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Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

Slide, they were once fired 2 3/4" Federals and Estates, cut down approx 1 inch. measured with a set of Browne & Sharpe dial calipers, over the ribbing. (if you are wondering the calipers aren't bent or sprung and I was using the undercut tips so arcs don't affect the reading)

I will check again when I get home, though because I am not above screwing up now and again.

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

Hi Slide,

I checked the zero on my caliper an then checked it with a .100 size block, everything checks good.

I rechecked the Federals at .030 - ,032 on top of the ribs,

I tried a Remington it measured .034 - .035 on top of the ribs.

Tube mics are great, but that long anvil deflects and if you use the friction thimble on plastic you will get an inaccurate reading. You need a very light touch when measuring plastics. Especially this stuff, it is very soft and pliable, you can displace it very easy.

Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 1460 Location: Eagle, Nebraska

Ajax, what did you think of the ammo from Sporting Ammo?
I have been thinking about trying a box of their 10ga and maybe some 16ga. (12ga) too if they are worth it.

What did it cost??

Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 129 Location: hong kong

Hootch, I liked dealing with them, they were fast and friendly. I bought both 2 3/4" 12 gauge, and 16 gauge shells. I have fired a few of the 16 gauge, but not at waterfowl to date. They went bang as expected.

The 12 gauge shells were very effective and I would purchase them again.

If memory serves me right the cost was $16 bucks and change. Priced right if you ask me.

Ajax.

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 52

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

Slide and whoever else cares,

I worked as a machinist (I.D./O.D. Grinders mostly, lathes - manual and CNC, and CNC machining centers) for 13 or so years.

Most of my experience is on the I.D./O.D. grinders, all of the work was either aero-space, medical or plastic mold related. I have spent months at a time seeing tolerances of +/- .00025 or less. I have used most every type of gaging from dial calipers to air gaging to the automatic electronic gaging. I know my stuff.

If you don't believe my measurements, I don't know what to tell you.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

Perhaps a couple pictures will help... Laughing

The first has an enlargement of the carefully trimmed back mouths of a Reminton black and a late vintage Fed purple.

The Remington miked .0315" - .0335" wall (.002" eccentric)

The Federal miked .022" - .0245" wall (.0025" eccentric)

The O.D. of both hulls at the trimmed mouth was .720"

Our county librarian with her thick lensed glasses could tell me which was thicker without even tools! Laughing

The second split photo is the same two trimmed hulls photograped with
the SAME trimmed shorter R16 wad inserted backwards to further display differences seen without measurement!

Oh Mike.... This could be one reason hull wall thickness has some merit to discuss.

To all.... Wonder why a Federal (or Cheddite) hull migrates powder when loaded with a Remington wad? Take a look at the "gap" in the second photo!

Slidehammer

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

I don't really know how old these hulls are, I bought 1,500 of them from a guy in MN. I bought them as a mixture of Estates and Federals, and threw about 500 of my own Federals in the bin.

UPDATE.

We are in a debate over nothin'. I reached into the bottom of my bin and pulled out some hulls and started checking. I found wall thickness readings from .020 on some Estates to the .032 thickness I originally gave you. Those thicker numbers are from 10+ year old Federals, which were the once fired hulls that were originally bought as new ammo by me. When I started checking even the Estates are all over the place as far as wall thickness goes.

Then I measured 2 Cheddites .028 - .024 on both hulls. These extruded plastic tubes don't seem to run very consistent. This is basically a waste of time.

BTW I did the same as you fellas did just to keep apples vs apples and there wasn't a difference between flattend out with a Micrometer and still as a tube with the dial calipers. I don't think anyone should be surprised at that.

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

Yup, That is how mine are stamped.

Slide, glad that you weren't insulted, but if I had a dollar for every guy that told me he knew how to use a mic, you come back 5 minutes later and he is about using it as a 'C' clamp. So I just learned to always find out for sure.

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

Mike Campbell,

Mike the reason I used the calipers in the first place is, it is easier to get a good feel with the calipers with plastic, as there is no mechaniccal advantage with a set of dial calipers. Micrometers are another animal altogether as they have a very fine screw thread (40 threads per inch) and it isnt very difficult to squish the plastic around with a mic.

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338