[Chris_Andersen]

I've read about alot of folks performing chamber checks on their match ammo. Can someone explain exactly what you are doing, and what you are looking for when you do it?

Thanks

[Mark K]

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 08:44 PM, said:

I've read about alot of folks performing chamber checks on their match ammo. Can someone explain exactly what you are doing, and what you are looking for when you do it?

Thanks

Disassemble the pistol in question, and then use the barrel chamber to check you ammo to make sure the it drops in and out cleanly.

Mark K

[Chris_Andersen]

Mark K, on Jun 28 2009, 07:47 PM, said:

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 08:44 PM, said:

I've read about alot of folks performing chamber checks on their match ammo. Can someone explain exactly what you are doing, and what you are looking for when you do it?

Thanks

Disassemble the pistol in question, and then use the barrel chamber to check you ammo to make sure the it drops in and out cleanly.

Mark K

So I am only looking for how cleanly it slides in?

[IronEqualizer]

Mark's way is the cheapest but there are places that sell caliber specific ammo gauges that check all demsions of your ammo without having to use the barrel. If you shoot the ammo out of several different guns then the gauges are the way to go.

AL

This post has been edited by IronEqualizer: 28 June 2009 - 05:57 PM

[Nik Habicht]

IronEqualizer, on Jun 28 2009, 08:56 PM, said:

Mark's way is the cheapest but there are places that sell caliber specific ammo gauges that check all demsions of your ammo without having to use the barrel. If you shoot the ammo out of several different guns then the gauges are the way to go.

....as long as the gauge is as tight or tighter than your tightest barrel.....

[h2osport]

Nik Habicht, on Jun 28 2009, 07:07 PM, said:

IronEqualizer, on Jun 28 2009, 08:56 PM, said:

Mark's way is the cheapest but there are places that sell caliber specific ammo gauges that check all demsions of your ammo without having to use the barrel. If you shoot the ammo out of several different guns then the gauges are the way to go.

....as long as the gauge is as tight or tighter than your tightest barrel.....

If you are running a tight chamber on a custom gun, just have the gunsmith ream a gauge for you. Then the gauge will match your barrell.

Randy

[larry cazes]

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 05:50 PM, said:

So I am only looking for how cleanly it slides in?

As long as it seats in the chamber completely with NO interference your good to go. I use the barrel of the gun the ammo is intended for as well.

[IronEqualizer]

h2osport, on Jun 28 2009, 06:13 PM, said:

Nik Habicht, on Jun 28 2009, 07:07 PM, said:

IronEqualizer, on Jun 28 2009, 08:56 PM, said:

Mark's way is the cheapest but there are places that sell caliber specific ammo gauges that check all demsions of your ammo without having to use the barrel. If you shoot the ammo out of several different guns then the gauges are the way to go.

....as long as the gauge is as tight or tighter than your tightest barrel.....

If you are running a tight chamber on a custom gun, just have the gunsmith ream a gauge for you. Then the gauge will match your barrell.

Randy

True.....thanks guys.....not being an open shooter or having Limited guns with tight chambers I had not considered or run into that problem. I guess I prefer enough slop so that all my crappy ammo works.

AL

[konkapot]

It also adds a quality control check; you might notice a funky primer, ruptured case, improperly/poorly seated bullet.....when you get real comfortable with your reloading, you can do a spot check.........maybe every 10th round or something.

FY42385

[CJDOUBLETAP]

Just use the barrel in your gun after running a few hundred rounds through it, that way you can be sure it will run when dirty. Drop the rounds in and make sure that they sit flush with out any assistance. That way you can assure that there will be no "death jams."

I also find a lot of cracked cases, upside down primers, etc., as mentioned above, while checking.

[Chris_Andersen]

CJDOUBLETAP, on Jun 28 2009, 09:15 PM, said:

Just use the barrel in your gun after running a few hundred rounds through it, that way you can be sure it will run when dirty. Drop the rounds in and make sure that they sit flush with out any assistance. That way you can assure that there will be no "death jams."

I also find a lot of cracked cases, upside down primers, etc., as mentioned above, while checking.

I have had a few of my reloads fail to chamber completely in my M&P. I am hoping this is the fix.

[CJDOUBLETAP]

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 09:25 PM, said:

CJDOUBLETAP, on Jun 28 2009, 09:15 PM, said:

Just use the barrel in your gun after running a few hundred rounds through it, that way you can be sure it will run when dirty. Drop the rounds in and make sure that they sit flush with out any assistance. That way you can assure that there will be no "death jams."

I also find a lot of cracked cases, upside down primers, etc., as mentioned above, while checking.

I have had a few of my reloads fail to chamber completely in my M&P. I am hoping this is the fix.

If the rounds are going almost all of the way into the chamber and the slide won't go into battery (a death jam), chamber checking will fix it.

If the majority of the rounds fail the chamber checking I would shorten the OAL and give them a tighter crimp. Most of the rounds that fail the chamber check will probably still work.

[Duane Thomas]

I prefer the gages to actually chamber checking - as mentioned, this is granted the gage is tighter than the chamber - because it doesn't require constantly disassmbling and reassembling the gun, handling a filthy barrel, etc. Also IF the gage is tighter than the chamber, if it'll fit into the gage I know it'll fit the chamber, even if it's absolutely cruddy.

[Duane Thomas]

Check here for Dillon (mostly) case gages:

http://www.brianenos....dies.html#gage

[Duane Thomas]

Check here for L.E. Wilson case gages:

http://www.lewilson.com/casegage.html

[Chris_Andersen]

CJDOUBLETAP, on Jun 28 2009, 09:33 PM, said:

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 09:25 PM, said:

CJDOUBLETAP, on Jun 28 2009, 09:15 PM, said:

Just use the barrel in your gun after running a few hundred rounds through it, that way you can be sure it will run when dirty. Drop the rounds in and make sure that they sit flush with out any assistance. That way you can assure that there will be no "death jams."

I also find a lot of cracked cases, upside down primers, etc., as mentioned above, while checking.

I have had a few of my reloads fail to chamber completely in my M&P. I am hoping this is the fix.

If the rounds are going almost all of the way into the chamber and the slide won't go into battery (a death jam), chamber checking will fix it.

If the majority of the rounds fail the chamber checking I would shorten the OAL and give them a tighter crimp. Most of the rounds that fail the chamber check will probably still work.

The factory ammo that has run flawlessly for me is slightly shorter than what I have been building, so I am going to start shortening what I have been reloading and see how that works. They already have a pretty tight crimp.

Was planning on ordering one of the gauges from Dillon this week to use as well.

[Mark K]

In truth for me, checking my 40 ammo, I use my old barrel that I broke the barrel lug off of. I know it has a tight chamber, and was chambered by the same gunsmith (Rusty Kidd) that installed the new barrel.

Every 40SW round I reload is chamber checked. I find it easy, after loading a bunch of ammo, to sit and watch TV, and check the ammo. Any ammo that requires effort to get it seated, goes in a separate box for practice. Mostly I believe in checking even practice ammo is because my practice time is limited, too limited to be interrupted by jams, and me worrying that there is a problem with the gun/mag.

Same goes for 9mm and 38SC, except I use an EGW gauge for every thing, but chamber with the barrel prior to matches.

Mark K.

[whatmeworry]

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 08:25 PM, said:

CJDOUBLETAP, on Jun 28 2009, 09:15 PM, said:

Just use the barrel in your gun after running a few hundred rounds through it, that way you can be sure it will run when dirty. Drop the rounds in and make sure that they sit flush with out any assistance. That way you can assure that there will be no "death jams."

I also find a lot of cracked cases, upside down primers, etc., as mentioned above, while checking.

I have had a few of my reloads fail to chamber completely in my M&P. I am hoping this is the fix.

Chamber checking and finding your reloads that fail to chamber completely is only a bandaid on the problem. The real fix is to find an actual fix to the problem so all of your ammunition checks out. What problems do you find with the reloads that don't pass the test? Take the time to give the bad rounds a good look, identify the problem and fix the problem whether it is funky components, different die(s), etc. This removes one more problem that will occur at the exact wrong time.
CYa,
Pat

[jmaass]

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 06:50 PM, said:

Mark K, on Jun 28 2009, 07:47 PM, said:

BCA, on Jun 28 2009, 08:44 PM, said:

I've read about alot of folks performing chamber checks on their match ammo. Can someone explain exactly what you are doing, and what you are looking for when you do it?

Thanks

Disassemble the pistol in question, and then use the barrel chamber to check you ammo to make sure the it drops in and out cleanly.

Mark K

So I am only looking for how cleanly it slides in?

...and back out.

[Flexmoney]

Treat it as an opportunity to do an inspection on your ammo.

Make enough match ammo that you still have plenty, even if you put ANYTHING that is even slightly questionable into your practice pile or your total reject pile. This will allow you to be extra picky. Being extra picky...can mean that you have taken ammo problems out of the equation for "things that can go wrong".

- Most barrel chambers are a bit more loose than a dedicated gauge (but not all...be sure to check them out).

- Barrel chambers can be cut a bit long too...which will allow a round that has too long of an OAL to pass. This round might not feed well though your magazines. If you load your ammo a bit longer than book spec (many here do), then your round might even stick out the bottom of a gauge. But, I feel for that as I guage ammo. Do a few thousands rounds and pay attention and you will get a feel for it too.

- You can inspect for cracked cases.

- Inspect for a clean rim, no burrs (a barrel won't likely pick that up, but a case gauge might..your feel/eyeball should.).

- Inspect that the extraction groove is not fouled with dirt, crud, , mud or dead spiders. (I had to ground an airplane once for little dead spiders in the static air ports.)

- Inspect that your bullets are seated straight and true.

- Inspect that your brass is no bulged, nonuniform, rippled, torn...etc.

- Inspect that your crimp proper. (or, in my case...it's more of a lack of belling)

- Inspect the primers. They should be right side up and have round shoulders (seated straight). They should also be seated completely...this means below flush. (I swipe my thumb/nail over them and feel for this).

Then, put your ammo in plastic boxes, primer side up (for me). This allows me to do a visual inspection of the loaded box. I get another look at the primers, the rimes of the brass, maybe the extraction groove. And, if any ammo is out of place, it sticks out in the crowd.

I am sure there is more...

[Shawn Knight]

I use the EGW chamber gage. It catches a lot of ammo that would normally fit in the barrel just fine. I just want that little extra assurance.

This post has been edited by Shawn Knight: 29 June 2009 - 10:04 AM

[ima45dv8]

Flexmoney, on Jun 29 2009, 12:59 PM, said:

Then, put your ammo in plastic boxes, primer side up (for me). This allows me to do a visual inspection of the loaded box. I get another look at the primers, the rimes of the brass, maybe the extraction groove. And, if any ammo is out of place, it sticks out in the crowd.

A lesson I learned the hard way at a major match a couple of years ago.
I now put all "passed" rounds into plastic boxes for one last inspection of the primers and their seating depth.

[Mark K]

Inspect that your bullets are seated straight and true. - Flexmoney

90% of the 40 that does not chamber for me, is a bullet just off kilter. I use a U-Die for 9mm and 40 loading. I used to think that the rounds that would stop about 1/8" short of chambering were "Glocked", but they would fit in the EGW gauge. I load long (1.23), and it was the bullet stopping the chambering when the bullet caught the rifling in the barrel.

Mark K.

[Flexmoney]

What is nice about straight wall cases is that you can flip them around and try them in the gauge backwards.

- That can show if the brass is bulged at the base. (as opposed to other issues)

- It can also show if the base/rim of the brass has "grown". After all, brass is pliable. With multiple firings, it can flatten out against the breech face and the diameter can grow.

[bagdrag]

Case gauges are just another function check for the gun for me. If it passes the gauge, I 99.9% sure the ammo should be fine for most of the important dimension and I run my finger across the base of the round to check for proper primer seating.