Plain Base 30-06 Mold

[DeskPop]

I'm new to casting having only 1 mold for my 40 S&W. I'd like to branch out to casting a bullet for my 30-06. I'm pan lubing my bullets now and know nothing about seating gas checks. I've found a plain base bullet for my 30-06 and I'm thinking it might be a good first rifle mold for me. Is this a bad idea? Or should I just get over my hesitation regarding gas checks?

[GrizzLeeBear]

Welcome aboard DeskPop!

The answer depends on what you want to do with the rifle. Hunting, target shooting, plinking? Use the search function and read, read, read. Plain base boolits in a 30-06 is going to need reduced loads. I would recommend checking out Trail Boss powder. It is very fluffy and fills the case well for reduced loads. I have used it successfully in 8x57 loads with plain base boolits. If you are just for light plinking or short range practice loads this is a good way to go and cheap since you use less powder and no gas checks to buy.
If you want higher velocity loads, your going to need gas checks or you can look into paper patching the plain base boolits. Gas checks are easy to install and get crimped on the boolits when you run them through the sizer. Paper patching will take a little more learning and trial and error (but that's part of the fun, right?).

[Bigslug]

Or should I just get over my hesitation regarding gas checks?

Yep.

Once you get into running a lube sizer (get the RCBS - about the same price as the Lyman and breaks a lot less often, and they use the same dies and nose punches), installing gas checks is a simple part of the process - certainly simpler than the paper patching or Dacron filling you'd need to do in order to shoot toastier loads otherwise.

[runfiverun]

I would search out Bens [actual user name] posts on what he does with plain base molds, that will give you an idea of their potential and limitations.

putting a gas check on is nothing more than snapping one in place and pushing it through a sizer.
a 310 diameter lee type goes on your reloading press and would work well with your pan lubing process.

[Beagle333]

Get a GC mold. It'll be more forgiving of sizing, casting, and alloy variations and it won't break the bank in a '06. (How many can you shoot on a weekend?) ;-)
It is very easy to put checks on, using a Lee push-thru sizer and you'll probably want to shoot a deer or a hog and want a full power load for something. You can always get a plain based mold and learn the fun (and it is actually fun) of matching sizing and alloy and load to a plain based boolit. But for a first one.... I'd say take the easy road and get the GC mold.8-)

[pworley1]

You don't have to use a check even if you have a gas check mold.

[DeskPop]

So I can seat the check by just pushing it through a lee push through sizer? I thought it was more involved than that. I appreciate all your advice. I think I'll go with a check mold.

i also wasn't aware a check was optional on a bullet designed for one. Do they work as well this way as a bullet cast from a plane base mold?

[Beagle333]

You don't have to use them all the time. You should read the first two stickys in this section. It might help you get a better grasp on what they are and what they do. 8-)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?60-Gas-Checks

[wmitty]

DeckPop

Welcome to the club! Ed Harris mentioned that unchecked boolits shot better than plain base in his article on barrel leading in Handloader 128 when used in mild loads.
You might be able to use a tumble lube on the unchecked boolit if velocity is kept low enough. this would eliminate the problem of lube sticking to the unchecked shank.