Hornady OAL gauge

P

Pete F

Titanium

Joined

Jul 30, 2008

Location

Sydney, Australia

• May 31, 2016

• #1

Can anyone please confirm for me that the thread pitch on the end on a Hornady OAL gauge is 5/16-36? I need to thread some spent cases to suit that tool.

Does anyone know any particular reason such an idiotic thread pitch should be used? Other than getting people to buy the special threaded cases from them?

 

G

gzig5

Hot Rolled

Joined

May 10, 2005

Location

Milwaukee, WI

• Jun 1, 2016

• #2

I believe you are correct on both counts.

If you Google "hornady modified case tap size", you'll get quite a bit of info, videos, etc. if you are interested.

 

A

akajun

Stainless

Joined

Jul 1, 2011

Location

Brusly, LA

• Jun 1, 2016

• #3

Pete F said:

Can anyone please confirm for me that the thread pitch on the end on a Hornady OAL gauge is 5/16-36? I need to thread some spent cases to suit that tool.

Does anyone know any particular reason such an idiotic thread pitch should be used? Other than getting people to buy the special threaded cases from them?

Click to expand...

It is, Enco has the tap, interstate brand "china" for about $10 I believe. It is surprisingly a good quality tap.
Now the fun part is chucking a case in the three jaw without deflecting it or scarring it up while you drill and tap it. Be prepared to throw away a few cases.

 

G

gzig5

Hot Rolled

Joined

May 10, 2005

Location

Milwaukee, WI

• Jun 1, 2016

• #4

akajun said:

It is, Enco has the tap, interstate brand "china" for about $10 I believe. It is surprisingly a good quality tap.
Now the fun part is chucking a case in the three jaw without deflecting it or scarring it up while you drill and tap it. Be prepared to throw away a few cases.

Click to expand...

Take the spindle out of the sizing die and run the lubed case into the die (doesn't have to go all the way in, just snug) with the case setting on top of the case holder. Remove die from press with case inside, you now have a nice concentric surface to grab onto. Load into lathe or vise to be drilled and tapped. Tap case out with rod from top of die or install case holder on case base and pull it back out in the press.

 

A

akajun

Stainless

Joined

Jul 1, 2011

Location

Brusly, LA

• Jun 1, 2016

• #5

I have tried that, the case will spin if the drill grabs or you don't clear chips when tapping.
I now just put it in a small 3 jaw and step drill to the next size up drill bit, then tap carefully

 

P

Pete F

Titanium

Joined

Jul 30, 2008

Location

Sydney, Australia

• Jun 1, 2016

• #6

Thanks guys. Enco changed their policy so they no longer post to Australia. It's a shame as I used to use them reasonably regularly. They're available on ebay from China, but I'm reluctant to buy direct as in the past I haven't had much luck with any unusual tap sizes off ebay. and when they (finally) arrived they were completely useless. I want a snug fit on these threads.

I intend to hold the cases in an ER32 collet when drilling and tapping them.

If I don't have any luck with sourcing the tap, I'll have to make one I guess. Thanks Hornady!

 

K

kenh

Guest

• Jun 1, 2016

• #7

tap available from Amazon too


Amazon.com: 5/16 - 36 tap: Industrial & Scientific

I made my own gauge, tapped 1/4-20 (IIRC)
No need to chuck it, I held case in vise, hand drilled & tapped. Sweet!

 

P

Pete F

Titanium

Joined

Jul 30, 2008

Location

Sydney, Australia

• Jun 1, 2016

• #8

Ok thanks, like Enco, McMaster, etc, many of those Amazon sellers won't sell to Australia*, but it looks like a few will, so I'll get one ordered. A good reminder of a source

Yes there's nothing particularly special about the gauge from what I can see, and if I were making my own I'd use a normal thread.

*I'm told the reason for this is due to all the hoops US companies are now made to jump through by "Homeland Security" when exporting.

 

A

akajun

Stainless

Joined

Jul 1, 2011

Location

Brusly, LA

• Jun 2, 2016

• #9

Also, when making your gauge , use a case fired in the rifle you are going to use it in. Resize it pushing the shoulder back .003 or whatever you normally push your shoulder back. You will also need to drill out the case neck about .001 over bullet diameter .

 

P

Pete F

Titanium

Joined

Jul 30, 2008

Location

Sydney, Australia

• Jun 2, 2016

• #10

Ok thanks, the fact the case is spent was mentioned in my first post. I have to do a few for different people, just waiting to hear how many, but I suggested they mark them so they know what they've been fired in. What the people do with them after I've done the job is up to them; it's just a job. I'm just now a bit pissed that I need to order a special tap that will likely never be used again. I ordered the tap through Amazon (ZFE) and it was cheap and free shipping to Australia, but I'm always dubious of the quality of this type of order, and don't enjoy promising work that could be bodgy if the tap is crap or takes forever to get here. I don't have the rest of the kit to test the thread fit.

 

PorkBarrel

Plastic

Joined

Apr 27, 2016

• Jun 19, 2016

• #11

I ordered from Amazon 5/16" - 36 HSS Right Hand Thread Tap 5/16 - 36 TPI by Merlintools. Good quality tap IMHO. No manufacture name on tap though.

 

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ncglocker

Plastic

Joined

Nov 17, 2014

• Jun 22, 2016

• #12

I normally can find a collet close enough to hold the case by the shoulder, if you have collets down to 1/64 its normally very easy, sometimes 1/32 steps, wrap some tape around and use a collet stop in back.