can this gauge be used with a kimber model 84?my rifle has a catch sticking up after bolt is removed . you can not remove the dummie case. thanks

Just use a case sized enough to hold a bullet firmly enough to allow it to slide in the case. Seat the bullet way out, chamber it, and it will be pushed back into the neck, against the throat, and that is your max OAL. No need for any fancy tools for this.

Is it the bolt release? If so, mash it down as if you were removing the bolt.

He likely means the ejector which sticks out into the bolt race way like the Model 70. And that Hornady gauge is very long. Just depress it with a small screwdriver. Or remove it. Or use the method I use.

thanks for the replys. must be the ejector , the bolt release has no effect. my first kimber rifle . never had a rifle with this sticking up after the bolt was removed. thanks again.

Yep.... the ejector

It's a thin lever.....it is spring loaded and held in place with a pin that is easily removed

F that gauge, go old school as it's both faster and less expensive.
Drop cleaning rod down bore until it rests against the closed bolt face. Mark rod where it exits the muzzle.
Next, with the bolt removed, insert the bullet of choice into the chamber and hold gently against the rifling (eraser end of pencil works well for this). Place cleaning rod against tip of bullet and again mark the rod where it exits the muzzle.
Measure distance between marks, and move on with life.

As far as Kimbers are concerned all of this is a waste as the magazine box restraints of the Kimber doesn't allow loading long

I've done all those measuring method's PLUS using a much shorter rod, cleaning rod guide and coming in from the "back side"...Sinclair Inc. has the system and how to use it...using a cartridge and bullet is the simplest, quickest and maybe the most accurate, and you don't have a long rod waving about...my loading room is a bit small and even cleaning can be an exercise in patience.

The problem is the ogives on the bullets are all different so you have to do the measurements for EACH BRAND and WEIGHT and the BULLET'S oal can vary as much as 0.020" especially with long hollow points AND what's worse is unless you measure every bullet in the box BOTH MEASUREMENTS CAN BE OFF enough to get you in trouble if you play on the wild side of the pressure curve...I've found 3 different ogive lengths in a single box.

Things like this can cause those mysterious fliers and misses and REALLY mess up any kind of testing process.

I know...nitpicking but you can turn an 1 1/4" rifle into a .5" - .7" rifle just by doing a few simple measurements, eliminating the outliers and nothing more..

Magazine length doesn't matter, you can always single load or load the longest in the chamber and any others seated to fit the mag.

Another thing to consider while doing this is the chamber dimensions...I have several rifle with shoulder 0.020" out of spec meaning they have a 0.020" excess headspace issue. Usually this is quickly found out when after the second or third firing the case head comes off and you het a partial case stuck in the chamber.

Excess headspace isn't a problem IF you know about it and adjust your sizing die to compensate.

Luck

All one needs is round wood dowell, they come in all diameters..run the dowell in to the bolt face from the crown to a closed bolt...mark the wood dowell.

Next insert a bullet only into the throat of the chamber and tap it ever so lightly, then run the dowell back in from the crown again until it touches the bullet..Mark the dowell,

Now measure between the two marks and you have your OAL for that bullet...If you switch bullets the repeat the process..

Cheap and quick, anyone can afford a 3 ft. wood dowell that fits your barrels.

I used the dowl/ cleaning rod methods for many years, but could not get "truly" accurate measurements. I would easily get 0.0010" difference in readings. I would generally measure about 5 times, and then average. Not a good way, if you want an accurate measurement. Also used the bullet in case method, with less than satisfactorily results. Finally went to the Hornady system, and get very repeatable measurements. But then, I am a little " anal" about oal measurements! memtb

I've been using the Stoney point* OAL gauge for years. It's quite accurate once you get used to it and acquire the feel to push the bullet in contact with the rifling lead.

*Bought up and rebaptised by Hornady.