gas checks below case neck?

[nemesisenforcer]

I recently read in an old G&A article that seating a bullet with a gas check below the neck and into the shoulder or body is a bad practice but gave no further explanation.

Is this true?

[Nueces]

The risk is that the check may come loose in handling or upon firing (as it's unsupported) and be left in the bore to become an obstruction for the next round.

[MT Chambers]

Some of my most accurate Cast loads have the gas check below the shoulder inside the case, I think that if a check came off the gases would push most anything out the barrel.

[Nueces]

Yeah, I know that the risk is small, but there have been observations of gas checks being pressed into the rifling by a passing bullet.

You'd want to use crimp-on style checks and some even go as far as putting a smear of epoxy on the bullet base before seating the check.

Comes down to "Well, do you feel lucky?" :mrgreen:

[historicfirearms]

I've shot thousands of rounds of boolits with the gas check below the neck. No problem wit but I do make sure the checks are crimped on well on my boolit base.

[nemesisenforcer]

so once again, no definitive answer. Got it.:):mrgreen:

[Hick]

I have seen issues with certain bullets from certain molds. I have some 311284GC where the gas check seems to enlarge the neck too much-- if I seat the GC below the neck I cannot get good neck tension and have to use a heavy crimp to keep the bullets from telescoping into the cases with recoil. So, I have to keep the gas check in the neck. With light cast loads using pistol powders in my rifles I worry that putting the check below the shoulder will allow some powder to stick to the lube on the bullet causing poor ignition (if i turn the case upside down). Both these concerns lead me to keep the check in the neck.

[nemesisenforcer]

I guess I'm stupid, but I fail to see how the gases working on the below neck check are any more volatile or disruptive than the gases when they encounter the check at the neck or when the check encounters the rifling.

Hick's comments are well taken, but these are different concerns than how the propellant gasses knocking off the check if it's below the neck.

[Taylor]

Personally,I have always tried to stay above the shoulder and inside the case neck.But,that is near impossible with a cartridge such as the 300 Savage.One has to make a decision,I suppose.

[popper]

IMHO, alloy exposed to high pressure sort of defeats the GC purpose.

[swheeler]

If I have a choice I always keep the gas check in the case neck, but some mold/cartridge combos require it unless you nose size. The 8mm Max comes to mind for me.

[Loudenboomer]

Propellant gasses are not going to make the check fall off. Pressure is equal all around the check until it is back in the neck. The short answerer is yes it is true. Checks are better left in the neck for all the reasons described above. Your mileage will very.

[Nueces]

Powder combustion in the case is not a linear process. Pressure does not build evenly throughout the case volume. Recall those early discussions of pressure waves possibly contributing to the SEE phenomenon. Powder kernels are ricocheting about before being consumed. No matter how unlikely, such rapid unpredictable violence could loosen a gas check early on. The bigger risk is having the check come loose during pre firing handling.

[Char-Gar]

I recently read in an old G&A article that seating a bullet with a gas check below the neck and into the shoulder or body is a bad practice but gave no further explanation.

Is this true?

Yes, that is true.

[Nueces]

Yes, that is true.

Heh!!