Looking for a bore and shell length gauging tool

[DuggerWebster]

So would yall have any recommendations for a bore length gauge tool? I've got some SxS and have no idea what they are...

Thank you for any help.

[J. Scott Hanes]

I purchased one from Galazan a few years ago. Seems to be accurate.

[DuggerWebster]

Thanks Scott.. I'll give em a try

[Bill Jolliff]

Originally Posted by DuggerWebster

So would yall have any recommendations for a bore length gauge tool? I've got some SxS and have no idea what they are...

Thank you for any help.

Dugger,

You can make your own chamber length gauge.

As my picture shows below, I used some empty RST hulls (other plastic bodied hulls will work OK too) and cut the brass base off nice and square. Cutting them to an exact 2 inch length will help in measuring the chamber length. Clean up the cut edge with some sandpaper.

I insert the nice squared off end into the empty chamber until it stops. It has very likely stopped at the beginning of the forcing cone.

With a machinist's scale, just measure how far into the chamber your squared off hull is and add it to the length of hull. That will get you the chamber length.

Make one for each gauge.

[Bill Murphy]

The Galazan brass gauge, at forty some bucks, is a lifetime tool. It was discontinued for awhile but I think it's back in the catalog.

[Stan Hillis]

I have used nothing more than a 6" machinists scale (rule) for years. One can hold the muzzles towards a good light source and slide the rule slowly into the chamber, holding it snugly to one side of the chamber. You can clearly see the beginning of the forcing cones. When the rule touches the beginning of the forcing cone, look at the scale and get the length.

I know this sounds like a shadetree procedure, but once you try it you will find it to be very accurate and repeatable. Besides that, the "store bought" gauges are not entirely accurate because all chambers in any given gauge, from model to model, are not uniform. Super Fox guns' chambers, for example, cannot be measured with over-the-counter gauges. Tapers vary in the chambers of these old guns, so one with a tight chamber will not read accurately using the brass drop in gauges.

[Bill Jolliff]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

The Galazan brass gauge, at forty some bucks, is a lifetime tool. It was discontinued for awhile but I think it's back in the catalog.

Pictured below is the first, and pre Galazan, chamber gauge that I made specifically for Fox doubles. That was about 47 years ago.

Tony G seen me using it at a gun show and wanted to know what it was. He asked if he could borrow it and make some. Sure, why not.

Pictured above it is a Frank Mittermeier gauge that can be used to measure chokes in 12's, 16's and 20's.

Both still work fine.