Hornady® TECH TIPS: Hornady® Lock-N-Load® O.A.L. Gauge

[@ednichols4778]

I tried using the curved OAL gauge on my M! Garand. After over an hour and a half and about one hundred different readings with over a .060 spread, I gave up. I'm a retired machinist and took 2 years of gunsmithing, I have also been reloading since 1978. I had no issues with the straight AOL gauge my readings were within .001, that's just caliper use. That curved one doesn't work worth beans in my opinion. I tried everything I could think of.

[@hornady]

Give our technical customer service a call at 1-800-338-3220. They would be glad to see whats wrong with the gauge.

[@boutique53]

Measuring the OAL of the loaded round as shown in this video is not the best way to achieve maximum accuracy. Measuring overall length causes too much variation due to differences in brass. You need to measure from the case base to the ogive of the bullet. The ogive is where your bullet actually touches the lands - not at the bullet tip. Hornady makes a comparator that has bushings sized for the ogive of your bullet. Use the OAL tool as described in the video, then use the comparator kit to measure the base-to-ogive length. Then back off several thousandths, TBD by your rifle's performance. For example, on my .223 loads, I measure base-to-ogive, then subtract .005" , then set up my seating die to achieve that number. That gives me maximum accuracy by helping to tailor the round to my rifle's chamber.

[@altonrowell7854]

He's not measuring a loaded round. He's using a special case made for the tool. You can buy different caliber cases for the tool.

[@toycollector2611]

If you are going to do this, use a case fired in your rifle so it gives an accurate measurement. A SAMMI spec case will be different since a fired case forms to your actual chamber and will be a few thousandths longer from the shoulder to the ogive of the bullet.

[@TheSinnist]

toy collector question off that. I’m new to reloading I’ve been doing some reading and with this tool isn’t there a possibility to over pressure your case this way, to a dangerous lvl? I mean I’m sure there is anyway but this would give you a different length then a reloading book right?

[@toycollector2611]

Your OAL will not change if you do case head to end of bullet measurement whether the case is new or once fired. Some people bump size the fired cases to improve seating if used for hunting or competition. Anything fired in a semi or lever should always be full length sized. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZnPn2Z4aKl5d7s

[@nickrobinson9503]

I’m pretty sure you can get the straight model into lever or ar platforms, simply take out the bolts same as the bolt gun

[@domm.277]

yup. just remove the ar stock for room.

[@DLN-ix6vf]

BIG TIP: when I initially measured 3 different 223 bullets with my Hornady OAL gauge the overall spread for CBTO was .030. I removed the plastic plunger and filed it down to a rounded point and the same bullets CBTO are now an overall spread of .010. The individual bullet variances also reduce by at least 50%. WHY: the bullet base is not 100% perpendicular to the bullet concentricity therefore the variance with the larger plunger end. Wish Hornady would install a sharp metal pointed end on the plastic plunger as I would pay more for that OAL Gauge.

[@ChetJang]

I agree with the comment that you are actually measuring the length of the cartridge to the ogive which touches the rifling. Measuring to the tip only tells if your loaded cartridge will fit in the magazine which doesn't matter to me becuse unable to find a magazine that will fit the 7mm WSM in a Remington 700 with a very heavy 30 inch target barrel which takes AICS magazines. Unfortunately the cartridge I am trying to measure oal length on is a 7mm WSM with 180grn Berger bullet (which would be too long for a magazine anyway) and the tool unfortunately fits to far in to easily tighten the lock screw. Another video showed that I was using the tool incorrectly which explained why I was having trouble getting a good measurement. God forgive me for never reading included instructions, but luckily we have KZbin to turn to when having trouble.

[@arvalfortune6756]

Can you do a follow up video and explain what to do with those measurements. Specifically how to get the proper seating depth or my OAL.

[@hornady]

We may do that in the future. It is relatively simple though. Ideally you would use the measurement you got from the OAL tool with a bullet comparator and use the same bullet from the testing to set up the die. For Instance, if your OAL with the tool using the bullet comparator is 2.000" and you want .010" of jump, you will adjust the seating die with the same bullet you used for the OAL tool until the seating die seats that bullet to 1.990" also measured with the bullet comparator.

[@chipsterb4946]

@@hornadyhave you made that video? It would be helpful to show this gauge used, then follow with the comparator measuring off the ogive instead of COAL. Giving some guidance on how far back you should start is a good idea too. (One post here suggests .005” which sounds far too tight to me)

[@lanceroberthough1275]

Before loading your live rounds MAKE SURE that the rounds will cycle through you action. I loaded some spire point boat tails for a Winchester 70 that I ended up having to single feed because long ogive with OAL into lands yielded bullets with the tip bent when cycling through the action. Ended up single loading them. Also possible feeding problems in lever and pump and semi-automatic rifles may occur. Load some DEAD ROUNDS no primer no powder to run cycling test for safety sake. Then pull bullets.

[@keitha.9788]

Step 1 - Make sure that your barrel is clean. Any contamination in the chamber section of the barrel will throw off your measurements...

[@danielcrawford7315]

Pretty handy dandy little doodads there. Gona have to get me 1. Thx n Blessed days sirSir, Crawford out

[@altonrowell7854]

Nice tool.

[@timbrimm4397]

Why can't I get a size chart for the comparison kit

[@talltimber1408]

Im getting different readings everytime. Maybe Im not jamming into the lands hard enough??

[@Freeflying1234]

One reason that might occur, is that it is not very accurate to measure OAL from bullet tip to the end of the brass. Use a measurement adapter that measures OAL using the ogive of the bullet. Also using high quality bullets help.

[@Dan-y4q6b]

Where do I send my fired cases for modification?

[@hornady]

Give us a call at 800-338-3220 or shoot an email over to [e-mail]

[@grayson60]

I tried using the straight OAL gauge on my Weatherby 270 magnum but never felt any resistance on the bullet. It even pushed out of the brass case. Is my chamber barrel shot out? It is a 1961 that I bought used so I know nothing about it’s past history.

[@robertbrandywine]

Weatherby Mark Vs are known for having very long throats (distance to lands of barrel). You probably can't load a bullet out far enough to hit the land without the bullet being insecure in the case. Use the magazine length as your guide. Load the bullet out as far as you can and still fit in the magazine.

[@grayson60]

Thanks Robert. I did some extensive research on the Weatherby and found out exactly what you replied. They are made that way for a purpose of the pressures of Weatherby barrels

[@lovethemetals5164]

Every time i use this the oal is WAY over max. On every rifle ive ever tried to use it. WTF is going on. Im definitely not pushing the bullet into the rifling

[@hornady]

Over book max length? That can happen, and that is why this tool is so useful. Without it, your bullets would be jumping quite a ways.

[@Murderface666]

The curved version sucks. The piano wire is too tight causing you to jam the round into the rifle. And this doesn't work well if you are planning on using these rounds in an AR magazine and there are a lot of missing steps not shown here to get it right for your rifle AND who would really want this. I wouldn't say false advertising, but I would lean more towards *"not enough information given to make a solid decision if one would need this."*

[@hornady]

What steps do you believe are missing?

[@talltimber1408]

Who would really want this? Well, anyone who loads for a lever action for starters.

[@lanenicholson3712]

Just because you don't have enough reloading knowledge to know how to implement the data from this test doesn't mean it's a misrepresentation of the product. Its not Hornadys job to ensure you're smart enough to understand how to use their products.

[@ednichols4778]

@@lanenicholson3712 Pretty harsh judgement for not even knowing the guy. I've been reloading since 1978 and was a machinist as well having taken two years of gunsmithing and I had nothing but trouble trying to use that curved OAL gauge on my M1 Garand. I tried for over an hour and a half and probably had 80 different measurements with a spread of .060 using Nosler Custom Competition 168gr. BTHP bullets and the correct comparator collar.I also had my rifle in a gun vice so there was no movement there. I couldn't get this thing to work worth a damn. The straight one works fine on bolt guns, I had readings that stayed at .001.

[@michaelcarton3299]

This tool is useless without the bullet comparitor tool. Measuring of the tip of the bullet is not good. The rifling doest engage the tip.

[@johnholmes4960]

There is a new Sheriff coming to town. All these pilgrims doing this reloading business and making all these gadgets and doodads to reload have been leaving out the most important part. DONT let that grey hair fool you either. Forget his Einstein’s looks. He’s a clopping along at his own pace. When he shows up in town sporting that silver pony tail under his brown Tilley, you will know it’s HIM. When you see what he has to offer in Total Precision Reloading, you will not be able to get your money out fast enough. So, get ready to pony up to the hitching post and be amazed that your “friends” that talk about precision, really only like to hear themselves talk, and contribute to global warming by all the hot air they spew out. When you take ownership of this new device, your life will forever be a cut above the rest. You shall see. ...........until then.