RCBS, Hornady, and Lyman are the only makers of checks that I can find. Is one brand preferred over the others? Is there crimp and non-crimp, and what is the diff as far as performance? I need to buy .30 for the HBC bullet and eventually .44. I have a Lyman 4500 lubrisizer. I would appreciate your thoughts and recommendations.
Greg

Hornady makes the gas checks for the other two I believe. The Hornady crimp on checks are the best also.

Hornady gas checks are twice as good as Lyman. Try them both and you'll never mess with anything but Hornady again.

It's my understanding that Hornady is making all the GC on the market today, just putting them in different boxes for Lyman and RCBS to sell. Lyman did make non crimp GCs for many years and you'll find them at shows and on dusty shelves once in a while. Leave them there.

Call Larry Blackmon @ 318 387-7257 or (318 387-3266 after 5pm Central). He makes crimp on checks in just about every size and ther're good! I believe he was the only supplier of the .50 cal. checks until Hornady decided they were loosing money not making them.-JDL

Listen to Pecos45 and Leftoverdj.

I have no idea about current Lymans, but the ol "non-crimp" Lymans were LESS than satifactory IMHO.

I did buy one box because they were "cheaper" but the only reason I finished the box is I am too cheap to throw anything away.

I have never used RCBS, but have always been perfectly satisfied with Hornady checks.

So tell us more about the checks this independent is cranking out. How are his products/prices compared to the others? Any chance of getting him online to hear what it is he is making?

Call Larry Blackmon @ 318 387-7257 or (318 387-3266 after 5pm Central). Yes, his checks are the best there are, but that does not mean they will fit your application. He uses thicker metal which might not fit on your particular boolit without alloy adjustment or using a tool to open the checks up a bit to fit over a boolit's shank. The ONLY way to find out is to buy a box and see for yourself. There is no real need for him to get online and talk, really. ... felix

if you send Larry a sample bullet he will try to fit the proper check for the aplication. Other then that what felix said top quality and a real nice guy.

Yeah, what everybody said.

Larry's checks are slightly beveled at the opening so they go on easier. Yet they crimp on like a Hornady, giving you the best of both worlds. His prices are steep but he has been know to more competitive prices if you purchase in quantity.

Lyman may outsource their checks from Hornady but I believe they are manufactured to Lyman specs, not Hornady specs. At least that was the case with a box of Lyman checks purchased one year ago.