tl and gas checks

[hiram]

I got to thinking (it could be dangerous).

I am using a Ranch Dog bullet for my 357 max. It is a TL design. I can use the Lyman gas check seater. I believe the seater seats the gc but does not crimp them on. This is what I have to know.

If I seat the gc, and then run the bullets into the die for gc attachment, the shallow grooves are partially obliterated.

So:

1) Does the Lyman seater just seat the gc or does it seat and crimp?

2) If it only seats the gc, how do you crimp it onto the gc shank without wiping out the shallow grooves?

Thanks

[Bjornb]

Hiram,
the Lyman seater does NOT crimp the GCs on sufficiently. Your choices are to either run the bullet down in the die (and risk either wiping out the TL grooves or sizing the bullet with poor alignment), or, as I now do with most of my rifle bullets, run them through a Lee-style push thru sizer after seating the checks with my Lyman 4500. This will crimp the checks on tightly, and it will also give you better and more even bullet sizing.

[Calamity Jake]

The lyman seater seats and crimps a little depending on how deep the combo of seater and push rod allows
the boolit to be pushed into the sizer die.
You should be able to crimp without sizing the TL boolit by adjusting the depth adjustment rod at the bottom
of the sizer high enough to allow GC to be fully crimped without sizing any
or maybe just size the bottom drive band of the boolit.

[texassako]

2) If it only seats the gc, how do you crimp it onto the gc shank without wiping out the shallow grooves?


A Lee style push through sizer in the size I want the GC to be.

[mdi]

No Ranch Dog 357 but a lot of RD .44s, 240 and 265. I use a Lee push through sizer a bit larger than the bullet body diameter (for my .430" bullets I install my gaschecks in a .431" die). Keeps the micro grooves intact and seats the check...

[gloob]

Try seating the bullets. It doesn't necessarily matter if the check is crimped on in a straight wall cartridge. The check can't fall off into the case, and it will get crimped on in the throat, when it's fired. The only issue is if the check is so big that it ruins neck tension for the rest of the bullet when you're seating, and/or if it bulges the case too big to be chambered.

Also, I wouldn't be too concerned about obliterating the TL grooves in a sizer/luber, in the first place. At least if you are, indeed, tumble lubing. If the sizer obliterates them, the bore is going to do worse. Just tumble lube them again, after, and you should have plenty of lube.