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Thread: Re use a gas check?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Re use a gas check?

    I popped the gas checks off of some undersized boolits and wondered whether to pitch 'em or can I reuse them? I don't have any boolits poured right now to try a recap.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy PaulG67's Avatar
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    Assuming you have sized the boolits with the checks installed, you would have to expand them again, and it ain't worth the effort, toss em.
    Paul G


    I am Retired, I was tired yesterday and I am tired today!!!

  3. #3
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bojac View Post
    I popped the gas checks off of some undersized boolits and wondered whether to pitch 'em or can I reuse them? I don't have any boolits poured right now to try a recap.
    Bojac,
    Welcome to the forum.

    You may be able to re-use the GC...it depends on the details. Give it a try, see if they stay on the boolit, measure them after they are sized as a double check.

    One thing to keep in mind. One reason we use a GC is for a perfect base. A perfect base will give better/consistant accuracy. So with that said, if the GC got damaged when they were pulled...and if they don't look perfect when re-installed, that is when you know you have wasted your time.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

  4. #4
    Boolit Mold
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    With a small pair of side cutters, I popped them off like a bottlecap. No damage at all. That's why I was wondering if I could reuse them. I had a chance to drop a hundred or so boolits this afternoon. I tried fitting a couple and they worked. But then I realized I had to take the GCs back off because they were sized .309, and the boolits I poured today are .311s. So I think I'll save the GCs. Yep. I took them off undersized boolits. Random average of 5 was .3074. 200 of them.
    Newbie me. I didn't mike any after I got started. They went into the pot today. But I learned flux and stir the pot often and keep the mould hot. Plus I threw in about 8" of 50/50 solid solder. I got nice sharp edged bases on the .311s.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Retumbo's Avatar
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    Chuck em, why even take a risk of one falling off and staying in the barrel. Things are cheaper than dirt, literally.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I would say the only way to reuse them , would be to apply them to bullets that then get sized smaller than the bullets they were previously on.

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
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    I better chuck them. Better safe than sorry.

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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