Gas Checked Bullets

[Chick Brewster]

Hey all.. I'm new to your forum and trying to learn about casting bullets. One of my first questions is about gas checked bullets. Can anyone tell me when is the appropriate time to use these versus just being able to use a lead bullet? I posse this question here because I want to load for my lever action 30-30 Winchester, 300 Savage and my 45-70 Browning carbine...

Thanx in advance,

[arkypete]

I use cast bullets in 45-70, 30-06. 405 Winchester, 375 Whelen/ They all get gas checks, just for simplicity's sake. I have a 300 grain plain base gallery bullet for the 45-70 that I load into the old cases, with an ample dose of Unique for fun and plinking.
I load all of my cast bullets to jacketed bullet velocities.
Let me know if I can be of further help.
Jim

[shooting on a shoestring]

I've spent years casting for revolvers, and I don't use gas checks for them. I've just spent a few months casting for 30/30. I only have 2 moulds, both GC versions, and I use GCs for all my loads. One slow load I tried, 10gr of Herco, Lee 150 FN, left off the GC, but accuracy suffered, velocity was 1490 fps out of my M94. I didn't lead, but decided just to use the GCs b/c they're pretty cheap and I only use 50 to 100 per month.

[454PB]

Speaking very generally, gas checks in handguns are required with high pressure, high velocity loads. I can usually get up around 1300 fps using PB boolits with no gas cutting or blow-by and good accuracy. In my rifle cast loads, I don't use any PB boolits, because all my loads exceed around 1600 fps.

Gas checked boolits will mask faults in alloy, lube, and proper dimensions for the gun and cartridge. That may not be good for purists, but can solve a lot of problems for the average cast boolit shooter.

As the price of GC's has risen, I find myself using them less for my handguns, and reserving their expense for rifle shooting.

[Bass Ackward]

This is probably a little concervative, but right on for beginners. It is copied from the LBT site.

GASCHECK OR PLAINBASE? – We recommend gas checks without reservation under the following conditions:

If velocities will exceed 1400 to 1600 fps, or estimated chamber pressure will exceed about 35,000/40,000 psi.

For velocities over 1000 fps if shooting sequence will be rapid enough to heat the barrel till uncomfortable for the hands, and especially so if atmosphere temperatures will exceed 90 deg F.

In revolvers with notably misaligned cylinder throats.

In almost all new handguns which haven’t had the bore smoothed by lapping. (Extensive jacketed bullets use helps smooth a little.)

For anyone who shoots so little that GC cost isn’t a concern, and especially so for beginners with loading cast bullets.

Whenever optimum accuracy, and, or, ease of load development takes precedence over slight higher cost and production effort.

When desirable to use one bullet and load in several guns of the same caliber.

Note that all gas checks sold by Lyman and RCBS are made by Hornady and are Hornady specs, so you should no longer specify which brand of checks you’ll be using.