Smart Tool Tip: Make Your Own Length-to-Lands Gauge
Here’s a tip we feature every year or so, because it is something that costs nothing, yet can be very useful in the reloading process. With a simple, easy modification to a fired case, you can determine the length to lands in your rifle barrel. As long as you set the tension right, the measurements should be repeatable, and you’ve just saved yourself $31 — the price of a commercial OAL gauge.
To achieve best accuracy with a rifle, you must control bullet seating depth very precisely, so all bullets end up in the same place relative to the entrance of the lands, every time. There may be multiple cartridge OALs which prove accurate. However, with each, you first need to determine a “zero” point — a reliable, and repeatable OAL where the bullet is “just touching” the lands.
There are tools, such as the Hornady (formerly Stoney Point) OAL Gauge, that will help you find a seating OAL just touching the lands. However, the tool requires that you use a special modified case for each cartridge you shoot. And, while we find that the Hornady OAL Gauge is repeatable, it does take some practice to get in right.
Make Your Own Length-to-Lands Gauge with a Dremel
Here’s an inexpensive alternative to the Hornady OAL tool — a slotted case. Forum member Andris Silins explains how to create a slotted case to measure length to the lands in your rifle:
“Here’s what I did to find length to lands for seating my bullets. I made four cuts into the neck of fire-formed brass. Then I pressed the bullet in lightly and chambered the entire gauge. As the cartridge chambers, the bullet slides back into the case to give you length to lands. It took less than five minutes to get it cut and working. A little light oil in the barrel just past the chamber helps ensure the bullet does not get stuck in the lands. It works great and is very accurate.
I made the cuts using a Dremel with a cut-off wheel. You can adjust tension two ways. First, you can make the cuts longer or shorter. Longer cuts = less tension. If you used only three cuts insted of four you would get more tension. The trick is to be gentle when you open and close the bolt. If you ram the bolt closed you may wedge the bullet into the lands. When you open the bolt it helps to keep a finger or two near by to guide the case out straight because the ejector wants to push it sideways.”
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Tags: Bullet Seating, Cartridge Gauge, Freebore, Hornady, OAL Gauge, Stoney Point Tool
If you have a lee collet die, you can do the same thing. Using a piece of brass fired from your gun, back the collet die off from it’s normal setting, size it, and keep adjusting the die and sizing until the case has enough grab against the bullet so you can move it in and out with finger pressure. Might take a couple cases to get it right, but you won’t lose anything in the process. Punch the primer out first, that way if you end up with the bullet stuck in a little too tight in the neck to pull it out with your fingers you can poke it back out w/ a small allen wrench.
I sacrifice a once-fired case to do this to +/- .001″ or less. Drill the primer pocket out in two stages. 1/8th inch bit and then a 1/4″ bit. Thread the hole 1/4-28tpi. Buy one inch and one and a half-inch long headless hex head bolts. Seat the bullet deep, and push it in the chamber. Just turn the hex head until you feel the bullet bottom out where the ogive touches the rifling.
I just mark the bullet with a black sharpee. When it leaves a mark on the black coating but not a bare bullet, I have it. This can be done on loaded rounds with the firing pin removed.
Here is an easy way to find OAL: Get a hexagon nut from Sinclair with caliber on each side. Insert your bullet into the correct caliber hole. Mark where ogive touches the hex with a very fine black marker pen. Remove bullet, seat it in a dummy case and lower the press ram until you touch the black mark. Especially effective in factory rifles where land marks are difficult to see.
I take a fired case make a quick and dirty neck sizing button until the bullet I am using slides easily.
then
1) fill the case with polyester fluff until the bullet will push back out of the case enough to hit the lands.
2)lightly oil the chamber and throat.
3)set the rifle straight up with the bolt open.
4) with a tooth pick apply a small amount of epoxy to the inside of the case neck.
5) replace the bullet, chamber the round and let sit overnight.
I do this for each type of bullet I use, then I have a master case I can refer to for that rifle and particular bullet.
I use the Sinclair Bullet Seating Depth tool. It requires only a fired case and the bullet you are planning to use. I find it to be far more consistent than any other method I’ve tried.