Hornady Neck Wall Thickness Gauge User Manual

NECK WALL THICKNESS GAUGE INSTRUCTIONS

SETUP:

1. Unscrew the ball knob, and remove the bullet spindle,
retaining the bullet spindle spring and bullet spindle collar
for installation of Neck Wall Thickness Gauge (fig. 1).

2. Select the correct caliber pilot from the chart inside and
insert into the new neck sort spindle and tighten the hex
head set screw using the included allen wrench (fig 1). An
under-cut will be visible behind the pilot next to the neck sort
spindle face (fig. 2).

3. Using the existing bullet spindle spring and collar, insert the
neck sort spindle into the frame and thread on the ball knob
(fig. 1).

4. Remove the .001 inch dial indicator, and replace with the new
.0005 inch dial indicator (fig. 1).

5. Position the indicator cradle (fig. 1) so the end of the dial
indicator spindle is touching the straight section of the pilot,
but does not contact the neck sort spindle (fig. 2). Back the
nylon-tipped bullet straightening screw out several turns
away from the pilot, as this screw will not be used with the
Neck Wall Thickness Gauge (fig. 1). Slide the dial indicator’s
O-ring holds to the body of the indicator to hold the indicator
spindle in this position. NOTE: If the O-ring holds are not set
then the spindle will be in the way when inserting/removing
cases (fig. 3).

6. Loosen the case head spindle lock. Place cartridge case
head (for best results, cases should be sized or neck sized
and de-burred) in the case head spindle (fig. 1) and slide
the spindle forward, guiding the case mouth onto the pilot
past the undercut in the pilot but not touching the neck
sort spindle face (fig. 4). Tighten the case head spindle lock
(fig. 1). NOTE: If the case mouth touches the neck sort
spindle face your reading may be inaccurate. The under-cut
on the pilot is to eliminate the possibility of an inside neck

burr altering your indicator reading (fig 4).

7. The Neck Wall Thickness Gauge is now set and ready for
operation. Cases can be inserted and removed by pulling the
ball knob away from the tool until the pilot slides out of the
case neck and then subsequently guiding the next case onto
the pilot while releasing the ball knob.

OPERATION:

Place a cartridge case in the tool and rotate the case only; the
neck sort spindle MUST remain stationary to achieve accurate
measurements. This is easily achieved by keeping the set
screw that secures the pilot visible on the top of the spindle
(fig. 4). Holding the head of the case tight against the case
head spindle, rotate the case until the dial reads at its lowest
position. Set the dial indicator to zero by loosening the dial
indicator face lock and rotating the face (fig. 3), or by loosening
the dial indicator lock screw and adjusting the indicator in or
out (fig. 1). Once the dial is set to zero, the maximum reading as
the cartridge case is rotated will be the runout of the case neck.
NOTE: If the neck sort spindle rotates with the cartridge case,
hold the ball knob to prevent this; the neck sort spindle MUST
remain stationary to achieve accurate measurements.

To measure neck wall thickness, set the tool up as outlined in
Setup steps 1 through 7. Do not add a cartridge case. With the
dial indicator spindle resting on the pilot, set the dial indicator
to zero. Now when a case neck is measured, the indicated
number will be the thickness of the neck wall itself. NOTE: Be
sure to keep the set screw on the alignment spindle in the same
position throughout the entire process to ensure accurate
measurements.

Pilot No. Cal. / Bullet Dia. Item No.

FACE
LOCK

O-RING

HOLDS

FACE

CASE MOUTH
PAST UNDER CUT
IN PILOT BUT NOT
TOUCHING SORT
SPINDLE FACE

SET SCREW
VISIBLE ON
TOP OF
SPINDLE

1 22 / .224 390943

3 6mm / .243 390945

4 25 / .257 390946

5 6.5mm / .264 390947

6 270 /.277 390948

7 7mm / .284 390949

9 30 /.308 390951

13 33 / .338 390955

15 35 / .358 390957

19 45 / .452 390961

***The Neck Wall Thickness Gauge is only
designed to measure run-out and/or neck
thickness. It does not have the ability to correct
neck thickness variation. The Hornady Neck
Turning Tool (#041222), sold separately, will allow
neck thickness correction once identified.***