GC's comming off

[Beagler]

Im casting 350 grain Ranch Dogs for my 45-70 1895g. I have to put a drop of super glue in check then size the bullet. Was finally able to get out on my home range today. Target was 1/2inch plywood. Backstop is 5ft behind it. noticed the checks separated from the bullet when passing through the plywood. Bullets in the backstop and the checks bounced off backstop or stuck to the backstop. Im using the Hornady 7140 checks specked in the RD spec sheet. They are not as tall as the hornady 30 or 50 cal checks. I have no problem with them at all just the 45's. Does hornady make a taller 45 check.

[shredder]

Hmmmm. Since the boolit has arrived at the target with the check intact, I fail to appreciate the problem.

[Beagler]

Yes hit target but still have to use glue to keep'em on when they should crimp on.

[hithard]

I have a hard time beleiving that check is still being held on after the primer is struck.

But once again, what does this all matter as long as it's intact when it hits the initial target.

[reloader28]

Does the gas check coming off in flight really make that much difference??
I've had PB 35's come off in flight and aint noticed any difference, but that is also in pistols.

[hithard]

Yes, it does make a differnce. Think about it, your sheading weight and as it peels off it is effecting the bullets stabilization.

[Larry Gibson]

Somehow those just don't look right on the 45-70 bullet to me having GC'd a lot of 45 cal bullets with Hornady GCs. Are you sure those are 7140's (45 cal and not 4130's (44 cal)?

Larry Gibson?

[max range]

I am far from a boolit genius but I thought bullets rotate around the centerline of the mass once they leave the friction of the rifling. If the loss of the miniscule weight of the gc made a measurable accuracy problem, I would think that difference would be hard to quantify, let alone calculate. (Especially in big rifle pills like a 45-70. )

[shotman]

get gators they work

[freedom475]

I have the exact same problem with my 44 mag. If I size to .429 the checks are crimped on VERY solid. But if I size to .431, my checks just fall off.

I am using Hornady, and Blammer's checks.

[longbow]

If you find the gas check shank is a bit small then try Beagling the mould or lapping/honing out the gas check shank a bit.

Have you tried any other brands of checks?

Longbow

[phaessler]

+1 freedom475, and I size mine to 0.432"

On most of my GC 45-70 stuff , sized to 0.460" I too find they are loose sometimes, regardless of maker. I did find the annealing before install kept them tight, but never had an accuracy issue is the funny part. Have had to "enlarge the gas check shank in several molds except for my BRP's.

Pete

[fouronesix]

A few reasons for a secure gas check- a stray gas check can destroy a chrony, a gas check coming off in flight may not affect accuracy to a great degree but it surely will affect it to some degree, a gas check coming off while the bullet is seated in the case is surely not a good thing.

I like tight, squarely seated gas checks.

One way to make sure of a tight GC, as has been posted, is to LIGHTLY lap the GC shank of the mold. Some 400 grit paper around a short wood dowel a little small than the shank diameter, turned by hand, will work fine. Hold the closed mold in one hand and the dowel in the other. You want the removal of metal as even as possible. Go slow and check often by casting a few and seeing if you have the right fit. It is easy to overdo it- repeat.. a little at a time and check often. Hard to put metal back into a mold.

[arkypete]

Save yourself some time and expense throw all of you gas checks in to clean skillet, cast iron works, stainless works and burn them.
The black stuff is the lacquer off. When they are all a uniform color set them aside ontil cool and your problem should be over.
What you will doing is anealing the brass, loosing the spring back created by the manufacturering process.

Jim

[phaessler]

I concur arkypete.....

[HollowPoint]

It surprises me how often this subject comes up.

It also surprises me that after all of this time no one has come up with a Gas-Check-Crimper
of some type.

I guess I'll add such a tool to my "Things I need to Make" list.

In my mind I envision such a tool as a simple adjustable collet design that would Roll-Crimp the mouth of the Gas Check into the body of the cast bullet.

HollowPoint

[Capn Jack]

I just tap them on and run the bullet backwards through my sizer.

Jack...

[legi0n]

A few reasons for a secure gas check- a stray gas check can destroy a chrony, .

like this?

[Dthunter]

That sucks about the chrony!
I put a 1/4" piece of Lexan on the front of my chrony.(just in case)
I never seen it Hit yet, but it should protect it fairly well. (from gas checks)

I normally shoot at least 3/4 the way up the sreen rods from the chrony.

[HamGunner]

I lost a Chrony just like the above picture, so the next one I got had the remote read out. But I also made an alluminum sheild to protect the Chrony sensors just in case. Even the little checks can do a bit of damage to a Chrony.