I recently acquired some gauges in 7,62mm Russian, 7,62mm Nato and 5,45mm Russian caliber. This gauges are cartridge-shaped and are rather than from the weapons- than from the ammunition-manufacturing (my opinion!).
The left and the middle one show no inscription. They differ by two rings at the neck and some kind of “primer-pocket”. The surface looks ground and it seems that they consist of two parts, the rim-area and the body.
The right one is made of one part and shows some kind of “bullet-shaped” extension. The surface looks also ground and there is a laser-engraved inscription:
.SML 5/89
MZ556 a
RI.S-2
The appearance of the items is high-quality extensive. It is interesting, that a magnet is less attracted at the bottom of the first two items than at the single steel item. Possibly a different material.
Four 7,62mm Nato Gauges, also possibly from Firearms-manufacturing.
The two left ones differ also by a ring at the neck. They consist of two parts, the bottom and the body and show the following inscription:
MRE 22/02
KK9409500
MIN
and
MRE
7,62X51 MAX
KK9409600
The “primer-hole” is going all the way to the top.
The gauges on the right side, do come from an intermediate stage of manufacturing a firearm-barrel (my opinion). They are made of one piece each. The hole is also going all the way to the top. The body is straight and the walls are parallel, which point in the direction of a pre-reamer-stage during manufacturing. The diameter of the body is smaller than the diameter of a finished chamber or cartridge in 7,62mm caliber. They show also an inscription:
.SML 4/91
CAL. 7,62N
PUESTO.5
MAX.
and
.SML 4/91
CAL. 7,62N
PUESTO.5
MIN.
The overall-appearance is high-quality and industrial-quality.
The last gauge is a 5,45x39 gauge. It has the same appearance of the former gauges. It is also made of two parts, the bottom and the body .
The inscription on the side is:
MRE 39/02
KK9411300
5,45X39 MAX.
Does somebody know gauges of such design and appearance or know the country, which they come from (possibly a Spanish/Portuguese-speaking country) or know the manufacturer of such gauges (SML or MRE???)