New Forster Datum Dial

[n4ue]

Hi. Anyone using one of these tools?

A couple of months ago, I saw an article about this device. There was no picture, but a nice drawing. I was interested and wrote to Forester. They replied the product was still under development and no release date was known.
I forgot about it and made my own tools. I was quite surprised this week while looking through my latest issue of Dillon's 'Blue Press', there it was for sale. Price seemed a little high.
Soooo, I went to Brownells and they have it for 1/3 less.
I ordered one and was wondering if anyone has hands-on yet.....

thanks!

ron

[n4ue]

Gee, I hate to reply to my own thread, but I must be the only one out here that has one of these tools.
I ordered mine from Brownell's and it arrived very quickly. Reading the instructions, it is a very easy tool to use. You will need to supply your own digital caliper. I have a very nice, older caliper and when 'zeroing' the tool, it was dead perfect every time. There is absolutely ZERO slop, play or anything in this tool. Crisp, positive detents, waaaay better than anything I could cobble together and I thought I was pretty good with my milling machine and lathe. ha ha
Not having any fired, empty cases around, I remembered I had shot my buddy's new M12 rifle to zero a scope I lent him. It's a 22-250.
Using the tool on the fired cases shows a tiny ring made by the tool at the Datum, in this case, .350".
Then, I took some new, unfired cartridges and put them in the tool. The 'ring' was easily seen on the virgin brass, but in most cases, it didn't make contact all the way around. Cool. Nothing like fireforming the brass.
I contacted Forester concerning purchasing some spare parts and they don't have pricing yet for the individual small parts, tool is too new.
BTW, I looked at Brownell's and the tool is already sold out. This is an excellent, easy to use device for the precision reloader. As I said, I made my own Datum tools, which now are in the spare part bin... ha ha

be safe

ron

[stangfish]

I just looked that thing up. Nice! What did you pay for it? 109.xx Well it is a tool for a lifetime.

[CharlieNC]

Ron (and others) please elaborate on the applications and benefits of this tool. I have comparators, etc and would like to understand more about this.

[n4ue]

Hi. I purchased it from Brownell's and yes, it was $109 for the complete kit. I just checked and they are 'back in stock'..... Dillon sells the same item for $159, so it pays to shop around. I suggest buying the 'kit' for $109 and an extra 'blank', dial. The reason is:
One of the calibers I really enjoy is the (Savage M25) .17 Hornet. The Forester tool does not have a 'datum dial' "hole" for that case. It will be a simple matter to drill the blank dial to the correct size. The blank dials come with both the indexing crater and a pre-started divot to drill any holes you want. It's easier to look at these blank dials on the Forester site than to try and describe them!! ha ha

As far as function.... The tools does 2 things:

1. it allows you to very accurately measure the Datum of the case. It's a measurement specified at a point on the case's shoulder, to the primer end of the case. By knowing this, you can determine if your dies are correctly sizing the case. Too much sizing, will soon lead to case stretching/head seperation.
2. the other dial it comes with, allows you to exactly measure the Over All Length of the assembled round. You'll need to use a tool like a Stoney Point with your rifle to get a measurement of where the bullet first touches the start of the rifling. Then, you can experiment with different bullet 'jumps' until you find what your individual rifle likes.
Since I have a lathe, I made my own OAL tool, but I just like buildin' stuff.
This tool does in one little box what a large collection of my homemade gages did. Remember, I had 2 tools for each caliber, 1 Datum and one OAL gage.

regards,
ron

[Deerhunter 28]

Can you post a link to this die/tool?
Thanks


PSE EVO 60 Lbs.
Blacked out

[stangfish]

Can you post a link to this die/tool?

Type or copy and paste "Forster Datum Dial" in Google search box. Click enter or search. Click on any of the first 100 links.

[rgmeddn]

Not much discussion about this product here. I found this thread near the top of a Google search for this product, so it seems that there isn't much interest in it.

I wonder if the issue with all of these tools which claim to make it possible to accurately measure where a particular bullet engages the lands is that you have to kind of work backwards. By that I mean that first you have to find out where your particular bullet(s) engage your particular lands, AND THEN you can take a measurement with one of these devices. However, for the measurement to be as accurate as they say it is, the diameter at your lands and the diameter of the particular bullet hole they have assigned have to match. Every different bullet shape requires figuring it all out again, only to be close but not exact.

Am I way off here?

[n4ue]

RG, you are correct. Since I have a small machine shop, I make a lot of my own reloading tools. I look to see what's interesting and cobble my own. I made a COL tool which is repeatable to .001". In addition to cases for each caliber, I drilled and tapped the base of each style and brand of bullet I shoot for each caliber. Easy when you have a lathe....

As you say, every rifle is different regarding the start of the lands. The Forster tool allows me to combine all the individual gages I made into one tool. In fact, I liked the Datum tool so much, I talked Forester into selling me another 'holder' which mounts either the Datum disk or the OAL disk. These are interchangeable, but requires disassembly/reassembly. Not difficult, and no adjustments. I just don't have time to fiddle with it, since I'm retired and way too many projects. ha ha
I think you will find that the Ogive on most bullets (at least the ones I use) to be a almost identical.....when using this tool.
I think the price scares some folks away. It is extremely well made, like the rest of my Forester tools....

ron

[stangfish]

That about sums it up.