The invention provides a measuring device for the axial load of a column-shaped explosion container. The measuring device comprises a column shell, two flat plate end sockets, an explosive, an electric probe, screw rods, nuts, a strain gauge and a detonator, wherein the two flat plate end sockets are arranged on two ends of the column shell and provided with circular grooves, the explosive is placed on the center of the column shell, the electric probe adheres to the surface of the explosive, the screw rods and the nuts are used for fixedly connecting the two flat plate end sockets with the column shell, the strain gauge adheres to the screw rods, the detonator is used for detonating the explosive, the electric probe is connected with an oscilloscope through an explosion velocity instrument, and the strain gauge is connected with the oscilloscope through a strain instrument. According to the measuring device and the measuring method provided by the invention, scaling model examination can be performed on a large size column-shaped explosion container according to an explosion similarity law, so that the intensity designs of the end sockets and the screw rods are optimized, the experiment cost is low, and the practicability is high. The measuring device provided by the invention has an important significance for knowing the axial load of the column-shaped container under the action of internal explosion, and is simple in experiment principle and easy to operate.