I want to get a ball Micrometer that will work with 17 hornet. The only thing I found is from Sinclair and it is 250 bucks. At this time, I simply want to measure necks to select the best case for aztec mode on the amp annealer. Is there something cheaper out there? I prefer digital.
Ball Micrometer for 17 cal
- Thread starter RabbitSlayer
- Start date
BKA
Gold $$ Contributor
Dang,just got out of the loading room where I was using this(old stored pic) checking some cases.
$20 Fleabay Brown&Sharpe "large head" micrometer... reads .0001 on dial,not a vernier scale. It's off their,forget the #... bench mic. Anyway,I made the rest of it. Whatever you get,consider a stand... heckuva lot easier to get repeatability.
That's a 38 wadcutter for scale.
$20 Fleabay Brown&Sharpe "large head" micrometer... reads .0001 on dial,not a vernier scale. It's off their,forget the #... bench mic. Anyway,I made the rest of it. Whatever you get,consider a stand... heckuva lot easier to get repeatability.
That's a 38 wadcutter for scale.
BKA
Gold $$ Contributor
It will not work with 17 cal right out of the box, the ball anvil is .186”.
Using common hand tools, massaging the anvil down .010"-.015" can be accomplished in short order.
If you want something that works with 17 cal right out of the box, ball/tube mics with smaller anvils are out there (if you look) but in your case the options are to go with a non-digital tool or pony up additional funds. You get what you pay for....usually
Using common hand tools, massaging the anvil down .010"-.015" can be accomplished in short order.
If you want something that works with 17 cal right out of the box, ball/tube mics with smaller anvils are out there (if you look) but in your case the options are to go with a non-digital tool or pony up additional funds. You get what you pay for....usually
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
You really need a true ball micrometer to accurately measure the wall thickness of necks.
Rather just open the box and get to work. Do you know of one that will work which is not digital and <100?It will not work with 17 cal right out of the box, the ball anvil is .186”.
Using common hand tools, massaging the anvil down .010"-.015" can be accomplished in short order.
If you want something that works with 17 cal right out of the box, ball/tube mics with smaller anvils are out there (if you look) but in your case the options are to go with a non-digital tool or pony up additional funds. You get what you pay for....usually
I have several ball mics,this one is noticeably easier,faster,and more repeatable.
Doesn't the unit determine the best code regardless of neck thickness? Turn the necks so they are all the same.
The instructions say to find a piece of brass that represents the avg weight and neck thickness for the lot of cases. I dont turn necks.
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
Get a set of cheap ball mic’s and grind down the back and sides to where you just have the face of the ball left, and it fits inside the 17 cal case.
the two sides and back just fit air.
the two sides and back just fit air.
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Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
Look on Craigslist, I bought a like new Starrett 1" and a Mitutoyo ball mic that will do 17 caliber. Both are almost like new, the Mitutoyo has multiple anvils for various size tubes, Both were very reasonable for price and were from retired machinists.
I shopped multiple near by markets. My experience using Craigslist has been very positive.
I shopped multiple near by markets. My experience using Craigslist has been very positive.
I bought my first set of mitutoyo calipers a few weeks ago and love them... The one thing I have found is you have to be extremely careful... There's literally more china knockoffs than the real thing... There's actually websites that help you to determine of your tools are real or cheap copies... Look up mitutoyo on eBay and you will see they have alot of them extremely cheap like $25 cheap and they look identical to the real ones... China will copy anything...
KBC #1-812-345 looks to be decent one. It has a friction thimble instead of more common ratchet, which is real nice. It has .0001 graduations . I went with simpler and cheaper tubing mic. But I don't do .17
I appreciate everyone's input! I found the Holland's micrometer that does 17 cal. Looks like it was once 75 bucks. Now it is 129. Thanks joe!
www.midwayusa.com
Holland's Case Neck Ball Vernier Micrometer
The Holland's Case Neck Ball Vernier Micrometer is an ideal tool to measure the uniformity of case necks. The unique ratchet system allows repeatable...
www.midwayusa.com
jackieschmidt
Gold $$ Contributor
I went outo my shop and measured the ball on one of my Mititoyo ball mics.
As you can see, you could grind just a little off of the back and sides and it will work fine i a .177 hole.
I’m sure I have an extra set. I could grind the ball correctly and you cn have it for $50 plus mail cost.
As you can see, you could grind just a little off of the back and sides and it will work fine i a .177 hole.
I’m sure I have an extra set. I could grind the ball correctly and you cn have it for $50 plus mail cost.
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
I'd probably just use the recommended setting they show in their website for the .17 hornet or cut a case open so you can measure it. If you don't have the newer version that comes with Aztec, that extra $400.00 for the software upgrade is a bummer. If your machine has Aztec, I'd let it destroy a case from your lot as it will be more precise. I'm guessing that is your intent with the calipers.
It is brand new and it has aztec. I have read posts about people just randomly picking a case to use for aztec mode to get the code and that resulted in melting many cases. The replies said follow the instructions to sort by weight and neck thickness to find an appropriate case to sacrifice.
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
I'll be getting the machine I ordered in a few days, hopefully - so am interested to hear that. I plan on running a lot of brass through mine - and I won't be measuring all my necks or segregating them (even though most are all turned anyway). I have watched a lot of videos online for use of the machine. You know the first case is a goner running on Aztec mode. I'd take the Aztec number, then dial the machine back maybe 10%, then increase a few percent at a time until you reach the Aztec number. If the machine is running so hot that it is capable of destroying your thinnest case, it is still WAY too hot. You will not be able to visibly see too much of a difference between cases of the same lot in visual appearance. But if even the thinnest case is going to get burned - so will the thickest. So you will see early on if the machine is set too hot for your brass.
It is clearly stated in the instructions it comes with. I don't have it in front of me but it says weigh the lot and select 10 cases that represent the mean weight. Then measure the necks and select the mean neck thickness. Its really not clear if they are talking about the mean or median but I take it to be the mean. It also mentions something about 2 grains of variation. The brass I have is sorted to < 2 gr variation so im not concerned about that.
I only been reloading a 2 years. I just started weighing brass. At this point im not going to get into crazy sorting but a little sorting seems easy. For example, I purchased 500 556 starline brass. It was like 3 gr spread. 4 cases were very heavy and I culled them. I will use those for adjusting the dies. Then I split the remainder in half to use for 2 guns. Now i have 250 within 1 gr and 246 within 1.4 gr. . Ill use the group with 1 gr variation in a bolt gun for prairie dogs and the other in agas gun for coyotes. All it cost me was like 6 hours infront the tv and a half bottle of whiskey
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