.
Seat the bullet of choice a bit long. Color it with the Sharpie marker all the way around, and then gently slide it into the chamber and close the bolt.
Extract the round, and the lands should have made marks all the in 3 - 6 places around the bullet depending on the number of rifling lands.
The same can be done holding a dummy round over a kitchen match or candle and covering the ogive in soot.
Keep adjusting the seater down 0.010" at a time until the lands no longer make a mark. That is how I have done mine for years. I do not know how I ended up with the Frankfort Arsenal deal, but it is poor. I have a Hornady OAL gage and use it quite a bit, I have had to make all my dummy cases for my Ackley Improved calibers. I bought the 5/16-28 tap from Amazon and after fire forming, drill out the primer pocket with a letter "g" drill bit and tap the case. I still use jeffbird's method as well. fwiw Hornady will make you custom modified cases. just send them a few sized cases
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