Measuring OAL on "used barrel"

When my barrel was new I could get an oal consistent each time. Now my measurements are kinda all over the place as in 020" apart on average. The barrel has 500 ish rounds through it.

My question is: is this common because of the throat being worn down? Has anyone else experienced this? I'm getting different measurements even using the same bullet over and over.

I'm just guessing throat wear but how do I keep my bullets .010" off the lands if I can't find where that is????

I drop a 223 bullet down the barrel to free the 260 lead when it's stuck in the lands. When new the barrel would let go of the 260 bullet instantly. Now it takes 2-3 drops to free it most of the time.

Gun shot good last time out I just wanted to know for my own knowledge and now it's driving me nuts lol

I should add I'm using same oal case and the last of the 500 round lot I started with to measure. Even keeping the tool and pressures I put on the back of the bullet the same I still can't get the measurements to be consistent

what tools are you using to measure? is it the same bullet you first used?

Hornady oal tool. Using same lot of bullets. Random bullets selected out of 25 or so left . I measures 10 or so out of this lot when I first started.

Carbon buildup, or something is causing that much difference. Once I had a spec of something causing me the same problem. Took it out with the reamer, and all was OK. I never did see what the problem was. It doesn't take much.

Dennis

ok so try this..mark you modified case with a sharpie at the back(head) of the case...mark the neck and the bullet so that everything lines up the same every time and most important use the same pressure every time...also make sure you get the thumb screw tight while your still applying the same pressure to the rod making sure the case is all the way snug in the chamber.

my mod case is loose in my chamber and if im pushing down on the case with the tool on the end i get random measurements..if i slide the case in and kind of center it i get consistent readings.

Carbon ring build up would be my "first indication of trouble". Some powders that otherwise seem clean burning actually cause carbon ring build up rather quickly.

I cleaned the barrel twice yesterday trying to remove debris. I used a bore guide. Should I remove te bore guide and soak in bore tech eliminator (this is what I use)?

I should note I just started running the rifle suppressed. My second cleaning yesterday did not yield one once of carbon

7 barrels and on the 8th and ive never had this carbon ring ppl talk about...im not saying it cant or dont happen but ive never had it happen to me and ive ran just about ever powder that you can stuff into a 260 or 300wm case.

Have found bullets are not all created equal. Measure 10 out of a fresh box. You may find 4 to be exact.

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Originally Posted by bearcatrp

Have found bullets are not all created equal. Measure 10 out of a fresh box. You may find 4 to be exact.

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I get where your coming from but this happens with the same bullet when used 2-3 etc time to measure.

The case is a case I made from a once fired/body sized case in this barrel.
Possible the neck is tight for some reason or something idk. Tried to run my case through my fl Redding die and the press pulled the rim of the casing of in the press and I tried to no avail to remove the case from the die. Case and die are both junk now. Ordered a new case from Hornady and will try that.

Took the rifle to my gunsmith. Bore scoped with a hawk eye. Only trace of carbon was in the grooves of the barrel between the lands. Not a hint in the throat or shoulder area. After measuring I fired 2- 3/8" groups at 100 to make sure it was still performing.

I'll retry when I get the new gauge but if it shoots, then F it lol. I only did this for my personal knowledge but apparently it's not my weekend.

hafe do you have a stuck case removal tool? if not get one..i have the RCBS and have used it 3 times...2 260 cases and a 300wm case.

also now that youve put a few rounds through it sense cleaning try your measurements again.

I do have the rcbs tool but the fact that I threaded the case when I made it doesn't help. That rcbs tool is a smaller bolt/different thread. Not close to the Hornady gauge. I will remeasure as soon as the be one arrives. I'd make another home made one but that requires the body die.....

Oh I see you got your mod case stuck...you can try to over anneal the case in the die and it should get soft enough to crush with pliers and get it out...just a thought.

Ive had a 308 stuck in my full length die that was stuck beyond measure. It took my small map gas torch with a national course thread long bolt to get it out. I drilled the bottom of the case out, then heated it a few times to let it cool down then reheated, then smacked a course thread long bolt into the brass, put the body die in my aluminum jaws on my vise then vise griped the long bolt under the head and smacked it out with a hammer. What a pain!...all to save my sizing die.
As far as c.o.a.l. ?....... I gave up using my stoney point gauge (which hornady bought out).
Ive always used what ever brass and bullet Im running and used it to measure my freebore...just a thought

I chewed the case up beyond belief trying to get that out. This is only a body die that I used just for this. I've tried Hornady casings in it and they always stuck to. Bend the rim and what not. Using cabelas lube. I need to just get another body die and this just sped the process up

Hafe try the 99% isopropyl alcohol and liquid lanolin at 12 to 1 and you will NEVER stick a case again...

99% isopropyl alcohol $25 bucks per gallon
liquid lanolin $5 bucks per 4ozs
life time supply of case lube $30 bucks
never sticking another case again and being pissed all day....PRICLESS!!

sorry hafe I had to lol!

Hahaha. Are you giving me crap or does this actually work??? Lol. Cause the junk I have doesn't

The isopropyl/lanolin is the best lube ever and I've used most...12oz isopropyl to 1oz lanolin in a squirt bottle throw the brass in a cake pan give it a few squirts and the isopropyl evaporates almost instantly and your ready to size...trust me give it a try.

Any feed store should have the 99% isopropyl alcohol by the gallon...I got mine at big R $24.99...CVS or any drug or health food store will have the liquid lanolin $4.50 for 4ozs

Thanks LR. I'll give it a try

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hafejd30

When my barrel was new I could get an oal consistent each time. Now my measurements are kinda all over the place as in 020" apart on average. The barrel has 500 ish rounds through it.

My question is: is this common because of the throat being worn down? Has anyone else experienced this? I'm getting different measurements even using the same bullet over and over.

I'm just guessing throat wear but how do I keep my bullets .010" off the lands if I can't find where that is????

I drop a 223 bullet down the barrel to free the 260 lead when it's stuck in the lands. When new the barrel would let go of the 260 bullet instantly. Now it takes 2-3 drops to free it most of the time.

Gun shot good last time out I just wanted to know for my own knowledge and now it's driving me nuts lol

I should add I'm using same oal case and the last of the 500 round lot I started with to measure. Even keeping the tool and pressures I put on the back of the bullet the same I still can't get the measurements to be consistent

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Get an RCBS case micrometer. Take a fired case so you know it fits your chamber. Put a hacksaw cut down one side of the neck (to relieve tension) and barely insert a bullet. Take the ejector pin out of the bolt. Carefully and gently insert this dummy round into the chamber and very gently close the bolt on it. Removing the ejector pin ensures a very gentle entry. The bullet will touch the lands and be pushed back into the case. Equally and carefully pull the bolt back and eject the case. You now have a perfect dimension from case head to the lands. The RCBS micrometer will give you a notional dimension which you make a note of. Subtract the amount of jump you want from this notional dimension and make a note of it. Now put your seating die in the press and back off the seater. Put your dummy round in the press, raise the ram and, holding it in position, screw down the seater adjustment until you just feel it touch the bullet. Apart from doing this about 10 times to get an average the job is done and takes less time to do than I took to write it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LongRange

Hafe try the 99% isopropyl alcohol and liquid lanolin at 12 to 1 and you will NEVER stick a case again...

99% isopropyl alcohol $25 bucks per gallon
liquid lanolin $5 bucks per 4ozs
life time supply of case lube $30 bucks
never sticking another case again and being pissed all day....PRICLESS!!

sorry hafe I had to lol!

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:thumb: Done this for years and never let me down - and saved lots of cash!