[JRR]

Hello everyone,
This is my first post to this forum and am looking forward to discussing different handloading issues.

I have a Lee bullet sizer in .358, a box of Laser Cast 158 gr. cast bullets, .358, with a bevel base and Hornady crimp-on gas checks.  I ran the bullet with a gas check through the sizer, and the check was seated and sized perfectly.  It is firmly attached with no gap between the check and bullet.  This is new to me because I always thought that you needed a base designed for a check and not a bevel.  I measured the base with check applied and the rest of the bullet, and there is no dimension difference.  The bottom of the bullet is slightly cupped.  Has anyone done this with good accurate results?  I am very interested in pushing these bullet at full speed in a Win. 16" carbine.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Marshall Stanton]

Jeff,

Well you earned an "A" for effort, but I think you'll be mighty disappointed in the performance issue with that combination.   The gas check needs to have a properly dimensioned gas check shank, as you already mentioned in order for the gas check to funtion properly.   Many people mistakenly feel that the gas check will over-ride poorly cast bullet bases.  This is simply not the case!   Apply 16,000+ psi to the base of that bullet and gas check, and that gas check had better well be fully supported by a well filled out, square gas check shank!

What you'll find will happen with your gas checks crimped on the BB bullet is that upon firing the gas check will be deformed around the base of the bullet, following the contours of that bevel base, and thus pulling the forward edge of the gas check loose from the bullet.   This will negate the purpose of the gas check entirely, as that portion of the check, the outer edge of the cup will not be supported, thus the gas check won't engage the rifling as it was designed to do.

Best bet is to save those gas checks for bullets designed for them.   By the way, those Lee bullet sizing dies produce some very good bullets that are sized very concentrically.   A good bargain for the price.

Hope this helps.

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[pourboy]

DO NOT FIRE THESE BULLETS!!! There is a (hopefully remote) chance that these bullets could ring your chamber. If the gascheck is any distance from the base of the bullet, air could be trapped between the bullet and the gascheck. When fired, the air has no place to escape. This could cause a ring in the firearms chamber at the juncture line. This is a remote possibility, but not worth the risk under any circumstances. This is the reason many reloaders avoid using certain types of case fillers for reduced loads.---------------------------------------------------> bob

 

[JRR]

Thanks for the replies.  I knew in my gut it was too good to be true.

I use the Lee bullet sizer to "uniform" a batch of bullets for match shooting or other serious needs.  I have them in .358" and also .401".  It is just one more thing for my nit picky self to do when insomnia strikes.
Jeff