Help with removing gas checks from cases

[famdoc2892]

I had to pull the boolits from a batch of bottleneck rifle cases, and (some of) the gas checks pulled off inside the case. Any bright ideas on how to remove them in an attempt to salvage the powder/primed case? Or am I going to have to fire the primer/powder to clear them? Thanks in advance!

[nhrifle]

Push one edge of the check downward with a small flat blade screwdriver. This will cause it to tilt and you can grab it with a pair of needle nose pliers.

[Bullshop Junior]

Ive drilled a hole in them before and pulled em out with a screw, but I normaly just fire them.

[country gent]

As nhrifle said ive pushed one side downwith a short ice pick and then needle nosed pliers to pull them. If the gas check is right at the neck shoulder junction it may fall down into the case, making it almost imposible to et a hold of. a little common sense needs to be used.

[shredder]

I discovered that my long soldering pliers were perfect. They are long tweezers that are forced together normally and when you squeeze they seperate. Best tool I have for gas check retrieval!

[HARRYMPOPE]

Expand the neck one size up and drop them out.

[Baja_Traveler]

I've only had to do it once, but like Harry said - I ran the case through a neck expander die and the check simply fell out along with the powder...

[bhn22]

Push 'em into the case, then shake the powder out into a container. This will leave the check alone in the case. Turn the case mouth down, and grab the check with needlenose pliers, or a sturdy pair of tweezers and pull it out. It's actually very easy to do.

[zuke]

Push 'em into the case, then shake the powder out into a container. This will leave the check alone in the case. Turn the case mouth down, and grab the check with needlenose pliers, or a sturdy pair of tweezers and pull it out. It's actually very easy to do.

That's what I do.

[smoked turkey]

ditto with bhn22 and zuke. Ahem..had to do it several times in my shooting escapes.

[44man]

Long forceps works best, they clamp onto the check.

[w5pv]

I like the neck expansion ideal best,Never had to remove but a couple of loose gas checks but I did the chore with a small set of needle nose pliers and don't remember how much trouble it was to do it.

[Doc_Stihl]

I have a set of dental picks. I use those to push in one side and pull out after.

[famdoc2892]

Many thanks for the excellent suggestions here, I was able to do the job with a pair of angled needle-nose pliers, found that putting one jaw into the case and into the open face of the gas check permitted me to press the check against the side wall and pull it out. The checkering on the pliers caught on the inside lip of the check to pull it forward and grasp to remove it. My primers, powder and prepped cases are spared! Again, many thanks!

Famdoc2892