Gas Checks for LEE C429-240-SWC

[pcmacd]

In the past I have just cluelessly cast these of w/w and lots of foundry type, and sized them nose down in a 0.430 star die, Magma Blue lube, with a Hornady #7130 44 cal check on the base. They look good and shoot great in my long barreled S&W 629 over a max load of 296.

I guess I'm getting introspective in my old age. I was looking 'round for some additional checks and could not find my typical Hornady #7130 checks anyplace (even @Hornady?), so took the time to measure the heel of some cast of this same mold using ancient wheel weights today. The heel is 0.414" diameter!!! I measured a saved example cast of w/w with LOTS of foundry type added and it is about the same.

The Hornady #7130 44 cal checks measure 0.402" ID with an inside micrometer - the Sage Outdoors checks are advertised as being for a "normal 0.402 shank."

What the what?

Apparently the checks are opening to accommodate the larger heel before seating. Whodathunkit?

[gloob]

I poked around and couldn't find it. Another member had a problem finding checks for his bullets. The shanks were 419!

Makes me wonder if there aren't or weren't two different standard size 44 cal checks over the years or by different manufacturers.

For a 402 shank, I am guessing the check thickness is either 17 or 20 thous. For 414-419 shank, 13 thous should be about right. Gas check thickness is unfortunately missing from the sticky that Felix posted on this sub.

[Larry Gibson]

I've been seating Hornady and older Lyman slip ons on 5 different GC'd 44 bullets over the years. Never had a problem and never measured the shanks........

Where in Arizona are you located?

[El Bibliotecario]

I used this bullet without measured anything and it shoots better than I can hold. For something that's working satisfactorily I see excessive introspection as like going to the doctor, who invariably proves I'm not nearly as healthy as I thought I was.

[pcmacd]

I've been seating Hornady and older Lyman slip ons on 5 different GC'd 44 bullets over the years. Never had a problem and never measured the shanks........

Where in Arizona are you located?

Near the Rio Salado range, Ellsworth/Usery Pass and McDowell neighborhood.

I'm looking at that house on the huge hill "Raven's Roost" looking out my back window as I write this.

311680

[pcmacd]

I used this bullet without measured anything and it shoots better than I can hold. For something that's working satisfactorily I see excessive introspection as like going to the doctor, who invariably proves I'm not nearly as healthy as I thought I was.

Hey! I get that. It is just that nobody, not even Hornady is stocking the #7130 44 cal checks I've used for 30 years. Since some of the other check manufactures spec'd their checks for 0.402 shanks (Hornady does not), I measured mine for the first damn time!

Tell the truth, I remain shocked that the Hornady checks worked as well as they have since ever other damn thing we do in his hobby has such a SERIOUS AND OBVSERVABLE IMPACT on results?

~~~~
I just spoke to Gary @Hornady tech suppt. He says the spec for that DISCONTINUED gas check is 0.404", and that you need to use a pin gauge, as opposed to a micrometer to measure it. I'll try that later just for grins. Gary had no explanation about why this check worked so well on my Lee 429-240 bullets.

[pcmacd]

So, again this week I used the Hornady 44 caliber checks (no longer offered) on my ~0.411 heel LEE 429-240 bullets. The ID of these checks is around 0.404, according to hornady.

I don't know why these checks work, but it's freaking magic. I guess when the smaller checks are pressed upon the heel (bullet nose down), the checks open up to accommodate the larger heel.

I never thought about this before as I previously explained; I just used the Hornady checks w/o thinking.

Well, the thinking hurt, but the checks still work just fine.