The use of LUP and CUP for chamber pressure measurement is a holdover from the days when electronics did not exist. At best, they are imprecise and do not actually measure peak chamber pressure, but rather are simply analogous the area under the pressure-time curve. While the CUP and LUP methods are still covered under SAAMI pressure measurement standards, you are absolutely wasting your time in even considering them for home use, for any of many very good reasons. Forget it. The idea you propose could not and would not work.
Virtually all industry and government chamber pressure testing worldwide now uses some type of system based upon a very rapid response piezoelectric pressure gauge that allows an actual pressure vs. time trace to be captured and is capable of very precisely determining the actual peak chamber pressure. These systems are quite expensive, complicated, and are therefore wholly unsuitable for use by individuals. Piezo-based systems (and there are several types) are vastly superior to the old CUP and LUP methods for those users that actually need this data every day.
For both of the previous methods, a specially-designed or modified dedicated pressure gun is required. Not likely that many could afford those also, or would even be able to use one.
There is a system sold for use by individual reloaders that is reported to be almost as good as a piezo gauge. It uses an external strain gauge which is cemented to the exterior of the barrel of an ordinary rifle or shotgun. It is a bit costly, but is within the financial reach of many. Having not used it myself, I can offer no opinion, but there's quite a bit of information on the internet about it. If you want to use such a strain gauge system for pistol ammunition, you would necessarily have to use something like a single shot Thompson Center handgun caliber barrel chambered for the caliber you desire. YOU CANNOT USE YOUR ANTIQUE HANDGUNS FOR THIS PURPOSE!!!
Last edited by DWalt; 01-25-2012 at 09:07 PM.
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