Gas Checks

[PWC]

I've have never used gas checks on my purchased lead bullets for my '03 or M-1. How are they applied; by hand or thru a die seating operation? Can they come off and remain in the bore becoming an obstruction?

[Sunray]

There's a crimping tool.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101022898/lyman-gas-check-seater
A net search for 'applying gas checks' turns up 103 million sites. Mind you, a lot are about gas company sites, but there are a bunch of YouTube sites too.

[PWC]

let's see... if I check a million a day, maybe I could get one for Christmas.....

So if I want to use gas checks, I have to get set up for sizing and lubricating. Is there any way to do this in a regular single stage press?

Thanks for the link.

[Matt Anthony]

Cast bullets are plain base or gas check base. Most places you buy cast bullets might not offer the gas check design. The mould determines that. The gas check fits over the resess and then is crimped by the sizing die. If it is a plain base bullet you won't be able to use a gas check unless you machine the bottom of each bullet. I have been casting and shooting cast bullets for 50 years and never had a gas check separate from the bullet. My advice to you is to get the Lyman cast bullet manual and read about cast bullets. It is not the same as shooting jacketed bullets by no means. You must slug your barrel to find out your barrel diameter to determine what size bullet is going to function properly. Without knowing that you may waste alot of money on components trying to get them to shoot accurately. You need to read up on this as velocity will be quite lower so as not to lead the barrel, even with a gas check. On my 3006 rifles I shoot a 185 gr. Hoch gas checked bullet using 14 grains of green dot. Velocity 1552 fps. Almost one hole 3 shot groups at 100 yards. My deer load is 31 grains of IMR 4198 at 2040 fps. These I cast myself using Lyman #2 alloy and orange magic lube and hornady gas checks. Sized to .309.
Matt

[PWC]

Thank you Matt. There's a lot of good info in that.

I've always just used cast bullets out of the bag, as bought in my 03-A3 with the Ed Harris two articles on down loading for high power. My rifle isn't bug hole capable, but, neither am I, for me, it shoots well enough and it's fun to shoot. I believe I actually enjoy reloading more than shooting. I have just really begun to put all the things together in my mind as ways to get better groups.

Annealing (never did before) for pistol and rifle. I do get some case mouth cracking from crimped cases on revolver cartridges. I've never annealed the rifle cases and have some at 10 reloads, with jacketed near full boat loads, with no fall out. Using a socket with a 6" extension, resting on a block, allows for smoother rotation than trying to use one hand to turn back and forth.

Using a powder baffle in the measure; always had trouble with consistent drop. I found that with my measure attch to my bench, the rest of the reloading process (vibration) caused slight enough inconsistentcy in powder drop.. moved the measure to the shelf above the bench solved the problem. I've always used a balance, then bought a scale...guess what? The balance (lo tech) is just as accurate as the Lyman scale and the Lyman electronic scale (hi tech). I don't get to shoot as much as I'd like to, but cooler weather is coming to the desert. While you guys are shoveling snow off your driveways, I'll be shoveling sun.

BTW, If you're interested, David Tubb has an excellent video on reloading for accuracy, something he is very good at, accuracy that is...at the below site. Take a sandwich and a cup of coffee as it is 2 hrs long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUnrYp0NH38

[PWC]

By the way, it's really nice to have a discussion without having politics involved.

[bigedp51]

I've have never used gas checks on my purchased lead bullets for my '03 or M-1. How are they applied; by hand or thru a die seating operation? Can they come off and remain in the bore becoming an obstruction?

I applied my gas checks with my lubrisizer that sizes the bullet and crimps the gas check to the base of the bullet in one operation.

Once the gas check and bullet have been compressed/sized the gas check is crimped to the base of the bullet and will not come off when fired.

The forward edge of the gas check also acts like a scraper and reduces leading. The last thing I did if shooting plane base case bullets was to fire a few gas check bullet to scrape away any leading.

https://www.huntingtons.com/store/images/D/hornady_gas-checks2_200.jpg

Seating Cast Bullet Gas Checks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSN2txlh748


Gas Checks with a Lee Sizing Die
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxAArYSVypc

[psteinmayer]

I've been shooting cast out of a bench rest rig that I built from an 1898 Krag that's cutdown and sporterized. I shoot a gas-checked NOE 311365 at 185 gr and sized to .310. With 19 grains of AA 5744, I'm shooting around 1600 FPS and getting 1/2 inch groups at 200 yards! As others have said about shooting cast, there are different rules, but the results can be fun and rewarding!

[ray55classic]

I found a ton of good info on cast bullets on this site http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php

66 pages on using, making and troubleshooting gas checks http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?60-Gas-Checks

Reloaders of military rifles will enjoy this page: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?27-CB-Loads-Military-Rifles&
I was especially interested in the sticky about loading cast for an M1A.

With 7.62 Sierras MK's running almost 40cents apiece I'm surprised more people aren't shooting cast

[PWC]

Thanks all....and thanks for adding some 'life' to this forum.

[ray55classic]

Appreciate the David Tubb link , I'm always in the mood to learn something .