Gas check seater

[kbstenberg]

Like most casters I was having trouble installing GC on my bullets. My simple fix. find a scrap wooden board 3/4" thick only about an inch square. Drill a hole in it just large enough to smoothly push a bullet through. Find a bolt small enough to fit in the hole about an inch long an polish the end of the bolt so you don't mark the nose of the bullet, an it helps if it has large head.
Put the GC in one side of the hole with the cup facing to the other side. Turn the piece of wood over an insert the bullet base down in the hole. Push the bullet so the tip is even with the top of the board using your finger. Now put the shank of the bolt on the nose of the bullet an force it with your thumb to seat in the GC. You can't seat a GC crooked because everything is held in alignment in the hole.
Kevin

[calvon]

I prefer to seat the gas checks in the Star lubesizer. Drop the bullet in the die nose first. Lay the gas check on top of it. Pull the handle. The bullet comes out the other end lubed, sized, with gas check in place.

[kbstenberg]

I could do that also with my RCBS lube sizer. But then I wouldn't be sure that the checks would be fully seated.

[bilmac]

I think there is one lubrisizer that pushes the bullet from the nose probably the Star and that would probably make a good gas check seater. I have both an RCBS and Lyman and I don't like the way they seat the GC's. If I am being very careful I seat them by hand. You would think that some innovative company like Lee would come up with some simple little tool like Stenberg's

[.22-5-40]

The problem with forcing a too tight gas-check on is lead scraping off unevenly on shank..leading to bullet unbalance.  I have turned up tool steel "spreaders" for use on my Lyman 45 sizer..these are tapered & just the right length so that when bottomed out on inside of check..the walls are a nice slip-fit onto bullet.  The problem is with differen't moulds, alloys & checks....you need different sized spreaders.

[Lloyd Smale]

I took a small pair of vice grips and ground the teeth off the jaws. Its easy to ajust for differnt bullet lenghts and it seats them as fast as you can put a bullet in and squeeze.

[gypsyman]

I usemy Saeco Lubri-Sizer. Has a swing out gas check seater. gypsyman

[bilmac]

Does anyone see any real difference between Lyman GC's and Hornadays that are supposed to be crimp on and thus I would assume easier to seat on the bullet?  I can't see any difference.

[calvon]

To Bilmac: I've been told that Lyman no longer manufactures gas checks; they buy and resell Hornady gas checks.

[bilmac]

Last I bought they were even different color brass, but that was quite awhile ago.

[Lloyd Smale]

yes theres a differnce. the old lymans had a tendency to fall off the bullets in flight. I can remember my range being littered by thousands of them laying between the bench and the target. When the gas check departs a bullet in flight it doesnt do it the same everytime and you could get some pretty miserable accuracy with them. As to seating them i dont like doing that with a press. Especially if the fit is tight. I like to do it by hand so i can watch it and feel it more carefully. the only time i just use a press is when the checks are a bit big and wont stay on the bullet base on there own. Plus to save time i will put checks on bullets in the evening watching tv and then take them out in the morning and run them through the press.

Does anyone see any real difference between Lyman GC's and Hornadays that are supposed to be crimp on and thus I would assume easier to seat on the bullet?  I can't see any difference.

[.22-5-40]

Those old Lymans would fall off all right...Back in 1976, I had just cast up my first .22 bullets..Lyman 225438 for a Rem. 700 .222 Rem.  Fired 1 fouling shot..saw dirt fly at backstop.  I reloaded & adjusted rifle on bags..just about to fire, when a little voice in the back of my head (guardian angle?) said it might be a good idea to peek thru bore?  I remember to this day, sitting there arguing with myself why I should do this..haden't I seen dirt fly?  Besides, the rifle was all set up nice with cross hairs on target.  Finally. I gave in, removed bolt and peered thru.
   At first I saw nothing..just as I expected..then wait..what is that..about 3/4" back from muzzle. sitting edgeways to me...thats why I almost missed it..a gascheck!
   Now I don't know if the compressed air in front of next bullet would have pushed it out, or the next bullet would have...or, as my luck probably would have it..been forced sideways & run over ironing check into bore? 
    That was the last time I ever used a non-crimping check!