Coat before or after gas check????

[abunaitoo]

I know this must have been posted before, but I just can't find it.
I gas check, size, then coat.
I see many size, coat then gas check.
It there a best way and why is it the best?????

[jsanch03]

Hmmm this one is going to have to come down to what works for you and what part of the process is easier for you. What’s works for me is gas checking after coating. However, keep in mind that the coating will add thickness to the area where the gas check goes. Some gas checks still pop on and some do not. My Hornady gas checks require a slight flare with an NOE gas check expander. When I use sages outdoor gas checks no need for flaring.


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[Coopaloop86]

If using Hitek, I gas check after. With PC, I stand my bullets up and the little bit of the flashing at the base usually makes it a PITA to gas check so I size and gas check before coating and then size again after.

[charlie b]

My current molds do not allow seating the check after coating. The coating adds just enough dia so the checks shave powder to seat.

I seat the GC, size, PC and then size again.

[high standard 40]

I seat gaschecks before I coat. I could do it after because I do have a gascheck flaring tool that I made myself, but I feel that the powdercoat over the gascheck is one more assurance that the check will be securely held to the base of the bullet. It may or may not help, I havent't tested that theory. It's perhaps just me overthinking.

[GasGuzzler]

Yes both

[Gtrubicon]

I’ve been installing the checks after I pc, my next session of casting and coating I’m going to install check prior to pc.

[AndyC]

After - I coat first, then size/check.

[TyGuy]

Up to this point I have been checking after coating so that I wouldn’t contaminate the surface of the lead. I use imperial sizing wax when sizing and didn’t want to have to remove that to get good adherence with the pc. I was talking to another member here who is sizing and checking without lube and getting good results. I may try that soon. Will have to clean my sizing die really well.

[charlie b]

Yep, I do not use lube when sizing.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

I am still new to this, so I am still trying to figure this out myself. I have tried it both ways, and while I had no trouble sizing the gas check on and PCing over it, it involved using a Lee bullet sizing die without lubrication. I would worry about leading on the die long term. I have also added the gas check after coating, and that seems to depend on the size of the base of the bullet, the size of the gas check, and the thickness of the powder coat. It was a right pain in the *** to get the checks on a .30 caliber bullet after coating them. I could snap them on over the coating, but it involved pushing the bullet down into them against a hard surface before I ran them through the sizing die. I mean, the die might well have been able to get them on by itself. But I didn't want to chance it. With .358" bullets, the gas check just snapped on the coated bullet with almost no force before I ran it through the die. And then sized on snugly with no effort at all.

-Mb

[charlie b]

Just use the Lee die without lube. I have been using push through dies for a LONG time without lube and never had any lead build up.

When using them with gas checks it is a moot point. The gas check will 'scrape' off anything in the die (including old lube or dirt :) ).

Caution: if you are trying to size down too much it will take a lot more effort. If that happens to me I use a bit of case lube and then clean the die after.