Gas Check Seats

gullo5693 · August 17, 2010, 12:25 PM

Can bullet pullers be used to form a gas check seat on a lead bullet?

**Unclenick** · August 17, 2010, 12:49 PM

Welcome to the forum.

I think you are referring to the collet type bullet pullers. The inertial type would do nothing. I'm guessing you are asking if the collet fingers could close down enough to form a gascheck shank on the bullet? I don't know if the slits in those collets are wide enough to let them close that far or not? It might depend which brand you buy? If it works, it would not likely result in a very satisfactory outcome. Even sizing bullets too much tends to get the center of mass off-axis, causing wobble in flight. If you were to try to do that forming to the shank, I'm guessing you'll suffer significant accuracy loss. When you can just buy a new Lee mold with a gas check shank for $20, it hardly seems worth the effort.

wncchester · August 17, 2010, 02:15 PM

Realistically, no.

gullo5693 · August 17, 2010, 03:19 PM

I just researched on Midway website reviews and found 2 people used RCBS Collet Bullet Puller, Midway #68084 and 2 people used Hornady Cam-Lock bullet Puller Midway #851547 to place gas check seats on lead bullets with good results.

MW surveyor · August 17, 2010, 03:39 PM

Were the bullets made with the seat recess that they used to install the gas checks? Your OP states that you want to form the bullet.

**Unclenick** · August 17, 2010, 04:05 PM

Gullo5693,

I looked at the posts you refer to in the reviews. There is something odd about them. They are all six posted with different women's names (not to sound sexist, but it seems improbable that only women would do this) and the three have close or matching posting dates between the two makes of puller, and they have essentially identical sentences and wording among the parallel posts for both brands. One even mistakenly praises the Hornady puller on the RCBS reviews.

It is pretty obvious to me that all six review are posted by the same person using different names. I have no idea what that person's agenda is?

I would need to try the method to see what it does to accuracy? Shrinking a bullet base with nothing to force coaxiality of the reduced portion with the rest of the bullet sounds pretty iffy to me. You can do a lot to a bullet nose without much adverse effect on short range accuracy, but a bullet base is quite sensitive to tilt error. In a handgun the accuracy error would be harder to see than in most rifles. Of all the chamberings mentioned in those reviews, a .30-06 bolt rifle would tell you the most about the matter.

.284 · August 17, 2010, 04:52 PM

Gullo5693,

Welcome to the forum! I'm not trying to give anything but constructive criticism here so, please take no offense.

When you come to the party and post a thread, it helps to be a specific as possible. I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Do you cast your own bullets? If so, Unclenick gave you some pretty sound advise. If not, then I understand why you are trying to make your own gas checks with bullets and equipment you may already have. Many times it helps to know what caliber, cases, primer, powder, and bullet you are using or intending to use.

Other than that, there are quite a few knowledgeable reloaders here but, when Unclenick answers one of your posts I would give his answer consideration.

GP100man · August 17, 2010, 07:16 PM

He`s swaging a groove to clamp a GC on .

The results may look good but I think the problem would be by the time ya push the somewhat formed shank into the GC it`ll have enuff pressure on the alloy to squeeze the lube grooves smaller & chances of seating the GC off square is very HI !!

MY $.02 worth

reloader28 · August 18, 2010, 01:24 AM

I've read about it and personally I think you can make it work, but I aint tried it cause all my pistols shoot cast bullets only and I use a hammer puller for them. I dont have collets for my pistol calibers.

If your sure that you want a gas check for a plain base bullet, you should look into buying a plain base check maker. You can just use pop cans or buy thin copper and make your own with this tool.

August 17, 2010, 12:25 PM	#1
gullo5693 Junior Member Join Date: August 17, 2010 Posts: 2	Gas Check Seats Can bullet pullers be used to form a gas check seat on a lead bullet?

August 17, 2010, 12:49 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,733	Welcome to the forum. I think you are referring to the collet type bullet pullers. The inertial type would do nothing. I'm guessing you are asking if the collet fingers could close down enough to form a gascheck shank on the bullet? I don't know if the slits in those collets are wide enough to let them close that far or not? It might depend which brand you buy? If it works, it would not likely result in a very satisfactory outcome. Even sizing bullets too much tends to get the center of mass off-axis, causing wobble in flight. If you were to try to do that forming to the shank, I'm guessing you'll suffer significant accuracy loss. When you can just buy a new Lee mold with a gas check shank for $20, it hardly seems worth the effort. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 17, 2010, 02:15 PM	#3
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	Realistically, no.

August 17, 2010, 03:19 PM	#4
gullo5693 Junior Member Join Date: August 17, 2010 Posts: 2	I just researched on Midway website reviews and found 2 people used RCBS Collet Bullet Puller, Midway #68084 and 2 people used Hornady Cam-Lock bullet Puller Midway #851547 to place gas check seats on lead bullets with good results.

August 17, 2010, 03:39 PM	#5
MW surveyor Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2010 Posts: 212	Were the bullets made with the seat recess that they used to install the gas checks? Your OP states that you want to form the bullet.

August 17, 2010, 04:05 PM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,733	Gullo5693, I looked at the posts you refer to in the reviews. There is something odd about them. They are all six posted with different women's names (not to sound sexist, but it seems improbable that only women would do this) and the three have close or matching posting dates between the two makes of puller, and they have essentially identical sentences and wording among the parallel posts for both brands. One even mistakenly praises the Hornady puller on the RCBS reviews. It is pretty obvious to me that all six review are posted by the same person using different names. I have no idea what that person's agenda is? I would need to try the method to see what it does to accuracy? Shrinking a bullet base with nothing to force coaxiality of the reduced portion with the rest of the bullet sounds pretty iffy to me. You can do a lot to a bullet nose without much adverse effect on short range accuracy, but a bullet base is quite sensitive to tilt error. In a handgun the accuracy error would be harder to see than in most rifles. Of all the chamberings mentioned in those reviews, a .30-06 bolt rifle would tell you the most about the matter. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 17, 2010, 04:52 PM	#7
.284 Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2009 Location: davison, michigan Posts: 665	Gullo5693, Welcome to the forum! I'm not trying to give anything but constructive criticism here so, please take no offense. When you come to the party and post a thread, it helps to be a specific as possible. I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Do you cast your own bullets? If so, Unclenick gave you some pretty sound advise. If not, then I understand why you are trying to make your own gas checks with bullets and equipment you may already have. Many times it helps to know what caliber, cases, primer, powder, and bullet you are using or intending to use. Other than that, there are quite a few knowledgeable reloaders here but, when Unclenick answers one of your posts I would give his answer consideration.

August 17, 2010, 07:16 PM	#8
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	I Think He`s swaging a groove to clamp a GC on . The results may look good but I think the problem would be by the time ya push the somewhat formed shank into the GC it`ll have enuff pressure on the alloy to squeeze the lube grooves smaller & chances of seating the GC off square is very HI !! MY $.02 worth

August 18, 2010, 01:24 AM	#9
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I've read about it and personally I think you can make it work, but I aint tried it cause all my pistols shoot cast bullets only and I use a hammer puller for them. I dont have collets for my pistol calibers. If your sure that you want a gas check for a plain base bullet, you should look into buying a plain base check maker. You can just use pop cans or buy thin copper and make your own with this tool.