Gas checking before or after.

[vrh]

I'm casting some bullets up to shoot in my 30-06 rifle.
My question is do you put on the gas check before you poly coat or do it after?
If you do it before, how do you keep the powder off of the gas check?

[Spector]

You don't keep the powder coat off the gas check. If you ESPC you can put the boolit bases into holes like in fender washers.

You apparently see gas checks as bore scrapers that keep the bore clean in that manner. I used to believe that, but not so much anymore. Having tried both ways I prefer coating the whole boolit including the gas check. I am curious to see how others see the purpose of gas checks as I am certainly no expert on the subject.........Mike

[Hickok]

It depends on how the cast check fits. If I have a uncoated boolit that the checks seem to fit real tight on, I will put the checks on first. If the checks fits a little loose on an as-dropped boolit, I will pc first, then add the checks.

Try a boolit both ways and see how the check goes on easiest. Trying to get a gas-check on a tight fitting boolit shank with pc on it is a bummer.

[vrh]

Thanks guys for your help.

[Beagle333]

It depends on how the cast check fits. If I have a uncoated boolit that the checks seem to fit real tight on, I will put the checks on first. If the checks fits a little loose on an as-dropped boolit, I will pc first, then add the checks.
Try a boolit both ways and see how the check goes on easiest. Trying to get a gas-check on a tight fitting boolit shank with pc on it is a bummer.

The shank size will determine whether to coat before or after.
PC'd checks shoot the same as uncoated checks, the only difference is in the ease of application of the check.

[dahermit]

I'm casting some bullets up to shoot in my 30-06 rifle.
My question is do you put on the gas check before you poly coat or do it after?
If you do it before, how do you keep the powder off of the gas check?

My .30 caliber Hornady gas checks may be big enough to fit on bullets that have been powder coated, but for sure, my .35 gas checks would not. Therefore, I have drilled holes in some aluminum plates into which the just the gas check shanks of the .30 and .35 caliber bullets will fit. The trick is getting the hole big enough for the gas check shank and the non-stick aluminum foil to allow the bullets to enter the hole and be stopped by the larger diameter of the first driving band on the bullet.



This method, using a electro-static powder coating gun will result in bullets with no powder coating on the gas check shank.

A down side of using such a method (electro-static gun), is that the operator must be skilled enough with the gun to get all sides of the racked bullets covered equally...not easy. Tumble-coating on the other hand, seems inherently a more uniform process. Nevertheless, with gas check bullets, there are fewer options that with plain-based bullets.
I find that sticking even a tight fitting gas check onto a bullet (.35 caliber), and tumbling without crimping the gas check in place, results in at least a few losing their checks. And, inasmuch as the bullets need to be sized after powder coating, crimping/sizing before tumbling adds more labor to the process.

[popper]

My testing in 308W so far shows accuracy is better GCing after ESPC. I've had some crooked GC from cooking them, hot air pressure.

[fcvan]

I have been considering tumble coding my gas check bullets and making gas checks from slightly thinner material and see how that works. After I get done testing my theory, I will probably post results

[Dragonheart]

The reason for a gas check is not to clean the bore. It is to create a more uniform flat base for the bullet and to act as a seal and protection from the hot gases blowing by on higher pressure loads. As far as I can tell you can do it either way, but in theory the PC could increase to bond and act as a filler around the cut edge of the check.

[newton]

I like to coat them after the gas checks are installed. One thing, might not make a difference, is that it is 10x harder to pull the gas check off the base after it has been powder coated on.

I am going to try something new tonight. I am going to powder coat, then gas check, then powder coat again. I only tumble coat I should mention.

[drklynoon]

argggghhhhhh I waited to search this topic until I had a problem. I have 300 .41's coated. I just got me Lee PTS and tried to seat my checks. That is a no go for this bullet. I'm moving lead trying to seat the checks. Now I have to start over casting these. What a gigantic bummer. Oh well sometimes you eat the bear and somet...

[RedlegEd]

argggghhhhhh I waited to search this topic until I had a problem. I have 300 .41's coated. I just got me Lee PTS and tried to seat my checks. That is a no go for this bullet. I'm moving lead trying to seat the checks. Now I have to start over casting these. What a gigantic bummer. Oh well sometimes you eat the bear and somet...

So let me ask something to the crowd in general as I'm a neophyte in PC, especially rifle bullets. What would happen if you didn't GC the bullet and just shot it powder coated (assuming you're not screaming it down the barrel?) Would the lack of a flat base create conditions for blow-by that could cause leading? If that were the case, wouldn't bevel base bullets also do the same thing? I thought the powder coat prevented that. Ed

ETA: Sorry! Just noticed the date of the last post...sorry for the necro.

[Smk SHoe]

A lot of people here don't gas check until the velocities get up. I load a lot for a .223 AR and don't gas check them. I haven't had any problems.

You active now? and what Piece you on ( FA)

[RedlegEd]

Hi. Thanks for the response. So I'm guessing even if a bullet was set up for a GC, it won't hurt to shoot without one (as long as it's not a screamer?)

No, retired in 2008 from the USAR. Started in the late 70's in a warhead support Det in Europe (Honest John, 8", 155mm) and then pretty much stayed in mech units (155mm) the whole time until I left AD and went into the reserves where I mostly did staff stuff. They tried to get me to branch transfer into Ordnance or Transportation, but I kept my cannons until I was done.

Ed

ETA: BTW, thank you for your service!

[Bama]

I like to coat them after the gas checks are installed. One thing, might not make a difference, is that it is 10x harder to pull the gas check off the base after it has been powder coated on.

I am going to try something new tonight. I am going to powder coat, then gas check, then powder coat again. I only tumble coat I should mention.

+1 for pcing after. My tests are most accurate pcing after.

[Dragonheart]

There is not a problem shooting a PC bullet without a GC, but accuracy has to suffer because a bullet is steered from the base. It has been proven a long time ago that even the smallest imperfection to the base of a bullet will alter its flight path. If it is a GC mold, I would suggest using a gas check then PC the bullets.

[bdicki]

It depends on how the cast check fits. If I have a uncoated boolit that the checks seem to fit real tight on, I will put the checks on first. If the checks fits a little loose on an as-dropped boolit, I will pc first, then add the checks.

Try a boolit both ways and see how the check goes on easiest. Trying to get a gas-check on a tight fitting boolit shank with pc on it is a bummer.

^^^^^^This

[Dragonheart]

Another plus to PC after the check is installed is the coating fills & bonds the check in place. But whatever works for you.

[earlmck]

When I asked my rifle (in this case a 35 Remington) which it liked best it showed me a distinct preference for PC first, then gas check. Which was the opposite of what I expected. But I didn't size a second time after I PC'd the gas checked boolit and that might have been the difference.
And I use a Star for sizing so don't have to worry much about gas check fit -- the Star will put the check on straight just about no matter what. If I were using a Lyman or similar lubrisizer where you usually want to get the check fitted before entering the size die I would make my PC decision depending on the fattness of butt of my boolit.

[popper]

Started DT with Smoke's red, a light coat, short cook, size with Lee - 311, recoat & long cook, then WD (HV rifle). Final size to 310, 308, whatever needed. GC go on easy and held on good for second DT. For some reason, coating sized didn't give a good coverage. First coat on raw must reduce contamination?