okay so I lied

[Indiana shooter]

Alright, not lied but didn't realize I could make it work. I stated earlier that I couldn't make a 300 gr bullet shoot within my elevation adjustments on my 44 blackhawk. Well I took some things that I've learned over the past couple of years and tried it again with the lee 310-430 and wouldn't you know it I'm only about 2 in high at 35 yards. By working up to 44man's load (well a half grain under) I'm getting my best groups yet.

Now it's time for an issue I'm running into and my question on how to solve it. I noticed yesterday at the range that I had a few flyers that I just thought was me until i was plinking at 10 yards. At that point I noticed extra holes in the target that looked like it could have been the gc. Apon further inspection I found a gc lodged in the cardboard backing of the target. So if the gc comes off in flight does it affect accuracy? If so what is the best way to remedy this without modifying the mold?

[500MAG]

If the gas check is not seated firm and square on the Boolit it can cause accuracy issues. How well are they seated.

[Indiana shooter]

Bare in mind that I have never used a gc Boolit before so I have no idea what normal or right is.

After sizing the boolit with a gc I can easily spin the gc with little to no resistance and using my thumb nail I can pop it off. Not easily but I sure don't have to struggle with it either.

[taco650]

I have the same mold and have not had the issue you mention. Mine are sized in a Lee 430 push-through and I'm using Hornady gas checks. How are you sizing yours and to what dimension?

[jcren]

Way too loose. Should not turn, and are a challenge to get off. Assuming they are crimped correctly, may need thicker (base material) gas checks.

[44man]

I have had to lap just the GC shanks on a few molds. Might work to set a boolit in upside down so a little abrasive will just cut at the check area. You can turn it by hand. I don't like loose checks but I don't really know how much a lost one will affect groups.
I usually make a brass lap, like a washer on a shaft.
I have a mold for my 30-30 that I need a tiny hammer to get each check on, that will drive a guy nuts too. My RD 265 is the same way. So work slow.

[Indiana shooter]

I'm sizing with a lee push through as well and I'm using hornady checks. My sized boolits mic just a hair under .431. When I size the boolit i have tried placing the gc on the base and sizing nose up as well as placing the boolit nose down. Sizing the boolit nose down resulted in a better crimp of the gc.

[44man]

With lee push through I run all GC boolits nose down, The die tends to pull GC's if nose up.

[Doc Highwall]

You could also try annealing some gas checks to remove the spring back and see if that would help.

[runfiverun]

you could.
I didn't catch what gas checks you are using.

in the design program you have to account for the gas check type and material thickness you are using when deciding on the G/C shank diameter and type.
if you open your shank area of the mold for some E-bay home made gas checks then try to use a thicker hornady type then you'll have a different issue.
most home type check makers don't know that different thickness material is used for different diameter gas checks,,, well [shrug],,, until they try to fit them to their boolits anyway.

but if some of the checks are coming off and especially if they are coming off in a different place each time you will see accuracy suffer.
in the old day's when this happened we turned to a dab of super glue...

[Indiana shooter]

Super glue, I read that would work somewhere but figured the heat a d pressure would break the bond long before the bullet left the barrel.

I read somewhere, can't remember where, that you could use a piece of aluminum foil on the base of the boolit. Then seat the gc and trim the excess foil off. Has anyone tried this? Does it work?

[Echo]

I had a problem with GC's departing.
134239
That's 5 shots with 10 holes (more or less), at 25 yards. Since then I have been annealing ALL my GC's. Toaster oven for 30 minutes @ 450* seems to do it. I haven't shot enough since then to ensure it worked, though.

[dubber123]

Lightly lap just the GC portion of your mold. Being a LEE aluminum, it will cut fast. I bet using just a dowel with sandpaper wrapped to the right diameter, about 2 or 3 turns would do all you need. You certainly should not be able to remove them easily.

[taco650]

Here's my question on this: if a GC's job is to protect the base of the boolit as it travels down the barrel, once the boolit is free of the barrel, why would it matter if it fell off? Shotgun wads do the very same thing. Does the boolit get unstable in flight if the GC falls off between the muzzle and the target?

[dubber123]

I'm betting they don't come off evenly, and kick the back end of the boolit into a wobble. I had this problem with some older Lyman slip on checks in a very accurate 30-30. I could never figure out my random flyers. One day walking to my target board, I noticed quite a few Gc's on the ground in between. No issues when using a proper fitting, crimp on check.

[dubber123]

Related to regulating your Ruger for heavy boolits, if you remove your rear sight, you will see where the underside of it contacts the frame. File away this area carefully, and you will have more downward adjustment. It's aluminum, and files easy. You can't see it once it is back on the gun. I did this to perfectly regulate a 5.5" Ruger 44 mag. Free and easy.

[41 mag fan]

If the gc`s are coming off with you fingernail and spin on the cast then your base is not the correct size. First thought that comes to mind as I had this same issue several yrs ago is how are you casting? bottom or ladle? I was using a bottom pour and switched to a ladle and problem disappeared.
When you cast next and cut your sprue look real close and if there's any gap around shank while casts are in mold then the gc`s will be loose

[beagle]

I'm with dubber on this. The old Lyman checks and manuals stated that their checks may come off after exiting the barrel. I don't see how this could possibly fail to affect accuracy due to not coming off evenly, shifting center of gravity or inducing a slight wobble. At longer ranges, this may be compensated by the bullet going to sleep but I'm betting that at ranges of 100 yards or less, if you could take slow motion pictures, you'd see some disturbance when it came off./beagle


I'm betting they don't come off evenly, and kick the back end of the boolit into a wobble. I had this problem with some older Lyman slip on checks in a very accurate 30-30. I could never figure out my random flyers. One day walking to my target board, I noticed quite a few Gc's on the ground in between. No issues when using a proper fitting, crimp on check.

[jhalcott]

The bullet is not in the barrel long enough to affect the glue. It may be your alloy is not filling out the base. Try casting at a some what higher temperature. Try adding a bit of tin. IF that fails ,try to enlarge the base area of the die CAREFULLY! In MY experience loose gas checks that come off ,DO affect bullet flight. Have you miked the GC area to see how big/small it is?