The Hornady Lock-N-Load Cartridge Gauge (.380 Auto / .355) is a precision quality-control reloading tool engineered to verify that factory or handloaded ammunition conforms to SAAMI minimum chamber dimensions. Machined from solid high-carbon steel with a silver finish, this mechanical drop-in gauge allows reloaders to check critical cartridge tolerances—including bullet seating depth, case diameter, crimp removal, and headspace—prior to chambering. By confirming that rounds sit flush within the stepped reference cut-outs, the tool provides an immediate pass/fail inspection to prevent chambering jams, failure-to-feed errors, and out-of-battery malfunctions in semi-automatic pistols.

Key Features

• SAAMI Minimum Chamber Sizing: Machined to replicate factory minimum chamber tolerances for single-step "drop-in" verification of overall case length, diameter, and headspace.
• Stepped Reference Face: Features precision-cut steps at the cartridge base opening to visually confirm Go/No-Go headspace and cartridge overall length compliance.
• Quality Control Inspection: Detects improper flare removal, bulged cases, and over-extended bullet seating depths that cause feeding failures in semi-automatic firearms.
• Durable Steel Construction: Manufactured from solid, wear-resistant high-carbon steel designed for repeated benchtop use without dimensional drift.
• Passive Mechanical Design: Operates entirely by gravity and hand inspection, requiring zero electrical power, batteries, or calibration accessories.

Specifications

• Brand: Hornady
• Model / MPN: 380700
• Calibre Compatibility: .380 Auto / .380 ACP
• Compatible Bullet Diameter: .355"
• Material: High-carbon steel
• Capacity: 1 cartridge
• Operating Principle: SAAMI minimum chamber Go / No-Go verification
• Power Requirements: None (mechanical hand tool)

Who is the Hornady 380 Auto Cartridge Gauge for?

• Handloaders and reloaders of 380 Auto ammunition — confirms reloaded .380 Auto ammunition with .355" bullet diameter meets SAAMI minimum chamber dimensions and case length standards in a dedicated 380 Auto cartridge gauge.
• Pistol shooters seeking to prevent chambering jams and feed issues — provides a Go/No-Go chamber check for .380 Auto rounds loaded with .355" bullets to eliminate out-of-battery stops and failure-to-feed malfunctions before shooting.

Less suitable for: High-volume batch reloaders needing to inspect 50 to 100 rounds simultaneously (who require multi-hole case checker blocks rather than a single-cartridge gauge), users needing exact thousandths-of-an-inch diagnostic variances (who require micrometer calipers or dial-indicator tools), or reloaders checking different calibres such as 9mm Luger (who require calibre-specific cartridge gauges).