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Thread: .44 Special & Gas Checks

  1. #1
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    ShooterAZ's Avatar
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    .44 Special & Gas Checks

    When one of my shooting friends found out I started casting, he gave me a few of his old molds since he is no longer casting. The were a little rusty, but I got them cleaned up OK with a little comet and a toothbrush.

    One of the molds is a 44SWC gas check design. My question...is there any reason I shouldn't use this mold for light to medium loads? The mold was free, so I don't mind buying a few gas checks.

    Thanks...Shooter

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    No reason that I can think of. Gas checks do raise your pressure a little but no where near as high as jacketed. They are really handy to keep your barrel lead free but still lube fouled.

    I don't have a gas check mold for my 44 spl but do have for my 45 colt. I don't like the boolit but will shoot 6 through it ever now and then. If I clean my guns they don't shoot their best until I get a few shots through them to season the bore, so to speak. The gas check seems to clean it up but leave the season.
    Some people live and learn but I mostly just live

  3. #3
    Boolit Master youngda9's Avatar
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    Try shootin without a check first to see if its even necessary. If you're not running it hot it might not matter.

  4. #4
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    DLCTEX's Avatar
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    I would think that 44 Sp. velocities will not need a check. I shoot RD460-350 in 45 70 at higher velocities (up to 1500 fps)without a gas check and no problems.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
    white eagle's Avatar
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    to answer your question
    no go ahead no reason what so ever not to use the mold
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  6. #6
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    Thanks...I will try both ways.

  7. #7
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    I use a Lee C429 240SWC mold (gas check design) for 44 special loads quite often.



    My favorite 44 special load for this boolit is using 7 grains of unique, WW 44 special brass, and a Win LG pistol (std) primer.



    I have messed around with a variety of different lubes and coatings, but have eventually settled on simply tumble lubing the boolits in either Lee Liquid Alox, or Recluse's 45-45-10 with out a gas check.





    (Yes, I did wipe the tumble lube off the boolit noses in the pictures)

    I have had no problems with it in 44 special, or in my mild 44 magnum loads (10 grains of Unique with the 44 Magnum load) not using any gas checks.


    - Bullwolf

  8. #8
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    I had a 44 magnum load in a rifle that needed a gc but most of my revolver loads have not. I would leave checks off of the special loads unless they group poorly.
    [The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    In 44 special loads a GC is not nessary .
    I have used GC cast bullet designes without the GC installed in perhaps 5 different firearms and in every case the non checked bullets were just as accurate as the GC bullet , under 1,100 fps and no leading issues.

  10. #10
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    I have 5, .44 Magnums that I cast bullets for. I do shoot .44 Specials in a couple of them, but I cast the same bullets for whichever gun I want to load for. So, my .44 Special loads sometimes get a Lyman's 429244, SWC w/gas check, and Ranch Dog's 265 RNFP w/gas check. Since I'll process 100-200 bullets at a time, all get gas checks and get stored waiting for a "new and improved" load, be it .44 Specials ( mild to hot), or .44 Magnum (mild to T-Rex killers!). I haven't tried gas checked boolits w/o gas checks, but many here have...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  11. #11
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    you generally have to keep things quite mild.
    i have two revolver molds that rquire gas checks.
    one i have tried without them it was used for bunnies and such at about 800 fps.
    i did kill a coyote that came running in when i shot a rabbit [and it was carrying on] with it once.
    the 44 rcbs swc gets pushed in the ported 445 and in the leverguns to warp speed.
    i got it cheap from the back of a dusty shelf, and was gonna get the check area removed, till i tried it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check