Gas check ??

[DiscoRacing]

Am setting up to cast for my S&W 500. I have ordered hornady gas checks from midway..and a lee 440grain mold... Since I have never used checks before.. what makes the check stay on the bullet?? Also the info for the check says that they are crimped to the bullet base...What do you need to crimp them to the bullets?? Tkx for any info....trying to enter foreign territory here.... hope I dont get lost,,,attacked,,,eaten alive,,,

[dahermit]

You place the check on the base of the bullet then run it through the bullet sizer/lubricator as usual. The check has a little built-in ridge that will crimp onto the bullet.

[reloader28]

A lube/sizer or bullet sizing die crimps on the check. Sometimes they fit good enough to kinda snap on. If its a loose fit, you may be able to lightly crimp it with pliers just enough to keep it on.

I have Gator checks ordered,as they are cheaper than Midway, but I aint ordered the Lee mold yet. I love the .44 and .45 versions of this boolit.

[DiscoRacing]

If you run it thru a sizer to fit them.... can you put them on bullets that have already been run thru the sizer once, and they will be ok still.... or do you have to put them on when you run it thru the first time after casting... what IM saying is..if you already sized the bullets...and have to run them thru again to put checks on ... will they still lock on there properly?

[reloader28]

I do it that way when I'm heat treating. Size, heat treat, then lube and check. The check groove will always be there.

Its actually easier to do it in 2 steps I think, but takes longer. Mostly I do it in 1 step.

[Rusty W]

When I first started casting I also thought I needed to use gas checks. I was loading for a 45/70 using a Lee mold. I found out through trial and error, a lot of error, that you need a bullet designed to take a gas check. Just any ole bullet won't work. I don't use gas checks any more because when I use lead bullets they're mostly for light loads. If I need a load with more velocity I just use jacketed bullets.

[DiscoRacing]

I wanted to save a little money and cast just for shooting paper...also the lee mold that i wanted is designed for checks...and I did want to try and shoot a good load,,,maybe not max but not light either.