I am having trouble understanding how to use the Wilson cartridge case gauge I recently purchased from Sinclair. I have adjusted it according to the instructions but darned if my fired, unresized cases don't fit just as well as my fired, resized cases. The specifics are .375 h+h fired once from as Winchester model 70. I'd appreciate any ideas on what I could be doing wrong.

Snake,

You may have a reasonably tight chamber.

I always used the Wilson gages for length only, not to check diameter. A SAAMI max case has to slip freely in and out of the gage, so diameter is not checked by the gage.

Don

Thanks, Don. So I think I misunderstood the use of this device - it is for overall length only and not diameter? What do you use to check for proper resizing?

If 1) the round fits in your chamber,
and 2) the case is not too short from shoulder to base (Wilson gage),
and 3) the case is not too long from shoulder to mouth (Wilson gage) then it is fine to shoot.

In reality, once you check new brass with the Wilson gage and again after the first resize, all you need to worry about is the overall length of the brass. (The check after the first resize verifies that your dies don't size it too short and create excess headspace.)

Don