Seating cast boolits with gas check below the neck, yes or no?

[Brother_Love]

I have searched and read several threads about this and found that some say yes, others no. I have always seated cast with a check below the neck. I was at the range yesterday and was told I was living dangerously. This guy said my checks could come off and stick in the bore. I have never heard of this but I wanted to be sure before I continued to "live dangerously."
Thanks, BL

[Windwalker 45acp]

Supposed to be a big no-no, for some of the reasons you've mentioned. I Don't do it, but i've read that some have and don't run into any issues.... but it just takes that one time!

[mdevlin53]

I also wonder about this. I have an 311-365 that is nearly a half inch from the base to the crimp groove. I have several 30 caliber cartridges but none have a half inch of neck. So shooting the round with the check below the neck is dangerous and shooting it without the check leads to inaccuracy. What is a fellow to do?

[Muddydogs]

Don't know if I buy that. So what's the theory, the check hits the case neck and is pulled off the bullet? I would think if this was the case then the force of the powder charge would send it down the barrel with the bullet. It's not like the check is going to hit the case neck and stop, if so then the bullet wouldn't move any further and stuff would blow up.

[454PB]

Use crimp on gas checks if possible. I've fired thousands of rounds with the gas check below the neck and never had a problem.

[Retumbo]

Don't know if I buy that. So what's the theory, the check hits the case neck and is pulled off the bullet? I would think if this was the case then the force of the powder charge would send it down the barrel with the bullet. It's not like the check is going to hit the case neck and stop, if so then the bullet wouldn't move any further and stuff would blow up.

IIRC its not the first bullet you fire that is the problem. Check could come off in the case and get blown down the barrel only a bit. THE NEXT shot would be your problem.

Or at least thats the theory...I think

[vzerone]

Preferably you want the check seated at the bottom of the neck. There is no harm with it seated pass the neck bottom. It's a myth about the check getting pulled off when it passes through the neck. The gas pressure and unburned powder keep it anchored. It's also a myth that the hot gases do bad things to the exposed alloy part of the bullet. I've shot many Loverin's deep seated in various calibers and had nary a problem. The idea the check might get pulled off may have started from someone that had to pull a loaded gas check bullet from the case and often the check will come off and then he went to perpetrate the story.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

My thinking has always been that the force of the ignition should be squarely against the base of the bullet, gas checked or not. I had to compromise on that when firing 311284 in the Garand because the OAL when seated only to the base of the neck was too long. It didn't seem to effect anything though so I went that route. Sometimes thinking has to be modified to make things work. LLS

[vzerone]

My thinking has always been that the force of the ignition should be squarely against the base of the bullet, gas checked or not. I had to compromise on that when firing 311284 in the Garand because the OAL when seated only to the base of the neck was too long. It didn't seem to effect anything though so I went that route. Sometimes thinking has to be modified to make things work. LLS

Gas pressure is in all directions. So in that sense it's also squarely against the base of the bullet. Gas pressure just isn't a straight directional force. It pushes all directions including back.

As you found out all was well with your load.

[Wolfer]

I also have shot lots of loads with the check below the neck. My opinion is that as pressure builds the case expands out as the boolit is leaving it therefore not dragging the check off. Remember the check is pushing the boolit not the boolit pulling the check.
When pulling boolits with a kinetic puller the check will sometimes come off. Probably where this old wives tale got started.

The possible problem as I see it. Loose fitting checks below the neck that come off before being fired. Accuracy would probably be pretty bad. I suspect the check would be blown out the barrel but maybe not.

[Motor]

I don't see how it is even possible to seat most 30 caliber boolits without the base being inside the case body.

So many bottle neck cartridges have such short necks that I dare say most are seated below the case neck.

All of my super sonic cast rifle loads are gas checked and all but the 30-30 is seated below the case neck. I've never had any issues.

Motor

[Boolseye]

I prefer them in the neck, but I know at times I've had them seated below. Certainly never been an issue for me, practically speaking.

[44man]

Just crimp them on, there is no problem as long as they don't fall off before you shoot.
A check is so small and light, if one is in the bore, air pressure ahead of a boolit should push it out. If it doesn't you could ring the barrel but I don't believe the gun will blow up. More then likely a stuck boolit was the cause.

[Hickok]

Use crimp on gas checks if possible. I've fired thousands of rounds with the gas check below the neck and never had a problem.I"m with you 454, it is supposed to be taboo, but it never seemed to have any affect on my loads. As long as my checks crimp on nice and tight, I don't fret it. Now that I PC most of my boolits, I don't need to worry about the loob being below the neck either.

Reminds me of when common casting lore said pointed or spire point cast rifle boolits were to be avoided because they didn't shoot well. I believed that one for years, until I tried it out on my own and found it to be false.

[robg]

I prefer to keep them in the neck I find they shoot more accurately ,there was an article in hand loader which got the same result

[Tenbender]

I would think that a loose check stuck in a barrel would be no more than a big drop of water when hunting on a wet rainy day.

[dkf]

Some bullets/cartridges you don't have much choice but to have a check below the neck of the case.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Preferably you want the check seated at the bottom of the neck. There is no harm with it seated pass the neck bottom. It's a myth about the check getting pulled off when it passes through the neck. The gas pressure and unburned powder keep it anchored. It's also a myth that the hot gases do bad things to the exposed alloy part of the bullet. I've shot many Loverin's deep seated in various calibers and had nary a problem. The idea the check might get pulled off may have started from someone that had to pull a loaded gas check bullet from the case and often the check will come off and then he went to perpetrate the story.
Is "riveting" also a myth, or can that happen and thus creating a pressure spike ?
I remember reading that somewhere and just can't remember all the stated conditions that are required for it to happen, if it isn't a myth.

[Tackleberry41]

I doubt the OP will find a consensus on this issue. Some will say 'oh god your gonna blow your gun up', others will say 'shot thousands with no issues'.

As tightly as gas checks tend to be crimped on, I really doubt they come off very easy. Yea you use a bullet puller and it generally stays in the case, but there's no pressure trying to push it out either. I was messing w some 30cal 230gr cast today, theres no way they will fit in a 308 case and the check not be below the neck.

[Victor N TN]

I have a "new" bullet mold for 190 grain hollow point bullets. The 308 should be ok. But I'm not sure about loading them for 300 WinMag. It has such a short case neck... I just don't know.

My gas checks are "Blammer's" brand. I guess I need to test some and see how and if they actually crimp to the base of the bullet. I'll post what I find.

[44man]

I have pulled many, many GC boolits with the hammer type and also the RCBS puller. Sometimes I have a load that doesn't work so I pull them to save the powder, and primer.
I don't remember leaving a check in the neck.
I just pulled one that I messed up with the sizer nose punch and I didn't see it until seated. Check never moved.

[Tackleberry41]

Theres to many variables to say yes or no. What brand and type of checks, what bullet? I never bought any of the check makers, so use the hornady. Some of my bullets, they snap on easily by hand, then crimp. Where my 230g blackout mold, you need to shove them on in the press, I doubt they would come off if you wanted them to.

[ShooterAZ]

I have done it with no problems thus far, but would hesitate to recommend it because of all the variables like ill fitting checks. I have had gas checks come off (not very many) when pulling boolits. I'm more concerned about having any of the lube grooves below the neck, not that it would be dangerous. I just don't want all my lube melting off before the boolit goes down the barrel.