Gas Check Seater

[gunfan2]

I have a little gadget that is called a gas check seater. It apparently works with a lubri-sizer, my problem I can't figure out how it works with it. Looked it over several times, just can't figure the thing out. Anybody have any experience with such a thing?

[Hick]

Well, if it is like the gas check seater for the Lyman lube sizer, it is a sort of cylinder with a slot all the way up one side. You slide it in the bottom of the lubesizer around the shaft underneath the lube die. That makes it so that the center post of the lube die cannot go down when you pull the handle. You set the gas check in the top of the lube die, set the bullet in the check, and pull the handle just a little to push the bullet base into the gas check.

[gunfan2]

So if I am understanding this correctly it sort of serves as a spacer to stop the entire bullet from going into the sizer die. Just enough to seat the check.

[imashooter2]

This should clear up any questions.

https://youtu.be/Q7gRe1Nk9ys

[gunfan2]

Thank you, that cleared things up for me completely. I'm not sure I would have figured it out without the video!

[cwlongshot]

I gave up on the inconsistencies if using the Lyman 450 as a GC Seater.

I use a old "O" press but many can work and a NOE tool. Utalizes the reloading press as a arbor so a arbir could be modified to be even better maybe.

This is a video I made on a small base GC but it utalizes the tool From NOE.

https://youtu.be/84mNH9ekPDs

[Larry Gibson]

cwlongshot

Please explain what the "inconsistencies" with the Lyman tool were?

[imashooter2]

I gave up on the inconsistencies if using the Lyman 450 as a GC Seater.

I use a old "O" press but many can work and a NOE tool. Utalizes the reloading press as a arbor so a arbir could be modified to be even better maybe.

This is a video I made on a small base GC but it utalizes the tool From NOE.

https://youtu.be/84mNH9ekPDs

Looks virtually identical but upside down.

[cwlongshot]

I like them with seating and crimping in a single stroke.

Others come from folks using them incorrectly. IE W/O the block but even with it isnt held in well and add lube and well it can be messy. The lyman units are NOT very durable. I have broken handles on every one of the three or four I own.

CW

[ascast]

So, what is the real advantage in using it? I uses Lyman 45's and just seat it and push back out. Did I miss something?

[Winger Ed.]

Did I miss something?

You must not be getting any problem children.
Some checks don't want to go right onto the boolit base without a little bit of 'encouraging'.

I a .45 - 405 mold and a .30 cal. one that the base for the checks are rather generous. Checks won't just drop right on.
I put a round knock out plug from a steel electric box or lay a 1/8" steel strip over the sizing die.
Then press the boolit down onto the check. It lines right up straight and goes on with sort of a 'snap/click'.

You could probably just use a coin--- but don't tell anyone.
They'll think you will go to prison for 20 years if you ding it up.:bigsmyl2:

I never got the little tool.
Whenever I'd see them listed they were 12-15 bucks, but you couldn't find a picture of one anywhere.
That tells me they are so simple you could probably dig around in your tool box or on the shop floor to
find something to make your own in 5 minutes.

[Larry Gibson]

I've been using the Lyman tool on my 4 different Lyman 450s for I can't remember how many years and thousands of bullets. Haven't broke or bent a handle yet. Have had on of the linkage bolts break (after years of use) but a new stainless bolt from the local Ace hardware easily fixed that for little cost.

[TD1886]

I've been using the Lyman tool on my 4 different Lyman 450s for I can't remember how many years and thousands of bullets. Haven't broke or bent a handle yet. Have had on of the linkage bolts break (after years of use) but a new stainless bolt from the local Ace hardware easily fixed that for little cost.

Maybe us old timers know more stuff then these youngsters Larry. If you bent or broke the lever or linkage on the Lyman you are doing something very wrong. I'm not going to say what I've sized on that machine and not hurt anything. As for the gas check seater I use half of a steel tube (that I cut a steel tube in half length ways) of the correct diameter and length, that I put in the underneath part of the sizer, that locks up the machine. Then I just put my check in the top of the die, put a bullet on it, and seat it. Next remove my jamming tool and size/lube the bullet. It's all very fast and I've been doing that for decades.

[cwlongshot]

Yes linkages are crap bend split and crack. I have three times had handles break where its machined down and threaded. Its a very poor design. I have also worn out linkages. I also broke one casting.
The M 45 is even lighter duty.
Plus for me having switched to 98% powder coated. Its simpler to use the NOE tool.

The NOE tool is world better. Dead solid and positive.

[Larry Gibson]

TD1886

My bad, I was simply trying to imply that perhaps if one has broken the handle and or linkage on a 45 or 450 then perhaps it's not the machine that is "crap" but perhaps the operator is using it beyond the intended use? I have numerous push through sizers I use all the time also. The linkage on my reloading presses are built for that stress.

Many of the PC'd bullets sent to me to test have been heat treat hardened in the process. I've found many that needed sizing required too much stress on the 450s so I resort to push through sizers in my reloading press. Also, harder naked cast bullets that will be sized down more than .002 are given and initial size down in a push through before final size/lubing in and H&I die in the 450. I've sized 323470 and 323471s (AC'd COWW+2% tin) down to .318, .316 and even .314 for use in various cartridges. They are first GC'd, sized and lubed in a .325 H&I in the 450. Then they are sized down in steps with push throughs to the desired size.

Saves a lot of wear and tear on the 450 which wasn't designed for sizing a bullet down that much in one step. The Lyman 450s were designed to swage jacketed bullets down either.

[beemer]

I made my own seater, used a piece of 3/4" aluminum round stock about 3/8 thick. Turned a shoulder on one end that sets in the die retaining nut of my 450. The other end I turned a pocket about 1/16" deep to set a 30 cal gas check in. Did another inside the check pocket so only the edge of the gas check makes contact. Just press the boolit in place. I do all the gas checks and then size and lube. It is mostly used for problem molds.

I have the little Lyman tool and use it sometimes.

[mehavey]

If you bent or broke the lever or linkage on the Lyman you are doing something very wrong. +1.
Cannot imagine the force needed to break a 450 being req'd in anything close to normal sizing.

As to GC seating...
I filed a 1/16th or so off the top the gas-check-seater insert (https://www.lymanproducts.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2bca7d0ad89ff79be375aadb0f26821e/g/a/gas_check_seater.jpg) and it both seats & crimps in one EZ step.

If/when PC'g first prevents seating the GC afterwards (as is normally the case), I seat/crimp before hand...then PC

[cwlongshot]

You guys are NOT seeing everything.

ITS NOT HAM HANDEDNESS!

ITS PISS POOR DESIGN! Maybe your 50 bullets a month dont stress things but some folks use them a bit more.

The design of the handle is not a question of IF but rather WHEN IT WILL BREAK.

Powder coat adds thickness making a GC more difficult. A 3
450 was designed for NO PC. There is more ways ta do things then just ones own. Different doesn't mean wrong.

CW

[Larry Gibson]

"450 was designed for NO PC."

I believe that is the point we were making and were agreeing with you. However, using the Lyman 450 for other than what it was designed for is not the fault of the 450 nor is it a "PISS POOR DESIGN".

I can assure you I am one of "some folks use them a bit more" than "50 bullets a month". I have 4 Lyman 450s and have had one since '68. They have all have sized, GC'd and lubed thousands of cast bullets. I use push through sizers in my single stage loading press if sizing over size and/or "hard" cast bullets and even PC'd bullets. I see no reason to use the 450 for something it was not designed nor made to do. If I did and broke a handle on my 450 I'd have no one blame except myself.

[cwlongshot]

Larry,

Take your handle. Roll back that coating @ juncture of tbreads.

I know your a smart man. You tell me thats a good design!

CW

[Larry Gibson]

While I agree that could probably have been designed ,better the point is that design is sufficient for the intended use.

What you're implying is tantamount to implying the Colt SAA is a poor design because it won't handle the full potential of the 45 Colt cartridge as in Ruger level loads. What I, and others are implying is using anything beyond the limits of what it was actually designed to do, whether we think it a good design or not, and it fails is not the fault of the design.

If you want it to do more difficult tasks with your 450 then, perhaps, making a better designed modification may be the solution? That's what I would do were I so inclined. Since my 450s were doing what Lyman made them to do I went the simpler route for more difficult bullet sizing and obtained push through sizers to use in my reloading press which is designed and made to handle the job.

But back to the OPs question on the Lyman GC seater, I find it to work very well seating GCs on bullets that require GC seating. On many cast bullets the GC fits onto the base of the shank squarely and bottoms out. Thus, those bullets can be sized, GC'd and lubed in one pass through the 450. Those GCs that do not fit the shank and/or bottom out I use the GC seater to seat the GC before sizing and lubing.

[jimb16]

I've been using mine to seat gas checks for many years without any problems. I recently checked a batch of pc'd 115 gr .30s for my carbines. How many you might ask? 650 in this batch. I use it for my .30-06s. .300 blks, 8mm mausers, 7.7 Japs, 7.62 Mosins, etc and batches average 500 rounds at a time. I also use it to check my 9mms and .357s. And I PC all of them before checking. Like I said, never any problems....