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Thread: PB Gas check a 0.309 bullet for use in 0.311 bore?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    May 2010
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    PB Gas check a 0.309 bullet for use in 0.311 bore?

    I have a bunch of cast and powder coated bullets on hand that measure 0.3095. I'm just getting into loading cast for commie 30 cals and I'd like to use what I have. I had the idea of seating a PB gas check with my 0.311 sizing die to have a nice fit at the base of the bullet.

    Has anyone tried this? Success or failure?

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy

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    I think if you use .3095 bullets in a .311 bore, even with a gas check attached with a .311 die you will get some pretty serious leading due to powder gas blow by. If you are shooting a .311 bore you might add another layer or two of powder coat for a bullet diameter of at least .311/.312.

    Have Fun,

    JCherry

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    If your bore is .311 you need a .312" boolit for the most part, so scrap the pb gas check seating idea, buy a proper 312 or 313" mold cut for the gc and find some proper gas checks to fit it and get a bullet sizer or Lee setup for sizing and installing the gc. If you get the Lee, make sure the die is the right size that they say it is.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Retumbo's Avatar
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    I know that I use the same gas check on my .311 bullet for the 7.62X39 as my .309 for my .308s.

    No issues
    Last edited by Retumbo; 06-28-2020 at 06:55 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master 44magLeo's Avatar
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    30 cal gas checks are 30 cal gas checks. All the same.
    I shoot a Mosin Nagant and shoot boolits sized to .314 with 30 cal checks. They shhot fine.
    Under size boolits no matter the check size won't.
    Besides I don't think a check would hold on that small a boolit when sized larger.
    Leo

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Got it. I've got a few s309 bullets with PB checks seated and sized to 0.311. I'm going to give them a shot at some point.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    It still protects the base from heat and gas over flow

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
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    I beg to differ. Not all gas checks are the same. Copper ones have spring In them and if the gas check base of the bullet your using is a little undersized the ck expands a bit and looses its grip. You can anneal them which remove the springiness but I switched to aluminum which don’t spring.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I agree with 44magleo.

    Bullet fit is king, get that right FIRST, then add the gas check, lube, load variables.

    What your talking about is likely to produce a 3 day deleading/cleaning the bore situation.
    Now I don't know about you, I've been there and done that, would rather not do it again.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  10. #10
    Banned


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    I load .312 cast bullets for my Mosin Nagants and my 7.62X39, using gas checks for western .30 cal cast bullets and they crimp on and fire just fine. As said above I would not use GC's for the western .30 cal in a eastern European 3 line rifle, you're asking for a lot of leading.

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold
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    For 314 bullets I use Hornady 32 GC they fit better and crimp perfect, .30 cal GC tend to get not squared on the heel of the bullet.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    I opted to solve the "problem" of having 1k cast/PC bullets that don't play well with a carbine length gas AR (too light to cycle before accuracy issues develop with the ligher cast/PC bullets) by getting a Ruger American Ranch in 300blk to be able to shoot them up over 4-ish grains of pistol powder (red dot, mostly).

    I can't let a bunch of components just sit unused!

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

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    I believe the OP was referring to plain based gas checks, which would make the base the correct size. PB GCs are usually taller than regular checks, but still, the bearing surface should all be the same dimension. I make regular and plain base checks. Personally, I would just powder coat the boolit thicker than size.

    I have been able to coat 3 thou over with just one session of tumble coating without much trouble. I shoot an NOE 225-62 RN that is plain based/smooth sided for powder coating. I get 2250 fps from a 16" AR 15 and Mini 14, and 2450 from a 22" single shot rifle holding 1" groups at 100 yards.

    I have been shooting plain based powder coated boolits exclusively for 6 or 7 years and have never had an issue with blow by or leading. I read a person who opined that the powder coating would burn off due to heat and pressure. I responded that paper patched boolits don't propel a burning paper patch, they come out carbon stained but never incinerated. PC should be fine so long as the entire boolit is coated, including the base.
    Common sense Gun Safety . . .

    Is taught at the Range!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


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    Give it a try especially if you're using the aluminum PB checks. Mine from Pat Marlin clamp on to about any size from .308 to over .311. The edges dig in and when that powder pressure hits that aluminum check they'll seal. Used a bunch in the .30 Carbine and they work fine and I did a lot of tinkering around with diameters. Try before you buy./beagle
    diplomacy is being able to say, "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.....

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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