Mounting gas checks..really basic

[sniper]

O.K., HOW?
With my Lee sizer, do I just put the check on the base of the bullet, set the check and bullet on the ram, and shove it through the sizer, nose first, or do I push it through base first, with the nose on the ram?
Does it matter at all, with a flat nosed bullet?
Thanks.

[405]

Nose first- the ram pressure helps ensure a square fit of gc to base as the bullet is pushed thru.

[jonk]

Ditto- nose first, base on the ram; though with flat nosed bullets, if you are careful on alignment, it doesn't matter really as the Lee die has enough of a throat to align the check so long as things aren't off entirely.

[Dale53]

However, there are sometimes problems. Last night, I decided to "gas check" some bullets that I cast a LONG time ago. I had an OLD box of Lyman gas checks. The bullet is an old Lyman 44-40 design that is no longer available. It worked well in my old Marlin 44 lever action (sold it long ago). It also shoots well in various .44 revolvers.

The checks did not shave lead but were too tight to put on with my fingers. I had a choice - either tap them on with a soft hammer, or-r-r, much better, use the Lyman Sizer/luber with the gas check seater. The gas check seater worked extremely well. They were seated firmly and square to the bullet base.

I then lubed them in the Star sizer/luber. Now I have several hundred bullets gas checked, lubed/sized and ready to go. If I had just pushed them through a Lee sizer or the Star, the gas checks would NOT have been properly seated.

Sometimes, you just have to improvise.

FWIW
Dale53

[454PB]

When I use the Lee sizers to seat gas checks, I place the check on as firmly and squarely as possible, place the boolit nose in the die, raise the ram and push the boolit until it's square in the die, then lower the ram and give the gas check a sharp tap. I've never had one seat crooked doing it this way.