Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Hornady concentricity

Looking into busing a hornday concentricity gauge was wondering how it works and if it's recommended basically any info on it would he great

I have been using the Hornaday for over a year now. Not only is it simple and easy to use, but very accurate. I have compared cases using the RCBS and Hornaday and get the same readout.

What I like about it is the speed in determining run out. I have tried checking the same cases on different days and get the same readout In addition, it is easy to check the cases for concentricity on the shoulder or body.

How does it work what exactly do you mean by run out.does the handle tighten to straighten it

How does it work what exactly do you mean by run out.does the handle tighten to straighten it

Also will it effect neck tension

i've been very happy with mine.

run-out - or as it is more correctly called concentricity is the deviation from being perfectly round. If everything is perfectly aligned, then when the loaded round is spun, there would be no deviation. The runout is the amount of measurement the bullet "wobbles" in alignment with the case neck when spun slowly in a device for measuring the "wobble".

there is a thumb screw that you can use to reduce run out on the loaded round.

think best practice is to find out what step in your process is causing it and make the correction there rather than "fixing it" with the tool. the search for the cause will make you learn, perhaps too much, about each step in the reloading process and you will be better for it the long run. never mind the fact it will drive half crazy.

will it affect neck tension? i don't see how the straightening feature would not affect it in some way but have no idea if it would be detrimental.

I have the Hornady tool, the RCBS tool, & a tru tool corrector.
I'm not crazy about the Hornady tool. Anything I correct on the RCBS turns out to look perfect on the Hornady tool but not vice versa I can't really put my finger on what the differences are but they're there. Two things make me skeptical on the Hornady. The first thing is the fact that you're measuring so close to a holding point. I'm not sure its hoing show you big variances like the RCBS might. and number 2, is that when you do correct you're pushing on the bullet which has got to disturb neck tension.
If I had to eliminate one of my tools or not buy one again it would be the Hornady.

For my part, I will not straighten bullets with run out over .002. I simply pull the bullets and componenets and pitch the case. I know this is an extreme attitude, but I do not like to keep cases seperate.

I am looking to keep the fliers out of my groups for varmint shooting. If I do not attempt for tiny groups, then my disappointment will grow when actually shooting at longer ranges. I know it is not for everyone, but it works for me.

Wow...that does sound extreme to me but its your decision not mine. I can't help but think if you bagged up those naughty casings you could sell em with description pretty ez here.
Have you run experiments with your gun and higher runnout ammo to see if it matters? Some people I respect say heck yes but last summer I sorted 2 boxes of federal 308 match by runnout for a buddy that shot them at 330 yds out of a factory LE savage thats pretty accurate. Believe it or not we had runnout on some of those as high as .011". I sorted into three groups for him...under .003, .003-.006 and .006 and over. Bottom line is they all shot about the same. His groups were all at 2-2.5" at 330. For a factory gun this has a tight chamber.
As a addition to all this....A while back I pulled some bullets that I had corrected on my tru tool. I had put a mark on the case necks where I "tweaked" them. I reinstalled a slightly lighter bullet and when I checked them the runnout was all back again in exactly the same place. I should have spent more time checking neck thickness to see if there was a correlation. It made me wonder....at ignition...is it possible the whole casing flexes and returns to a crooked state as the bullet leaves the case mouth??? Guess we'll never know unless someone invents a inner chamber camera...lol.
A very good rifle builder told me the average rifle doesn't know the difference between ammo under .005" but after that it would get noticeable.

I did a blind test on runout using sorted Lake City 7.62 match ammunition. A friend who is a pretty good trigger man did the shooting, and he didn't know what was being tested.

Runout did have an effect on group size measured by extreme spread. Interestingly the groups from bad runout cartridges were hollow. It's like most/all of their shots were fliers for lack of a better description.

A couple of ten shot groups may have similar extreme spreads, but if you check them for mean radius they could be quite different.

Kraky, I don't know if you are referring to me in your last post, but I neglected to note that I am using LC 223 brass and Rem and Win 243 Brass. I have checked so many times about .002 run out and anything over. My results have been that those particular cases would deliver hits 1/2"-3/4" out of the group. The more run out, the larger the groups.

Keep in mind, all cases go thru:

Weighing
neck turning
FL sizing
Neck sizing
Loading

I agree that is more work than most are willing to do or buy tools to complete the process. But the rewards are there for me, so I follow my process.

When I'm seating I spin the case and seat the bullet little buy little to help but i seen that and figured why not get it to try

I wanna get the most out of my 223 for varmint and I like siting down to reload and messing with little things anything to help I know people that never touched a con gauge but I definitely want the comparator