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Thread: Guess I am sold on using gas checks from now on

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Guess I am sold on using gas checks from now on

    Did some testing with my 458 Socom saturday.

    loaded up 20 rounds of each. No gas check, gas check after first Powder coat then 2 more coats, and gas check after all coats.

    The no gas check group wasn't. Only 4 of the first 10 actually hit paper. So I stopped wasting components.

    The Gas check after everything had about a 6" group at 50 yards. Not great.

    The Gas check in between PC grouped 15 shots into the same large hole and 5 flyers to the right.

    Looks like I know how I will be making my bullets from now on.

  2. #2
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    Agree. I just like everything about gas checks and the results. No problem with the price or the install time. Every custom mold I have is cut for a gas check even if most everyone thinks it to be a complete waste.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    I was instructed that if a boolit was cut for a check , then use a check, otherwise buy a flat base mould and use it.
    I can also verify I've never had a gun give worse groups when a gas check was installed , in fact groups usually improve. I believe in gas checks if the mould is designed for one.
    Gary
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    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  4. #4
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    My mould is a plain base. But will not group to save its life without the gas checks.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    Some rounds just like em. Problaby 75% of my cast are checked, 100% is PC'd. I haven't tried to fix what isn't broken.

  6. #6
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    Tom W.'s Avatar
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    My rifle molds are gc, and one of my .44 pistol molds is gc. The rest are pb and do well.
    Tom
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    Did I ever mention that I hate to trim brass?

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    It does not surprise me that the 458 Socom needs gas checks, my 458wm will not group without gas checks, yet my 357 maximum rifle loves the Lee 158gr PB at 2200 fps. Regards Stephen

  8. #8
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    Dragonheart's Avatar
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    Since a bullet is steered by the base it is not possible to get accuracy from a gas check designed bullet because it is not symmetrical with a flat base without using a check.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonheart View Post
    Since a bullet is steered by the base it is not possible to get accuracy from a gas check designed bullet because it is not symmetrical with a flat base without using a check.
    That's news to me. I routinely shoot bullets with gascheck shanks that are paper patched. They work great without the checks on them. But naked bullets, yeah they seem to only work at very low pressure levels without the checks.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    You really need to test to know. There is no rule set in stone. I powder coat all my cast boolits. Personally I have not found the need to GC any pistol bullets. My 440gr .501 are designed for GC but shoot great without them.

    Rifle is another story. Most are more accurate with the GC. One exception is my 340gr Lee for the 45-70 it is a plain base design and shoots great from my Marlin 1895 GG.

    You don't know until you try and that's part of the fun, right?

    Motor

  11. #11
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    PatMarlin's Avatar
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    Just thought I would add for another option if you have a plain base mold, I have customers who order PB molds for their 458 Socom rifles and get great results with PB checks, and my 458 SocomPB caliber dies.

    PB checks perform great when you have a correctly cast and sized bullet to your bore's groove diameter, and load pressures to match your needs. Great accuracy, no leading with beverage cans. Hard to beat.

  12. #12
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by PatMarlin View Post
    Just thought I would add for another option if you have a plain base mold, I have customers who order PB molds for their 458 Socom rifles and get great results with PB checks, and my 458 SocomPB caliber dies.

    PB checks perform great when you have a correctly cast and sized bullet to your bore's groove diameter, and load pressures to match your needs. Great accuracy, no leading with beverage cans. Hard to beat.
    You are high on my list Pat, I already have an invoice from you, just Disney Land just wiped out my account. Lol!

  13. #13
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    The mouse got me again... lol

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    I haven't tried to purposely cause a failure yet but I honestly have not seen a true need for any gas checks since I started using powder coating.

    I'm shooting a alloy that is between 12-15 bhn with a round producing at least 30k psi and the powder coating is doing it all without a gas check. I'm not even getting bottom edge cutting that's very easy to detect when you have a muzzle brake.

    The only reason/need I have found for gas checks is the simple fact some of my rifle boolits that are designed for gas checks simply aren't accurate without them installed. It has nothing to do with gas blow by or pressure cutting.

    Motor

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
    Dragonheart's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Motor View Post
    I haven't tried to purposely cause a failure yet but I honestly have not seen a true need for any gas checks since I started using powder coating.

    I'm shooting a alloy that is between 12-15 bhn with a round producing at least 30k psi and the powder coating is doing it all without a gas check. I'm not even getting bottom edge cutting that's very easy to detect when you have a muzzle brake.

    The only reason/need I have found for gas checks is the simple fact some of my rifle boolits that are designed for gas checks simply aren't accurate without them installed. It has nothing to do with gas blow by or pressure cutting.

    Motor
    Motor is right, the only reason to use a gas check on a PC bullet is for accuracy. Otherwise the PC does everything else.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by PatMarlin View Post
    Just thought I would add for another option if you have a plain base mold, I have customers who order PB molds for their 458 Socom rifles and get great results with PB checks, and my 458 SocomPB caliber dies.

    PB checks perform great when you have a correctly cast and sized bullet to your bore's groove diameter, and load pressures to match your needs. Great accuracy, no leading with beverage cans. Hard to beat.
    Pardon my lack of knowledge. Are you saying they are using Gas Checks on Plain Base bullets? Is this a special GC? All the GCs I have would be too small to fit over a PB bullet..... Maybe I'm missing something?

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by KenH View Post
    Pardon my lack of knowledge. Are you saying they are using Gas Checks on Plain Base bullets? Is this a special GC? All the GCs I have would be too small to fit over a PB bullet..... Maybe I'm missing something?
    Yes. You can use a soda can gas check on a plain base bullet. If you are interested in this contact PatMartin (he posted above).

    Motor

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dragonheart View Post
    Motor is right, the only reason to use a gas check on a PC bullet is for accuracy. Otherwise the PC does everything else.
    Thanks for the vote of confidence Dragonheart. I do believe there are limits. You probably could over gas a soft alloy but it does seem low to mid teens in BHN with powder coating will withstand a lot of pressure.

    Motor

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    I use gas checked boolits if I'm pushing them faster than 1100 fps .flat base work fine Below that .

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy Eddie1971's Avatar
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    All my pistol loads are non checked, flat based molds. The only round for handguns that I load that goes over 1,100 fps is 7.62x25 Tokarev. That said none of my pistol rounds are ever checked. Rifle on the other hand, all are checked that do. I found it is pointless to use rifle without a check. One thing that all my rounds have is powder coating.

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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