First time with gas checks

[brewer12345]

Today I cast my first gas check designs, the Thomson 358 SWC and the RCBS RNFP for 35 Rem. I have been tumble lubing, sizing, then relubing plain base boolits. Is this a bad idea with gas checks? I will be using a Lee sizing die. Is there any feasible way to get checks on by hand (without using a die or sizer)?

[Rcmaveric]

Gas checks get crimped on. Put it on first. Then size and lube as normal. Sizing it crimps it on. Otherwise if they come off in flight it may effect accurracy.

You can put most on with thumb pressure, tap the base on the table to firm seat and square up the check, or seat it with thumb pressure and tap the nose with a rubber mallet. I have had to use super glue on loose fitting checks. Drop of glue on the base of the bullet, the seat the check and size as normal.

[brewer12345]

Much obliged. It was interesting casting rifle boolits for the first time. Even the relatively stubby 35s are loooonng compared to pistol caliber boolits.

[WebMonkey]

I tumble lube.
Apply check and seat with push through sizer.
Tumble lube again.

Lee c309-170f with liquid alox cut with mineral spirits.
308 winchester

[Reddirt62]

I pc, size and gc.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Hick]

I lay the checks on the bench top. Take a bullet, press the base into the check, then set it on the Lee sizer ram, and size it-- that crimps the check in place. My Ideal 358-156 drops at about 0.359, so I can run it through the Lee 0.358 sizer without lube. That way, the check is crimped on the bullet without lube, then I lube afterwards (I use BLL). I do all my gas-checked bullets this same way.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Looks like a good place to ask this. In past my sizer was an OLD (1950s Lyman? I think); I've been thinking of trying those Lee sized dies, maybe even that newfangled powder coating stuff, but had wondered how the Lee units would handle gas checks; They have youtube vids showing that it works, though, I had imagine they have a cone that gently crimps it in, the last video shows the guy using a hammer so that sounds like a good way - and you don't need a bunch of nose punches, still thinking but that might do me. Hoping the cheap dead blow hammer I use for that sort of thing will do. And one of you's using the Lee units so that is promising

Using the previous luber sizer I'd set a gas checked, unlubed bullet into the sizer, press it into position, twist the luber's wrench thang (sorta like a Chapman screwdriver ratchet, might have been one early model of those for all I know...) then pop the finished boolit out. That worked well - the GC was seated before the lube was applied, tho those were all brass GCs. The lip on the GCs seem to lock onto the base of the bullet somewhat, holds them on very well.

[Also, back then we did have to walk uphill both ways, barefoot in the snow, to & from the local sporting goods / gun store, had no intarwebs for loading data, just wooden tablets, and the luber / sizers had no fancy lube heaters so the wrenching of lube was oh so horribly hard, heck most of our loading rooms were unheated for that matter LOL]

[Rcmaveric]

Lee sizer crimps those checks on just fine. Its what i use.

[popper]

I lightly anneal the GC, install by hand (tap the nose with a hammer to straighten some, fully seat) tumble lube with BLL then use the Lee sizer. Had a couple loose ones come off last nite when tumbling, just put back on and sized. These are Josh's GC, not hornady. Force to seat is nil, even sizing down from 312 to 308. GC are straight best I can tell by eye. Alox should work as well for you but make sure it is dry.

[KVO]

If pan lubing you can seat checks and size first with the Lee or NOE push through dies. If you smear lube on before checking and use the push through dies the hydraulic pressure will pull the gas checks off, or crimp them at the wee bottom of the GC shank. I use both the Lee and NOE push through systems. If you want to be really thorough you can use the press to seat checks then size. I plug the push through sizer with the push rod and a dab of lube to hold it there, and use another push rod or top punch to hold the boolit and check. Use the press to seat the check all the way on the shank, no hammering.

[Soundguy]

Lee sizer crimps those checks on just fine. Its what i use.

Exactly. I cast, lube, apply the gas check by hand, use a lee push thru sizer, then if micro groove, I'll re lube. If grease grove, I'm ready to load.