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Thread: Difference between Hornady and Gator checks?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    fatelvis's Avatar
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    Difference between Hornady and Gator checks?

    I don't know if it is that some molds are throwing boolits with larger diameter GC shanks, or my alloy has changed, or my boolits are swelling over time, but since I ran out of Hornady checks, I bought Gator checks, and they are hard to get on. They don't snap on, like the Hornadys. Are they notably smaller, or have less flare on the opening or something? Thanks!
    I shoot so that I can handload.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy M71's Avatar
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    re:Gator GC

    I'm not sure why you're having a problem I recently cast over a hundred GC bullets with a SAECO/Redding #17 350gr mold. I pan lubed them and laid out the gas checks. The bullets had just enough lube on the bases they stuck on by just pushing each bullet into them on the table and proceeded to put them through my Lee .457 sizing die. I had 100% success, those checks are on the bullets very securely. My lead mix is 20:1 so they're fairly soft. I've heard the Gator checks are a bit thicker than other varieties. There's others here who have forgotten more than I know so hopefully they'll have some suggestions. Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by M71; 05-13-2017 at 06:42 PM.

  3. #3
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    Bzcraig's Avatar
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    I've had a similar experience but I chalked it up to either different material or tooling.
    Last edited by Bzcraig; 05-16-2017 at 12:30 AM.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I have the same issue. Gator checks are hard to get on NOE 311299, Lee 312155, NOE 314129. They go on nearly perfect on Lee 312185. I run all these boolits through a 314 sizer. Hornady checks will turn on the shank but won't come off. The Gator checks I have can be removed. Takes a small effort, but they will come off. I've not had any problem with them coming off during seating or firing, but it is something I think about. In other news I have Hornady 7mm checks that barely go on the Lee 284139 or the 7mm 130 Soup Can. Life is obviously not perfect.

  5. #5
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    I've posted this a few times, but here goes again.
    I have the Mihec 30 Sil mold, which notoriously has a large GC shank. Older Hornady GC's will snap on, firmly with finger pressure, and couldn't be a more perfect fit. when I say older, I mean old enough to not have come in the new 'shiny' red box...I think that change was around 2006. The newer Hornady GCs and the Gator copper GCs are a real bugger to install on that boolit, NO way with just finger pressure, and there is problematic issues when using a press to install them, but using a GC expander tool, like the one Brad made for me, or the one NOE now offers, made all the difference.

    In conclusion, I'd say the New hornady GC and Gator copper GC are the same...at least the 30 cal size.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master

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    Difference between Hornady and Gator checks?

    Thanks Guys. I'm glad to see I'm not alone. The Hornady checks I recently ran out of were about 15 yrs old. I wish I would have bought more, it would have saved me another reloading step!


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    I shoot so that I can handload.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Only used both on 357 mag ,gator checks were harder to seat but they seated alright using Lee push through sizer .one thing I noticed point of impact was quite different using the same everything but the gas check .

  8. #8
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    I notice the checks of 22cal on my Lyman bollits are a problem.but make it work. At first I was thinking I was doing something wrong .But I see that I was not.the other ones cals i use them one some went ok and some did not but not as common as it show on the 22cal.that is use of Gator checks.not as much on the hornady .But that was some old old ones.I usen up my Lyman checks also but that only slip on and that is it not like the Gator and Hornady ones.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    Since December I have used 5000 Gator and 3000 Hornady .30 cal GC's I can't tell the difference in fitting them on my boolits,
    if there is any variation it is more likely to be the boolit than the GC.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check