Gas Check Question

[upperb]

Hi all.

Am new to casting and am in the process of accumulating materials to do my first casting session.

I want to make .30 cal. bullets to shoot from my 03A3.

Midway has .30 cal Lyman gas checks for $21.99/1000. Hornadys are $25.99. Are the Hornadys any better?

Thank you all in advance. This forum is GREAT!!! Have learned ALOT!!!

[madcaster]

Get in on the group buys here,they are done on moulds,gas checks and other related stuff.More economical too.

[Nueces]

Howdy, upperb, welcome to Das Forum.

You're darn tootin' Hornadys (ies?) are better, and for more than one reason. I've measured vintage versions of both, and the Hornadys mike 0.311 OD, while the Lymans are only 0.305. Also, the Lymans are straight cups, while the Hornadys are made slightly flared open and with a burr on the inside of the rim which will grip the boolit shank when sized in place. The Lymans are much more likely to come off when fired, changing the total weight and ballistic coefficient, and hurting accuracy.

Start saving now for all the new casting toys you're gonna want. Exult and complain here, for the amusement and edification of all.

Mark

[madcaster]

Nueces,
Thank you Sir for extending the welcome to Upperb,I forget my manners!
UpperB,WELCOME to a great site!

[Slowpoke]

I Thought I read that the new Lymans are made by Hornady an crimp on ??

[Sundogg1911]

Welcome! you can certainly learn a lot here!
I've used both for a 30-30 bullet, They are both good, but I think the Hornadys are easier to crimp on and do seem to stay on better.

[upperb]

Madcaster, Nueces, Slowpoke and Sundogg1911:

Thank you all for your kind words.

I am really impressed by the abundance of knowledge possessed by the folks who post here and the kindness and humility with which it is shared.

I appreciate the advice about getting in on a group buy for gas checks. It looks like I was a couple weeks too late for the .30 cal Gatorcheck buy. Dot6 was selling some on the sell/swap forum, but I got there too late. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for the next group buy.

Again, thank you all for your kindness. I hope that, in time, I'll learn some things about casting and will be able to contribute.

[Nueces]

Slowpoke, you sure could be right about H makin' Ls now. Dunno. When I called mine 'vintage', I really meant it, like 30 years or so for the Ls. Jeez, I've been doin' this so long, even stuff I knew is no longer true. Pooh.

Mark

[leftiye]

I've heard that too on one of the other threads about how H gcs were better than L's. Word was that the lyman shortcomings were in the past, because H was making L's checks.

[lurch]

Lee's latest reloading book states that Hornady is making all the gas checks you would buy at the gun shop. I don't have any Lyman's to do an a/b comparison. Don't know for sure if it's factual but I have no reason to doubt it. I think that there would be some screaming coming from somewhere if it were not true.