Group Buy NEI 311466 gas check seating problem

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

I am having trouble seating gas checks on the bullets which I cast from the NEI 311466 group buy mould. I cannot start the Hornady or RCBS gas checks by hand on the gas check shank. I must use my luber/sizer. Often the gas checks will scrape some lead off the bullet when being seated. I was casting wheelweights, aircooled with my furnace set at 850 degrees F.
I do not know if it is all the cavities, but every bullet which I have tried has the same problem.
The gas check shank measures 0.288-0.289" on my NEI 311466 group buy mould.

The gas check shank measures 0.285-0.286" on my Lyman 311284.
The gas check shank measures 0.283-0.284" on my Lyman 311467.
The Hornady gas checks start easily on the gas check shank of both of these Lyman bullets.
The driving bands of my NEI 311466 bullets measure 0.309".
I have the 6 cavity Meehanite mould.

Is anyone else having this problem?
What do you recommend?
Roger

[Calamity Jake]

I don't have this mold but I do have a couple of 30cal molds that the GC shank is oversize like yours. You will have to flair the GC's to get them to fit.

Lay a GC cup up on a HARD FLAT surface, put a 3/8Ø (.375Ø) ball bearing in the cup then tap it with a hammer to flair the GC a little, use light tap of the hammer and don't over do it ,you want just enough flair to get the GC to fit the boolet.

Tap, test fit, tap, test fit until you get the feel for how heavy a hammer blow flairs just enough.

I have taken this a step further by supper gluing the bearing in the mouth of a junk 9MM fairing die, mounting this in my Rock Chucker press,. installing any shell holder then on top of that put a round FLAT piece of 1/8 thick steel, lay a GC on the steel, eye balling center with the ram, raise the ram, screw in the die/bearing combo until contact and taking up all slack then lower ram a little screw in die a little raise the ram, keep adjusting to get enough
flair.

If you use a very light touch when first making contact between the bearing and GC, the GC will self center itself under the bearing making the flair even all around. Uneven flair on the GC means BAD fit on the boolet.

[Char-Gar]

I don't have that mold, but your problem is not uncommon. I have several molds whose shank is a smidge large for snap fit of the gas check. I just expand the check a mite. I use the next larger expanding plug from an M die to do the job. I place the check skirt up on a hard surface and tap the plug into the check. This expands the skirt of the check and it can be seated. The sizing die then crimp it on the bullet shank. There are numberous ways to expand the skirt to get around this issue.

[slughammer]

Have you tried annealing some checks? That may allow them to stress relieve a little and perhaps open up a bit.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=20271

[fatelvis]

Roger, I got the NEI in DC Mehite from the group buy, and I found the same thing. What are you doing to rectify the problem?

[Blammer]

several of these moulds were cut wrong.

Everone who has this problem with the NEI 311466 GB I encourage them to contact NEI and expain the problem and that is was with this GB.

So far they have redone all the moulds that were affected.

[Andy_P]

Should have gone with Lee. [smilie=1:

[fatelvis]

Andy, although there was a problem with the NEI mould, I'm sure it will be resolved. I've had this problem with two Lyman moulds in the past, (undersized, not oversized shanks) and it seems to be common. This NEI mould is my first, and I am not put off by this problem. I will definately be buying more from them, as the quality and craftsmanship is immediately obvious, and the cavity's finish is very sharp and smooth, and it seems to be built to last. In the future, I will NEVER buy another Lee mould. Thier prices are low, and the quality is also. Personally, I would rather steer clear of aluminum moulds, I just seem to do better with Mehite or iron. To each his own I guess!

[Blammer]

plus the fixes were done and shipped before a month was up....

[sav300]

As being a lazy sod I am I tryed a pencil sharpener to trim down the bases,a very slight amount.Just a light twist and the gas checks fit nice.
Lionel.

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

I contacted NEI. They said return the mould and some bullets cast with it and they would fix it.

[ChrisK]

plus the fixes were done and shipped before a month was up....

Mine was Mehite and NEI said they were waiting on it (they were currently out). I still have not got mine back and sent it early on. Anyone else get back a Mehite mold?

[fatelvis]

I just sent mine back to them Yesterday. (1-24-08). I hope its not too long of a wait!

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

ChrisK and fatelvis,
I sent my mould and sample bullets cast from it back to NEI about 12/01/2007 thru 12/03/2007. NEI said my mould should ship by early this week. My mould is a 6 cavity meehanite. It has not arrived as of 01/25/2008.
Roger

[Blammer]

I too am waiting on the Mehanite moulds from the 311284 GB.... so I think we're all in the same boat now!

I believe he received some last week as I'm expecting the balance of my 311284 GB this week, and they are all mehanite ones...

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

ChrisK and fatelvis,
My meehanite NEI mould arrived in the afternoon mail. It looks fine, I will try to cast with it tomorrow.

[fatelvis]

It looks like they do have a good turnaround time, (when they have the Meehanite in stock). I knew they were first class outfit! :wink:

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

Today I did a casting session with my NEI 308 180 6 cavity Meehanite mould. Copy of Lyman #311466.
I put on a pair of RCBS handles. Bullet mould worked well. I did not clean it before casting.
Wheelweights air cooled. Air temperature 32 degrees F. RCBS pro-melt set on 850 degrees F.
Bullet diameters 0.309-0.310"
Bullet lengths 0.912-0.917"
Bullet weights in grains: 158.5 159.0 158.6 158.6 158.7 159.1 158.8
The RCBS .30 caliber gas checks fit easily on the gas check shank. A few of them fell off the bullet before I resized them.
I resized the bullets in my Lyman 450 luber/sizer with a Lyman 0.311 sizing die which sizes 0.310".
The gas checks crimped onto the bullet and I could not pull them off with my fingers.
The gas check shank problem is fixed and my mould casted well. I am pleased.

[fatelvis]

Roger that, Roger! I was hoping that everything would work well in the end. I can't wait to get mine back & try 'em in the M1A!

[scb]

HAD the same problem with my 4 cavity aluminum mould. Returned if and with Blammer's help got the replacement back in Very short order. Was able to use it last weekend and am completely satisfied. Even tho it had to go back, still far superior in time and quality to Lee.