torn pb gas checks

[Southpaw 72]

I've used them successfully in the past in .41 mag. I picked some up.357 and .45 to try out. Sizing the boolits to .358 in a lee push thru die and then lubing and seating the check in a .359 Lyman die. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated,

[Idz]

Lee sizer entrance needs to be polished so the check can gently be pressed onto the bullet. Lyman may need to be smoothed also. It sometimes works better if you crimp check on bullet base first sometimes nose first.

[gunoil]

I got good paper downtown (body shop supply) from 1500 thru 6000, set and watched tv and polished inside.

I leave one bullet in die all the time for next one to have seat. member taught me.

You have alot of steps, what not one push thru? I dont know if gas check needs but just one pass thru a boolit size die.

[Southpaw 72]

I'm not seating the check in the lee. I check and lube in the Lyman. I think I will try funneling the Lee die and attempt seating the check in it.

[Southpaw 72]

So I took the dremel with a cone shaped grinding stone to create a little more of a funnel into the die. I then took some 800 grit paper on a dowel rod to smooth up the inside. No difference in results. Maybe I'll just order a different mold and stick to conventional gc.

[Beagle333]

If the die is slick on the inside, the aluminum is grabbing on the die. Run them through base first and put some lube on your fingers and roll em between fingers so they aren't dry when they go through. I keep a can of Mink Oil beside my press when I seat PB checks. It'll grab em and rip/stretch em if they are dry, but the do very nicely if they are just a little bit slippery.

Mine were grabbing too....
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...and-thicker-Al

[bstone5]

Try sizing the bullet first and ouch again to install the gas check.
Sizing and installing the gas check will tear the gas check.

[Southpaw 72]

If the die is slick on the inside, the aluminum is grabbing on the die. Run them through base first and put some lube on your fingers and roll em between fingers so they aren't dry when they go through. I keep a can of Mink Oil beside my press when I seat PB checks. It'll grab em and rip/stretch em if they are dry, but the do very nicely if they are just a little bit slippery.

Mine were grabbing too....
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...and-thicker-Al

I thought of that too. I used some imperial sizing wax. I don't know if makes a difference, but these seem to be made of a softer material than the ones I bought for the .41 mag.

[Southpaw 72]

Try sizing the bullet first and ouch again to install the gas check.
Sizing and installing the gas check will tear the gas check.

These were already sized to .358 before I tried seating the checks.

[gunoil]

But your seating gas check @ .359? cant follow.

Try leaving a boolit in the lee size die always.

[Southpaw 72]

But your seating gas check @ .359? cant follow.

Try leaving a boolit in the lee size die always.

I tried funneling and polishing the lee die and then running the bullets thru base first to seat the checks. I also tried using sizing wax to help the process.

[gunoil]

Nothing wrong with die:

A solid press helps:



You never answered, did u leave one boolit in die? You have to have a seat for second boolit, hold w/your fingers and get boolit started.

I have a flat punch and websterz made me a punch for point boolit that works great with rnd/nose/flat boolits too.

[Handloader109]

Does that bullet have a GC base? If not you probably won't get it to work. And how hard is the bullet? Makes a difference too

[gunoil]

Does that bullet have a GC base? If not you probably won't get it to work. And how hard is the bullet? Makes a difference too

He is seating plain base gas checks.

Like BSTONE5 said up above: you can "pre-size" but when u get ready to seat gas check, size boolit smaller and seat PBGC all in one motion in one die. Leave a boolit in die always, even when u walk away. Then next time u have a seat for next boolit base to set on. I use two fingers to get each boolit started.

1)If you seat flat nose boolits, flat punch works great.
2)I have a pointy round nose boolit, l had websterz make me a custom punch
3)I found it works great on RN flat and the pointy 115 gr boolit.

[Beagle333]

Something is amiss. I use PB checks quite often. From the thicker aluminum stuff to the skinny little coke can ones. I size the boolit in a Lee die, then I lube it in a Lyman die that is .001" bigger than the Lee (just as you said you are doing) and then I put the GC on it, roll it lightly between my mink oiled fingers and shove it backwards through the Lee die again.

Yes, that is three passes per boolit, but it does work and perfectly. I don't know what is wrong with your system because it sounds like you have the exact same setup available. Either the Lee die still is rough, or the check material is unacceptable. ('Never had any that just wouldn't work...... but who knows, they are probably out there.) Have you contacted others who use this same check?

[Southpaw 72]

Nothing wrong with die:

A solid press helps:



You never answered, did u leave one boolit in die? You have to have a seat for second boolit, hold w/your fingers and get boolit started.

I have a flat punch and websterz made me a punch for point boolit that works great with rnd/nose/flat boolits too.

Yes, i always leave a boolit in the die.

[Southpaw 72]

Something is amiss. I use PB checks quite often. From the thicker aluminum stuff to the skinny little coke can ones. I size the boolit in a Lee die, then I lube it in a Lyman die that is .001" bigger than the Lee (just as you said you are doing) and then I put the GC on it, roll it lightly between my mink oiled fingers and shove it backwards through the Lee die again.

Yes, that is three passes per boolit, but it does work and perfectly. I don't know what is wrong with your system because it sounds like you have the exact same setup available. Either the Lee die still is rough, or the check material is unacceptable. ('Never had any that just wouldn't work...... but who knows, they are probably out there.) Have you contacted others who use this same check?

I'm confused too. I bought some pb checks in 41 mag from the same vendor and had no problems with the same type set-up. Maybe this batch was annealed too soft?

[hiram]

The bullet in the pic is flat nose. Try sizing base first into the die so the die pushes the nose.

[Southpaw 72]

The bullet in the pic is flat nose. Try sizing base first into the die so the die pushes the nose.

I am sizing base first.

[GrayTech]

I would wager its nothing to do with the sizer. If your checks are soft and your boolit is plain base it tends to size the check material thinner, rather than size boolit base, especially right at the bend. Try a few Pepsi can checks, they are thinner and harder and should work perfectly.