what's the difference between just plain gas checks that sages offers vs gator checks. is it just branding or is there a difference.
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what's the difference between just plain gas checks that sages offers vs gator checks. is it just branding or is there a difference.
It seems the Gator checks have a little dimple in the base , the Sage's checks do not .
I use both from Sage's Outdoors when you order some checks ask to buy a small sample of his checks , they are great people to deal with and make a great product .
Do they make any crimp on checks like hornadys?
Both Sage's and Gator copper checks crimp on, or at least mash on. What I think you are asking is if they have the groove (ledge, teeth, whatever you might call it) around the top edge that bites into the GC shank. None of the many thousands of Gators and few thousands of Sage's I've used do. I have never used a Hornady GC but I understand what those that do use them are describing.
I was just reading a thread earlier this morning where it was mentioned how when you pull a GC bullet that has a Gator or Sage GC, the GC will likely stay in the case, and the Hornady probably will not stay in the case. I don't know about Hornady's, but the Gator/Sage is about 50/50 with me staying in the case. If it's an aluminum Sage GC, it will stay in the case after the bullet is pulled IME. I try not to make a habit of pulling bullets, but it happens...
So the gator checks don't bite into the shank of the bullet. Hornady checks, when applied, cannot be removed.
Pretty much.
That being the case, I still don't ever see a copper check anywhere but in front of my steel. I have seen the aluminum checks between the rest and the steel. I have dug into the berm and found bullets where the check has come off, but those bullets dug in quite a ways.
What caliber are you interested in I could send you a few to try
I wouldnt worry about checks coming off unless shooting thru a chrony.
My Hornady .35 caliber checks will pull off if you pull a bullet and I have never found one still on the bullet that I dig out of the berm.
Once a bullet leaves the bbl the check is no longer needed anyways unless it affects accuracy during disconnect i wouldn't worry
Other than price, you won't be able to tell any discernible difference, between the brands. I usually purchase my checks from Sage's. Personally, I stick with Gator's, most of the time. Only time I use aluminum, is when I need the small shank ones. I do not care for the burr that goes along with Sage's aluminum checks.
Winelover
I was getting spring back from the copper checks on my cast .30 cal boolits so i annealed some to experiment with. The annealing allowed them to get tight but was yet another step so I switched to sages aluminum checks which work fine. I also slightly enlarged the gas ck shank of my mould with my mini mill but haven’t done any casting lately - too hot.
But it will effect it. It will not always come off at the exact same time while flying and it wont just pop off cleanly like a parachute being deployed. It will start on one side or the other and catch wind. Back in the day when we only had lyman no crimped checks it was a great day when the crimp on checks were introduced. Groups sometimes were cut in half. It effects handgun accuracy quite a bit and if your checks are coming off rifle ammo shot at a 100 yards are farther count on minute of paper accuracy. This advice comes from YEARS of actually shooting checked bullets. Dirt berms arent a good test of checks staying on. The dirt can tear off even a well crimped check. Shoot them into snow banks or water jugs and recover them and see if your check is still on. By the way gator checks are crimp on checks just like hornadys. Many times if your using a hornady or gator and there coming off its a mold problem not a check problem. Some molds are machined with two small of a gas check shank and what you think is crimped on tight really isnt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozark mike