how to crimp on gas checks

[crackerjack57]

Good day Gentlemen and Ladies too!

This might be a simple and dumb question as I have been casting and reloading now for about 1 1/2 years. when you put the gas check on the base of a lee or noe gas checked boolit and size..... do you run it through the lee sizing die boolit tip first or gas check base first?? I have always done it boolit tip first however since reaming out my sizing die a bit there is very little resistance on the boolit lead so sometimes the gas check gets crimped on at an angle as the resistance on the boolit created enough force of resistance to seat the check properly. I was also thinking that if i ran the check into the sizing die first this could push the boolit into the check and then crimping it onto the base tightly and in process possibly bumping the boolit up a bit.

I looked on the stickies but couldn't find anything so please give me an education.

thanx for your help.

[loaded303]

I run it thru the lee sizer tip up. No biggie.

[bangerjim]

I use ONLY copper checks!

All my 30's/45's I just pop the check on the bottom, sit it on the ram, and run it nose first up thru the standard Lee sizing dies. Works perfect every time.

223's are a PITA. I have to GENTLY (important!!!!) tap them on with a very light hammer and then do as above.

The 30's/45's are ESPC'd in fender washers so there is no PC on the GC area. When using BBDT, there is PC down there.

The 223's are tumbled and are completely coated B4 the check is pressed/crimped on.

Very easy to put on.

I have found if I run them GC first, the boolit goes all catty-whompus and scrapes the PC and some lead off the side and smears the copper down the side! That is because the nose of the boolit has nothing to keep it centered!

Nose first for me. And they do NOT come off.

banger

[cdngunner]

I have used a soft face hammer and my press to seat gas checks.

I have even used my gas check maker.

You could try a gas check made out of thicker material.

[GhostHawk]

I mostly do 30 cal, and have for some 700 rounds snapped the GC over the stub, push it up into the die as I bring up the shaft from below. Most of mine fit tight enough that they do not come out crooked or fall off. Happens once in a while but not often.

Most times I can hardly tell I touched the lead, very light shiny spots on the drive bands under a magnifying glass they show a lengthwise streak.

My reasoning is if I'm going to have to push at all on the bullet, I'd prefer to do my pushing on the copper gas check where it won't deform anything. So all of mine go in nose first.

If yours are falling off, I'd try adding a touch more tin to your mix (I noticed a big difference when I switched alloy in how easy they push on)
Or consider lapping out the mold shank a touch. The size of the bullets tend to be tighter now, sometimes takes a light tap with a mallet or tack hammer to get them to pop over and lay flat.

Part of that is alloy used, part is a couple of small pieces of tape to get the mold to throw a couple thousand's bigger for my Mosin's.
And part is a loose sprue screw, leaving the cut off edges a bit more ragged instead of clean and square.



I don't think my way is any better than any other way, it is just what has worked for me thus far.

[Forgetful]

When I started sizing, I had the same question. I sized, then tried seating a GC and it went on, on an angle. It sat in the lee sizing die for the next to push through, so I sized the next one with a GC in one pass and it went on square and thats when I noticed the angle on the 1st one. I put the 1st back through the die to push the 2nd one out, and the 2nd one provided enough friction to help fully seat the GC on the 1st.

[loaded303]

Ill try to be more clear. I cast, water drop, then tumble, Let sit over nite on wax paper. Next day GC and push thru tip up. Tumble and dry over nite on wax paper. Load. Works for me.

[crackerjack57]

Thanx guys for the input. I think my question has been answered

[Lance Boyle]

I am certainly no expert but I read in another post;

size nose first without the check to size and use the bullet's nose to help center the sizing. Then flip it around and seat the gas check so it goes in with even support.

I would guess it all depends on what equipment you're running. I hadn't really thought about running it through twice. Just like I didn't think of using a reject bullet backwards in the Star to push through the good bullet in desired orientation, my mentor showed me that to prevent the nose dimpling the check. A little more work but a clean product.

I have an older RCBS lube a matic and an older Star.