Is it absolutely nesesssary

[S.B.]

to use gas checks on handgun bullets cast from a mold made for gas checks? Any difference in accuracy or velocity without? Any yawing of the bullets without them?
Steve

[M-Tecs]

For accuracy some show no loss in accuracy and some perform better with checks. The higher the pressure the more checks seem to help. I have never checked if there is any velocity difference.

[PS Paul]

This is one of THOSE questions that pop up all the time and some of the more grizzled veterans will tersely answer, "read the stickies!".

I am seasoned, but not grizzled, so here it is: shoot 'em with confidence, provided you push them to velocities/pressures that DO NOT normally require a gas check.

i do it with rifle AND pistol boolits successfully as do many others on this fine forum.

what are the velocities and pressures that REQUIRE a gas check, you ask?

Well, therein lies the rub: you gotta figure that out. I have some not so hard and fast rules, not to mention boolit hardness, but I use gas checks on boolits in revolvers over 1,300 fps and/or steep charges of slow-burning powders.
In rifles, it's about 1,500 Fps irrespective of the powder I use. There are probably many other parameters, but mine are simple since I don't cast or shoot really hard boolits. I like 8 to 12 BHN alloys for nearly ALL of my shooting regardless of speed and I don't use boolits much faster than 1,800 Fps for 95% of what I do. I'll allow others their much more detailed responses.

Otherwise, take a peek at the MULTITUDE of threads on this subject!!

[Tom W.]

Well, I shot my .357 for years without gas checks. My .44 shoots both with and without with no problems, as did my .45 Colt. The .454 was shot with checks, but my .480 wasn't. Neither are the 9mm or the .45 acp. Whatever works for you.

[runfiverun]

with a gas check mold [without the checks] I found if I lowered the velocity down into the 900 fps area or below they would shoot fine.
if I used a plain base mold with the same profile I could push things along a lot further.
if I put the checks on the ones designed for them I could get into jacketed territory.