Applying Gas Checks

[evil5826]

Ok seeing some of the Cast Pics of The Month pictures I am getting jealous. How in the hell do you apply your gas checks so nicely? I have been making 45LC/Casull casts for my buddy and have been attempting to put these gas checks on nicely.... they look like sh!t.

Here is what i am using:
Lee mold
45CO454 CASULL C452-300-RF233 6C

Hornady 45 cal gas checks
Hornady .45 Cal Crimp-On Gas Checks

Lyman 4500

Now i have used the Lyman Gas Check Seater on some which makes it look smashed. And without it, it looks good but sticks when bring the press arm up/bring the bullet out of the die. Im affraid if i keep doing it without the seater ill ruin the die. Any other tools that can be used except Lee's sizing dies....They don't do a great job either it seems.

Attached is the embarrassing work i have done.
The left is with the Gas Check Seater, The right without it.

[Bullet Caster]

They both look good to me, but then I'm an amateur. If you're worried that the gas checks will come off, super glue 'em on. Works for me on unsized GC b00lits. BC

[Dan Cash]

From the picture, they both look good to me as well. What is it that makes you unhappy about them?

You should continue using the gas check seating tool as It will square up and seat the check. I thought one might get away with just running the bullet and check into the sizing die or through a push through die. Doing that won't hurt the die but there is a high potential for the check to not completely seat and give you a crooked base which is not good.

[evil5826]

The crooked base actually happens with the seating tool. If i take that out. It seats flat and is seated deep into the check. However I just wasn't sure if it would ruin the die. Probably not but wanted to see if any one else does it that way with the lyman.

[Freischütz]

Before acquiring a NOE shank sizer and gascheck seating tool my mould with an oversize shank produced bullets that didn't size concentrically. The sizer and seater slowed things down, but the non-concentric problem disappeared.

[Capn Jack]

Here I go, I know...Killing ants with a handgrenade...:roll:

I use a gentle pressure with my arbor press to seat the checks. Then, using a nose punch, I force them base first through my sizing die.[smilie=1:

By the way...I'm using flat nosed boolits.:twisted:

Jack...8-)

[evil5826]

What's a noe shank sizer?

[Sonnypie]

Here I go, I know...Killing ants with a handgrenade...:roll:

I use a gentle pressure with my arbor press to seat the checks. Then, using a nose punch, I force them base first through my sizing die.[smilie=1:

By the way...I'm using flat nosed boolits.:twisted:

Jack...8-)

Capn Jack, I'm rolling on the floor!
Killing ants with a handgrenade! [smilie=l:


OK, back on topic.
First, I use a piece of brass hobby tubing that fits the bullets I want to GC.
The end is just belled enough to fit over the GC. THIS IS (http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Gas%20Checks/PA270289.jpg) my first proto type. I have a bit better one now. And I sent one to a friend in Alaska for his use, he really likes it.
And although my method does make my RN bullets have a tiny flat spot, they still shoot fine.
(Feel free to look through the album (http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Gas%20Checks/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ16) if you want.)
That merely sets the gas checks onto the bullets bases square and flat.

I size my bullets in a Lee push-through sizer. I found the action of the Lee sizer pushing the bullet's base presses the gas check soundly to the base of the bullet and crimps it on as it is sized to the same dimension of the bullet.

Before settling on my current method, hand setting gas checks was a slow and aggravating process.

[DrCaveman]

Sonnypie

Do you lube before running the boolits through the sizer with GC in place?

I have GC'd some tumble lubed boolits, worked fine. But now I am pan lubing, and the lube definitely gets into the gas check groove. Maybe the GC just pushes the lube aside, or maybe it is no problem to have the lube under the GC.

Haven't tried it yet, but curious since I am about to lube up a large pile of C309-150f lee boolits, and don't want to do things in the wrong order.

Thanks!

[MGySgt]

Quote: And without it, it looks good but sticks when bring the press arm up/bring the bullet out of the die.

polish the inside of your die. I have had a few sizer dies that were rough on the inside. Sized PB boolits fine - but a GC boolit would stick every thime. Take some 400 or 600 grit sand paper on a split dowel, wrap it so it is a tight fit into the sizing area of the die and POLISH the inside of the die. You want to knock down the ridges from the machining of the die.

You can damage your sizer/luber with having to use too much force to eject the sized/lubed/GCed boolit from the die.

[Sonnypie]

Sonnypie

Do you lube before running the boolits through the sizer with GC in place?

I have GC'd some tumble lubed boolits, worked fine. But now I am pan lubing, and the lube definitely gets into the gas check groove. Maybe the GC just pushes the lube aside, or maybe it is no problem to have the lube under the GC.

Haven't tried it yet, but curious since I am about to lube up a large pile of C309-150f lee boolits, and don't want to do things in the wrong order.

Thanks!

DrCaveman,
Yes, always lube before trying to size bullets.
The pictures shown were early on in the process. Those were tumble lubed bullets. Lee states to TL once, size them, and TL a second time. (I one of those rare individuals that scan the directions)
The way I do my bullets now is what I call a Modified Ranch Dipping Method. In honor of Ranch Dog.
I still set the GC to the base of my cast bullets with the tube, plastic holder, and a tap-tap.
Then I put them into my racks I dip them in a crock pot of lube concoction. (http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Boolit%20Gloob/)
After dipping and cooling, I cut the bullets from the rack and they are holding plenty of lube to ram them through the sizing die. Where the bullet and gas check are sized and crimped together. Excess lube tends to build on the sizing die and can be removed and put back in the crock pot.
I only dip the bullets enough to submerge the lube grooves, and avoid getting lube on the tip.
But by having the gas check set on the bullet when it is dipped, some of the lube gets under the gas checks leading edge.
I think when the powder kicks the bullet in the (gas check), that smidgen of lube might help the gas check do it's job.
Other friends who have tested my bullets have reported back good results.

So maybe you'd like to try putting your gas check in place first, lube, then cake cut and size.
I particularly like the Lee sizer dies because the bullets are pushed by the base, nose first through the die. The method pushes the gas check tight to the bullets base as it gets crimped (sized).

Anyway, that is how I'm doing mine. Gas checked, then lubed, then sized. Then I clean the noses and bases. ;)

[Whiterabbit]

Ben's GC seater. I had problems with your exact combo. That bullet, that GC, that lubrisizer.

ben's GC seater, I made mine with aluminum. I still use it and it still works.

After I seat them they go through the lee sizer nose first and they are square, tight, and perfect.