My RCBS .44-240 SWC casts boolits that measure about .401-.403 on the GC shank. (The shank is tapered and I am measuring it with a dial caliper.) The Hornady checks I have measure .400 inside and .436 outside. After sizing in a .431 Lyman die the boolit and the gas check are .434-.435 !? I can easily rotate the gas check on the boolit, or even remove it with only finger power. Could one of you .44 shooters measure your stuff to give me a comparison? I know something is wrong, but is it the gas check shank or the checks? Thanks in advance, curmudgeon

Oops, left out a zero. The bullets ate .4305 after sizing. curmudgeon

0.399" - 0.401" is ideal for 44 check shanks and your measurement for the check ID is correct. I share your confusion because it sounds like the checks should be tight, not loose. All I can think is that maybe the tapered shank is belling the check as the check is pushed on, but never heard of that problem before.

curmudgeon...My hornady 44 checks measure a little less then .400 inside. I have a Saeco 44 mould, 240 gr, truncated nose gascheck and the gascheck shank measures .405 to .406 on the boolits that I have cast. By the way the mould, two sizer dies, and a set of Redding Titanium dies are for sale. Don't shoot 44's anymore I'm too hung up on 45's. If interested email me at starmetal at naxs.net

Joe

curmudgeon: Sounds like spring-back in the gas checks; have you tried annealing them? Lay a bunch of them, open side up on a piece of flat steel (1/16" - 1/8") bent into an "L" and clamped in a vise, and heat from below until the steel just starts to glow dull red in a dim light; then sweep the checks off into a pan of water. They should end up dead-soft (water quench does NOT harden copper alloys like it does steel). Soak in vinegar or brass cleaner if you want them shiny again. floodgate

Thanks to all for your replies, it's like having my own "brain trust". Looks like there is nothing dimensional I can put my finger on. Annealing will be the next thing I try, I am already familiar with annealing because of an OVERSIZE GC shank on a custom Hoch .35 mould. If that doesn't work, back to RCBS it goes. curmudgeon

Bill, you probably already measured, but the Saeco 431 boolits have a gas-check shank that runs .403-.405. This big requires separate seating and sizing, but they are NOT loose. Maybe that RCBS mould should go back, but getting them to change any dimension on a product is very, very, iffy. I tried once and gave up. Their warranty policy is great but does not include engineering changes, I found out.

duke, over and out.

Nevada...that isn't exactly true about RCBS. My friend and I were some of the first to use the then new 4x4 progressive reloading press. Well I found alot of design flaws in it which RCBS was very interested in and I worked with one of their engineers to correct it. RCBS doesn't make gaschecks that I know of so them may very well want the other brands to fit their bullets. Worth a try to call them.

Joe