Hornady Bullet Comparator Bushings

[CaNINE]

I'm looking to use these comparators to get more accurate and consistent OAL measurements using the bullet shoulder junction.  I've learned there is just too much variation in jacket thickness to use bullet tips as a measurement point.  Has anyone used these with success and will they work with longer VLD bullets?

[grundy53]

I use them. I really like them. Sorry, I don't load VLDs.

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[mkcj]

I use them, they work great on ABLR bullets. 

[Hooked On Chrome Guide Service]

I use them with VLDs and try work great

[huntandjeep]

I use them with VLDs and try work great

[RadSav]

Cheaply made, but they work great so who cares.  Our hand loads immediately improved when I started using it.  Only problem for me is I shoot 8mm bullets and they don't make a bushing for that.  But, since the design is simple I should be able to make my own bushing as soon as our new machine is operational.  IMO...worth every penny

I have not used it with a VLD, but I have loaded A-Max.  Worked fine.

[CaNINE]

Thanks for the quick input folks.  I just ordered up a set from MidWay and will look forward to giving them a try.

[RadSav]

Good deal!  I think you will like it.

I'll share a little story;

I loaded back in the 80's when I was competition shooting.  But stopped for about 25 years as archery took most of my target and hunting time.  I started loading again after being unable to find quality ammo for the wife's 257 Roberts and getting Multi-Season tags.  She had always done well with Hornady Interlock so that is what I loaded first.  Her gun had always been a 2.5-3" gun with factory ammo.  No matter what I did to the gun it remained a 2.5-3" gun.  Handloading the Interlock didn't change a thing.

I figured I would play around with seating depths just to see if I could give her another little bump.  A friend loaned me one of the Hornady Bullet Comparitors for a weekend.  Suddenly, with no change in jump length or powder charge, her gun started shooting 1".  After working on load, seating and playing with premium bullets we came up with a load that puts her gun very close to .5".  Made me a true believer!

With premium bullets out of my already sub-MOA guns I didn't see as big a change as I did with the Interlocks from the Roberts.  But I think there is still an improvement.  It also let me know how inconsistent my off the shelf RCBS dies were seating bullets.  I started using Forster seating dies because of the Hornady tool.  Now just measure one and done!  We've never shot better.

[CaNINE]

RadSav,

I've been tooling around with the Hornady comparators and OAL gauge.  I'm wondering if you account for the shoulder set back variance between the Hornady modified case used with the OAL gauge and an actual case that has been fire formed in your chamber.

I suppose one could send Hornady an actual case and have them modify it for use with the tool; or use bump gauges to measure the variance in cases then account for that when calculating actual OAL for the chamber.  I'm assuming there can be up to a 0.010 difference between the cases that needs to be accounted for if you want to pursue precise seating depth work. 

[RadSav]

RadSav,

I've been tooling around with the Hornady comparators and OAL gauge.  I'm wondering if you account for the shoulder set back variance between the Hornady modified case used with the OAL gauge and an actual case that has been fire formed in your chamber.

I never used an OAL gauge until this year when my 270WSM had too much freebore for the old method.  Guess I'm old school.  I've always used a spent case and some machinists transfer ink.  Run the test round through until I get three identical measurements.  Not sure if it is better or worse than the OAL gauges.  I am in no way a loading expert, but it seems to work.

[b23]

RadSav,

I've been tooling around with the Hornady comparators and OAL gauge.  I'm wondering if you account for the shoulder set back variance between the Hornady modified case used with the OAL gauge and an actual case that has been fire formed in your chamber.

I suppose one could send Hornady an actual case and have them modify it for use with the tool; or use bump gauges to measure the variance in cases then account for that when calculating actual OAL for the chamber.  I'm assuming there can be up to a 0.010 difference between the cases that needs to be accounted for if you want to pursue precise seating depth work.

Using a case thats been fireformed in your chamber is the best case to use and anybody with a lathe can take one of your fireformed cases and drill/tap it.  I suppose you could do it yourself with a good drill press and a tap but most of the ones I've seen people try and drill/tap themselves didn't match up very well with the datum line.  It only takes a few seconds to drill/tap a case with a lathe and make a case gauge.  Do you have any gunshops around you that would have a lathe?

[Biggerhammer]

Back in the early 90's we would say "Set and forget" when it came to the Forester seating dies.

[yorketransport]

You guys make this all seem so complicated!

I take a fired case, partially size the neck so that it will hold a bullet and then seat a bullet long in the case and chamber the round. I do this 3 times and measure the COAL with the comparator. Then I just take my dummy round and run it into the seating die and adjust the bullet seating stem until I feel it make contact with the bullet.

I typically start load development (with VLDs) with a mild powder charge and the bullet .015" off the lands and then work my way closer to the lands in .003" increments shooting 3 shot groups until I'm happy with the results. In my experience the ideal seating depth remains constant regardless of powder charge. Figuring out your seating depth first saves components and time when you're trying different powders.

I've never seen a use for the modified cases. It makes things more difficult than they need to be.

[Biggerhammer]

A black " Sharpie" is my best friend. Crude but it has worked for a loooooong time.

[CaNINE]

I get a great enjoyment out of over-thinking this stuff.  Between working out and load development, what else am I going to do between hunting seasons???   

I've used the black sharpie method and yes it works well.  The main goal with this effort is to use the comparators to measure off the bullet shoulder junction instead of the meplat.  So I'll get back after it...time to see how the ELD-X do in the 264WM.

Thanks for the input guys.  Shoot straight and shoot often.