OK, no 41 mag GCs, so....

[lefty_red]

Can you use GC bullets without the GCs?

Will is hurt anything?

Will it be accurate?

Jerry

[XBT]

You will probably get some differing opinions on this, but I have found in my revolvers that the gas checks make no difference at all. I regularly shoot gas check type boolits without the gas check.

I spent some time testing both .357 and .44 S&W revolvers using proven loads identical in all respects except for the lack of gas checks on half the boolits. All shot the same, good accuracy with no leading.

This testing was done using open sights and sixty–three year old eyes. It is possible you might see some difference in accuracy but I sure can’t.

[Lloyd Smale]

depends on what you consider good accuracy to be. My experience is that they will shoot 3 inch at 25 but i doubt if youll ever get them under 1.5 inch and there about on par with a bevel base bullet as far as leading so cast em hard.

[lefty_red]

What about soft casting and sub 1000 fps? I shoot mostly plinking rounds like this and was just wondering.

Why are the GC bullets without a GC so poor? I've shoot flat based bullets under 1.5 inches with open sights to 25 yards? Maybe its just he shooter, not to dis anyone.

Jerry

[Bass Ackward]

What about soft casting and sub 1000 fps? I shoot mostly plinking rounds like this and was just wondering.

Why are the GC bullets without a GC so poor? I've shoot flat based bullets under 1.5 inches with open sights to 25 yards? Maybe its just he shooter, not to dis anyone.

Jerry


Jerry,

The problem with all the recommendations that we make here, is that there is a very small amount of "public" feedback ever presented to let us know how the person made out. Not just this subject, but many. One guy says it works fine in a comment, but what standard is he using that is .... acceptable? Without that feedback, you are not able to develop any kind of statistics to say maybe why something worked or didn't. Without some basis of .... hope, why spend much time on the project if you have PB designs that aren't .... finicky?

The basics to cast bullet design are that the weight is easier to stabilize if it is on the back of the bullet. So if you have to drive it faster to stabilize, then you run into another truism for cast. That being that you want as long a bearing area as possible to handle the rifling forces. So it is kind of a catch 22 from a strictly theory standpoint. What you have is unsupported weight in the area where pressure has the greates effect. But who really knows for sure.

Lloyd says 3", and he prefers HARD bullets, so maybe that is the way to go in this case. My attempts at shedding the GC would make that seem like a world record. Bottom line Jerry is, "Proof of the tase .............." Take the football and run with it. Just let us know what you find out.

[lefty_red]

I think I will, hell the mold is only $20 new and I've seen it online for $50, so I'm not hurting if I don't lke it.

Thanks for the input.

Jerry

[Lloyd Smale]

why not just buy a box of gas checks.

[7br]

Lloyd makes a valid point, but then lyman checks are no more. You might be able to beg or wheedle some out of the regulars though. Couple of thoughts, you could have the shanks opened up or the top milled off or you could post the mould number and try to unload it on one of those poor unfortunate 41 mag suckers.

[44man]

How they shoot depends entirely on the length of the drive area of the boolit compared to the twist rate. Leaving off the check shortens the drive area. If the boolit is still right for the twist, it will still shoot good.
I was shooting gas check boolits from a 30-30 TC contender and it was accurate enough to hit a nickel at 100 yd's. I ran out of checks and loaded some without them. They all keyholed at 50 yd's.
I can only say to try them and you might have to adjust the velocity to get accuracy back. Sometimes you will not notice any difference. It depends on too many factors.

[lefty_red]

If you guy know of where I can buy some, I will!

That's the whole problem with 41 mags, the perfect caliber, but poor supply of parts.

Jerry

[Scrounger]

If you guy know of where I can buy some, I will!

That's the whole problem with 41 mags, the perfect caliber, but poor supply of parts.

Jerry

Computers make it easier to find things. Here's a link to NEI and they have a referral to a company that makes .41 caliber gas checks. Check this out:

http://www.neihandtools.com/catpages/cat_pg2.htm

By the way, wouldn't gas checks for the .416 caliber rifles work??? Or are they not available either... How about .40 cal? I think .44 caliber checks could even be swaged onto the bullet in the normal sizing process.

[Bodydoc447]

Larry Blackmon of Gator checks reportedly makes some that fit the Lyman cut GC shanks. I put in for some in the recent group buy so can't report on them yet. Most folks have have very nice things to say about Gator checks. Also C. Sharps had a couple of boxes of lyman .41 checks last time I ordered there. They were pricey but I needed/wanted them.

Doc

[Hardcast]

If you guy know of where I can buy some, I will!

That's the whole problem with 41 mags, the perfect caliber, but poor supply of parts.

Jerry

Anyplace that sells Hornady reloading products should have them. Here is Midway's page:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=418623

[felix]

Larry promised his best quality of all the checks he is sending for the group buy, replacing the lots on the shelf when necessary. This is because of our patience, and our requested volume. The 41 checks have 3 flavors, and deal with the size of the shank only. The implication per conversation was that the same material is used for all 3, and the only difference is the size of the dies used. The NEI checks he made in the years past are thicker than the current "Hornady" line material that he uses now. The Lyman has the largest shank, the 416 slightly smaller, and the NEI,MM, the smallest yet. ... felix

[Lloyd Smale]

from my past experience with them they are about the highest quality checks made and even without the group buy are no more expensive then lymans which in my opinion are junk.

[Bodydoc447]

I am definitely looking forward to getting my .41 gas checks from the group buy. Patience is a virtue and will be rewarded. I keep telling myself that. Can't claim to be out so as to force myself to the front of the line, neither. Like waiting on the group buy for the Keith molds, it will be worth the wait to get something really good.

Doc