Seating and Sizing Gas Checks

[Cadillo]

I have been casting for probably two years now, casting for .38, .40, .44, and .45 ACP & Colt. I have zero experience with gas checks. I am considering one of Pat Marlins plain base gas check makers for installing checks on some of my Colt and possibly ACP bullets to be used in hotter loads. I use a Lyman 4500 sizer with regulated heater and Carnuba red lube, and size to .452.

Can someone tell me whether I would have to seat and size the plain base checks in two steps, or is it feasible to do it without having to run the bullet through the sizer twice to complete the process? To someone with experience, this is likely a ridiculous question, but though I have a lot of casting under my belt, like I said, I have zero experience with gas checks.

Any and all sage advice appreciated!

[Wally]

You can set the GC when you size/lube the bullet---IOW you can do all in one step.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

ONE STEP !

put the PB gas check on the unsized boolit and run it through your lubesizer or Lee 'push through' style size die...Done !
Jon

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

At the risk of being stupid, which I am good at from time to time, make sure you are using a gascheck bullet. They have a small step at the base to accomodate the gascheck.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[Wally]

Pat's tool makes GC's just for use w/ plain base bullets...

[Cadillo]

At the risk of being stupid, which I am good at from time to time, make sure you are using a gascheck bullet. They have a small step at the base to accomodate the gascheck.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets


Yes. I knew that. Please read my post again.

[Cadillo]

Thanks Guys!

[Wally]

I might mention that Pat's tool works best with thin aluminum....004" or less. I have a Freechex tool that I have to use .008" aluminum or the GC's will wrinkle. I have found I can use it on Bevel Base (BB) bullets if I don't full form the GC "cup"...I form it like \__/ not like l__l ..you then center the BB bullet on the GC and size/lube normally. Some of the checks will not look right--I pull them off and try again. Has worked superbly with Lee TL bullets as they all have BB on them...

[Freischütz]

You can seat and size in one step. However when using an RCBS sizer the checks sometime catch at the lube hole level and damage the check. For that reason I size and seat/size in separate steps. When seating and sizing the check I don't push the bullet in deep enough the reach the lube hole level.