gas check results

[Lead melter]

I've been doing some experimenting lately with cast boolits in various calibers. Thought ya'll might like some results, especially since mine may not be at all like yours.

Molds Lee .309" 170 grain FN with gas check, Lee .309" 150 grain FN with gas check, Lee .312" 175 grain RN with gas check, RCBS 45-405-FN with gas check, RCBS .452-300-SWC with gas check, RCBS .430-300-SWC with gas checks, Lee .452-300-RNFP with gas check, Ranch Dog .462", 425 grain FN with gas check.

Lube Rcbs rifle lube, SPG

Gas checks Hornady, Gator

Sizing All done with Lee Lube/Sizer

With either Lee .309 boolit cast from my alloy mixture, or even from pure lead, sized to .308",with either gas check, and either lube, results are outstanding. 10 grains Unique or 20 grains IMR-3031, Federal GM210M or WLR primer, Williams peep sight, Marlin 336 in 30-30. 5 shot groups at 50 yards from 1" to 1 1/2". And they shoot virtually to same point of aim.

Lee .312" boolit, sized to .311", fired in 7.62X54R Moisin-Nagant rifle with 2X handgun scope mounted in place of the rear sight [custom job by local gunsmith], results wre strange. With either lube and Hornady gas checks, groups of 10 shots averaged 1 1/2" at 50 yards. Groups with either lube and Gator gas checks averaged 5" at fifty yards. Hmmmm?

Lee .452-300-RNFP sized to .452" with either lube, either gas check, fired in 45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk, factory sights, 5 1/2" barrel, 9 grains Unique, WLP primer. 25 yard groups run about 6" with horizontal spread. Vertical spread is less than 1". Groups are about 6" low from point of aim.

RCBS .452-300-SWC, sized to .452", Hornady gas checks, RCBS rifle lube, same revolver, 25 yards same load as above. Groups of 2" or less with vertical spread, impact is at point of aim.

RCBS .430-300-SWC, sized to .430" with RCBS rifle lube, Hornady gas checks, fired in Marlin 1894-P with 2X Weaver handgun scope [this is my 10 year-old's gun], 18 grains L'il Gun, WLP primer. 4" 100 yard groups. Change to SPG or Gator gas checks and groups widen to 6" with a "spray" pattern.

RCBS 45-405-FN, sized to .457", RCBS rifle lube, Hornady gas checks, 45/70 NEF Handi-Rifle with ancient Weaver 4X scope, 27 grains AA-5744, WLR primer. 3 shot 2" groups at 100 yards. Change to Gator checks or SPG lube, or combination of both and groups go to 4-5" at 100 yards.

Ranch Dog .462" [sized as such], 425 grain boolit with RCBS lube, Gator gas checks, same rifle and load as above, 10 shot 100 yard groups of 4". Same set-up, but change to SPG lube and groups open to 6-7". [I've not yet had a chance to try this boolit with Hornady checks, nor in a Marlin rifle for which it is designed. I hope to correct that tomorrow.]

While I am no rocket scientist, I see some patterns surfacing here. Correct me if I am wrong, but the SPG lube does not seem to work too well on the larger bores. While the Gator gas checks do not seem to work as well as the Hornady checks, there was really, relatively speaking, not a huge variation in results...with the exceptions of the .311" boolit and the .308" boolit.

Well, what do you think? Am I missing something or have your results been same, different, unusual? Love to hear facts and opinions.

[smilie=b:

[Newtire]

The sizing seems a little smallish for both .30-30 and the Mosin Nagant but depends on how much obturation you get I suppose. I use either Felix-Lube, Lars Carnauba Red, or Lee Liquid Alox (LLA) and get no leading and excellent accuracy. I use a fairly hard alloy (18-22 BHN on the Lee hardness tester scale) and size my .30-30's to .310 & .311. As far as the Gator checks go, I see no difference in accuracy between them & Hornady. The Gator checks seem a little thicker and actually "snap" on to the base. I have shot some of the most accurate loads to date out of my .30-06 using them so don't think they are any problem unless it is the gas check that is not allowing the bases of perhaps undersized boolits expand & you are getting gas cutting. I haven't had too great of success with the Mosin Nagant but as soon as our "fattest 30" order comes in from Lee, I can start working on that. Try changing sizing diameters to up somewhere around the .310"-.311" range for the .30-30 and then try it. I get good results with Unique in the .30-30 as long as I keep charges down around 8 grains. Any more and the groups really open up for me. Lots of variables-that's what keeps things interesting. Keep us posted.

[jh45gun]

Steve Garbe who invented and sells SPG shooots big bores in black powder cartridge competition and is a champion at that game so I would guess that his lube works well for big bores as that is what he first intended it for. Now I never have used it so I cannot give personal reviews on it wether it is good or bad. I how ever figure considering his record on shooting big bores in competition the stuff must work fine.

[Bass Ackward]

LM,

Hardest thing to realize (I know it gets me all the time) is finding out what you are testing is gun or load or technique specific. That's why I always say to remind myself mostly, there are no rules with cast. This board is full of posts searching for answers. (or truth)

One thing that eventually slaps you in the face. The farther you get away toward the edge or limits, no matter what you are doing, the more effect stuff has and the more you have to adapt. I would rather work with a powder and a charge that gives me good results over a 2 grain span than one where .1 grain makes or breaks it. Cause a powder thrower ain't that accurate and temperature can change pressure more than that.

The guy that receives the most enjoyment from cast? Is the one that is eventually satisfied with what he found no matter what someone else says. Even if that's 6" groups. He's smiling all the way back up range. Me I am stuck planning my next strategy. [smilie=b:

By golly if those are your results, then who can argue? Just so you know, after years of testing, Lyman Super Moly is the best lube out there for larger bores. Ah .... unless you ask someone else. :grin: