Lyman gas checks

[Krag1902]

I bought a couple boxes of Lyman gas checks, 30 caliber, in their 700 round boxes at a gun show.After i got home I became concerned that they were like the old Ideal gc and would not crimp on in the lubrisizers. There are in boxes probably from the 70s. Crimp on, or not??

[Bad Ass Wallace]

They wil crimp on (I use an RCBS II) but they are harder and thicker material than Hornady. I like them!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

After i got home I became concerned that they were like the old Ideal gc
why?

:coffeecom

[Conditor22]

You bought them, don't waste time worrying, just try them.
I've never heard of GC getting old

[earlmck]

From the 1970's? I'd be in there worrying with you Krag. I don't know when Lyman went from the old "slip-on/slip-off" style to the crimp-on. I still have a couple boxes of those old ones: after they go through the sizer you can still pull them off as easy as before sizing, which is not true with the crimpers. Just try one and see what it does.

I think they were actually intended to come off after going through the barrel. And most of them do as I recall.

I got less flyers when I went to the Hornady crimp-on vs. the old Lyman slip-ons, but I suspect that only a couple of my guns are accurate enough with my cast loads to detect the difference.

[Krag1902]

I didn't know if Lyman went to crimp on route as did Hornady. I have used the old Ideal non-crimp style and had one or two that left the GC in the bore. That's not good. I got two boxes at a gun show for a good price, and worried that this may be an example of false economy.

[Bent Ramrod]

It may be that Lyman was either very reluctant to pay a license fee to Hornady in order to use their patent, or just waited until it ran out and they could use it without paying.

I remember, though, when Lyman started offering crimp-on checks, they were always a little more expensive than Hornady’s for the same size. This may have been to cover the licensing fee, or just to cover the cost of tooling up. Now, of course, they’re all expensive, whatever brand.

The old Ideal checks are thin, light metal, brass-colored, and straight cylindrical on the outside and inside. The later crimp-on versions are thicker metal, copper-colored and have a noticeable flange on the outside, which swages the inside onto the gas-check shank when the boolit is sized and lubed. You should be able to tell which is which by inspection.

I notice, for mid-range work, like our sessions of “annoying the animals,” I get a higher proportion of hits off the bench on the 500-m steel rams using the crimp-on checks, (and weighing the boolits into groups), but for other types of fun shooting, the Ideal design is fine.

I’ve had them come off in the case neck when breaking down ammo, but never noticed any staying in the bore after a shot. According to the old literature, they were designed to fall off in flight. Of course, this doesn’t always happen.

[.22-10-45]

Back in the mid 70"s, I wanted to try cast in a Rem. 700 .222Rem. I was using the Lyman 225438 in #2 alloy and the only G.C. I could find were the Lyman slip-on. First time out to range, I fired first cast bullet load..saw dirt move at 100yd. backstop...but a little voice in back of head suggested I take a peek thru bore..I remember sitting there arguing with myself why I would do this, as I had seen dirt move at backstop...but finally gave in and pulled bolt. I had to blow thru bore to clear smoke..and there it was..about an inch back from muzzle..G.C. turned edgeways..I almost missed it. Don't know if next round would have compressed air & blew it out..or would have run over it and damaged bore, but that was the first and only time I ever used slip-on checks.

[1hole]

It may be that Lyman was either very reluctant to pay a license fee to Hornady in order to use their patent, or just waited until it ran out and they could use it without paying.

Nope. Lyman/Ideal were selling their original GC design long decades before Hornady started in the loading tools business.

[trapper9260]

I started off with Lyman GC and then I seen about Hornady crimp on and see I got better groups then I seen that Gator checks was the same as Hornady but less money . I still have some Lyman and they work for me but after I use them up ,I stay with Gator checks .

[swheeler]

I thought Hornady made the all Lyman, RCBS and Sierra gas checks for them? I have shot thousands of the old Ideal Gunsight Corp brass slip on gas checks, still do in 31 and 32 cal, and never had one stay in the barrel, ever. I've had plenty exit at the muzzle and leave impact marks on the chrono.

[Martin Luber]

At what point is a gc required for say a 30-06,rifle?

How about 38 -158 swc?

Thanks

[swheeler]

At what point is a gc required for say a 30-06,rifle?

How about 38 -158 swc?

Thanks

When the alloy is no longer up to the job plain based and you lead up and accuracy is gone. Many many things can affect where this happens including alloy comp, powder speed, bullet design, barrel condition, fit x100 more. Nobody can say you need a gas check at x number fps, but many do.

[beagle]

Amen on the Gators. Beat Hornadys ./beagle


I started off with Lyman GC and then I seen about Hornady crimp on and see I got better groups then I seen that Gator checks was the same as Hornady but less money . I still have some Lyman and they work for me but after I use them up ,I stay with Gator checks .

[ukrifleman]

[QUOTE=swheeler;4835178]I thought Hornady made the all Lyman, RCBS and Sierra gas checks for them?

Me too!

[ukrifleman]

At what point is a gc required for say a 30-06,rifle?

How about 38 -158 swc?

Thanks

The general rule of thumb is that a gas check is required when the muzzle velocity exceeds 1500 fps.
ukrifleman