Installing Gas Checks?

[crabo]

What is needed to install gas checks? I know you would have to have a gas checked mold and I assume you buy a bag of gas checks. Do you do it when you size and lube the bullet?

Thanks,

Crabo

[freakshow10mm]

The sizer/luber installs them. How that works I don't know either. Haven't used any yet but will in the near future. I think maybe when the bullet is pushed down the check is crimped on the base of the bullet or something to that effect.

[454PB]

Freakshow is right, the sizer seats and crimps the gas check on the base. Normally you can just push the check onto the boolit base before running it into the sizer die, but sometimes the fit is tight enough that it takes some special attention, you DON'T want the gas check seated crooked. The Lee sizers are especially good at this, and the Star sizer works well by "bumping" the check onto the base just before pushing the boolit through. With the Lyman and RCBS, you can either purchase a gas check seater (I've never owned one), or you can use the nose punch to fully seat them. This is done by placing a piece of flat metal over the top of the die to act as a base, then use the nose punch to push the boolit onto the check. Once that is done, size and lube as normal.

[buck1]

Just slip it on and give it a tap on the bench to seat it , then size. Done.......Buck

[sledgehammer]

I use both Lee and Lyman sizing equipment. I find that Lyman's seating system works better for me, but it does take a while longer then Lee's. I couldn't see paying $8 for a seater for the Lyman 450, so I made one on my lathe. Shoulda bought it! took me more time to make it than if I had done a job for someone and bought the danged thing!
For the Lyman, you place this gizzy under the sizer die. This keeps the rod down the middle from pushing down and out, while leaving a small recess in the top of the die. You then place your GC cup side up in this recess, put the base of your bullet in the cup and pull the lever. This pushes the bullet into the cup and inside the die a small amount, thereby crimping it in place.
This was for the original questioner, I know most of you can do this in your SLEEP, but I had help when I started so I'll pass it along. HTH,:-D
Jon H
:castmine:

[leftiye]

I won't put a boolit in a die without first getting the boolit base completely inside the check to the bottom. Even if the seater or die does compress all of this into just about the same place you've got no guarantee it didn't push lead all over the place in the process. You want the die to crimp the check, that's all. Seat it by hand. Anneal the gas checks first too!

[Lloyd Smale]

I do them by hand sitting in front of the tv and then take them out to the barn to size.

[JeffinNZ]

I bought a Lyman gas check seater many years ago and never really used it until recently as my CBE 314 220 mould I use in the .303 British has a fullish GC shank and the checks take a bit of fitting. I believe I am getting better groups now that I fit the check prior to sizing/lubing.