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View Full Version : Gas checks vs. Muzzle brakes?



mbk
11-23-2007, 04:41 PM
I'm probably in the wrong section but forgive me, I'm new here [smilie=1: This is probably a really dumb question, but I figure if I make my first post a stupid one you won't expect much from me. :roll: Are there any concerns with using a gas checked bullet through a muzzle brake (std T/C configuration)? I made the mistake of talking (ie: listening) with one of "them- there -self proclaimed range eggspurts" and he got me to thinking. Looks like the pending jacketed bullet price increases are going to force me into actually using some of the casting equipment I have stockpiled up over the last several years.

A few of you I recognize from other boards, Ken I have know for several years (please don't hold that against me) :-D I have been lurking here for a while and it looks like a pretty neat place.

Mike

RX7Dryver
11-23-2007, 05:02 PM
I use gas checked bullets in my compensated S&W500. I have never had a problem.

45nut
11-23-2007, 05:46 PM
Welcome to the non lurk mode mike. glad to see it. I don't see the commercial components getting any cheaper in the future so yes, you ought to make use of that gear.

As for the GC's, I have not lost any sleep shooting GC boolits thru any of my ott tubes and I can assure you if there was a serious risk of damaging one I would not do it.

Keep posting, good to see you back.

S.R.Custom
11-23-2007, 05:49 PM
Depends on the muzzle brake.

If it's a chamber type comp, no problem. But if it's hole or slot type compensating system applied to the barrel itself --like MagnaPorting-- the potential exists for the porting cuts to strip the gas check from the bullet. Ever seen a jacketed bullet recovered from a gun that had magnaporting? :shock:

Whaump 'em
11-23-2007, 06:04 PM
Just never use a case filler (kapok) when the barrel has a brake.

mbk
11-23-2007, 08:10 PM
The brakes are the standard T/C chamber type. I never played with filler much so that should not be a big problem but a good thing to know. I do appreciate the replys!

RX7Dryver, what cast bullet mould/weight are you shooting in your 500 S&W. That just happens to be the caliber that is breaking my bank so to speak. @ $40/100 for jacketed, I figure I can pay for a mould in a pretty reasonable amount of time. I have a 15" ported Encore barrel in 500 S&W.

Thanks, Mike

RX7Dryver
11-23-2007, 08:13 PM
I still have a small stash of 350gr Sierra JHPs and some 440gr cast with gas checks so I have not bought a mold yet.

But, I see myself purchasing one in the near future.

Nobade
11-24-2007, 10:19 AM
I make and install a lot of brakes, and occasionally I'll have someone complain about accuracy problems using a brake with cast bullets. I'm not sure why this happens, but I am building myself a 375 H&H soon so I'll get to do some experimenting personally and see if I can find out what is happening. The only theory I have now is lube build up inside the brake hitting the bullet, but it's just a guess. As far as hurting the brake I wouldn't worry about it, but as was posted above don't use any fillered loads with them. I stretched the end of a Contender barrel once doing that; the filler hit the brake so hard it actually stretched the threads and the brake wouldn't tighten up at the right point anymore.

chunkum
11-24-2007, 12:59 PM
This is purely a personal experience and just shows how much that can vary from one individual to another, I reckon. Somewhere in the mid 80's I bought two factory magnaported .454 FA revolvers direct from Freedom Arms. I also bought two Lyman moulds made exclusively for FA at that time, both of which were gas check designs. Data on loading for these wasn't widely distributed back then. The WWW and computers were the furtherest things from my mind as a source. This wasn't a problem as Mr. Bob Baker was doing a lot of the load testing at F.A. and I can't remember a single occasion when I couldn't get him on the phone if I had a question of any kind pertaining to loading and shooting the .454 Casull. FA sent me a good selection of loads that Mr Baker and his staff had worked up and tested themselves. Both revolvers were/are very accurate with a wide array of loads for the gas checked cast bullets. (for which, at the time he had me casting in linotype). For many of the mid range loads listed in the data I received from them that specified faster low bulk powders I used kapok filler with some of my test loads to see if performance would be improved and for some of the powders (700X is one I recall now). In some cases it was.

The essence of this is that these early gas checked cast bullet loads, some with kapok filler, done for these revolvers with factory magnaporting were all done pretty much under indirect guidance/observation by Mr Baker and other techs at FA. I didn't keep a count (though I did keep records of other parameters) but I'm sure that I fired at least a thousand or so assorted rounds of these early .454 loads; probably a lot more. Both revolvers now shoot every bit as well as they did when I first got them.

My personal conclusion was/is that the gas checked cast bullets and the kapok filler and the magnaported FA revolvers got along just fine. As always, YMMV.
Best Regards,
chunkum