Naked Gas Check base

Being a new member, a little introduction may be in order. Live in balmy south Louisiana and have been enjoying shooting since 1964. Started reloading shortly after, and bullet casting in 1980. Set it aside for many years but have started anew recently. Have limited myself to revolver bullets so far but want to start with 7mm and 30 cal for my silhouette guns. The questions I have are this.

Can gas check bullets be safely fired in a barrel with a muzzle brake? If not, can a gas check design bullet be used without a gas check seated on the base?

Also, in regards to lube, I have started using the hard lubes that require a heater in my sizer lubricator. On a rifle cartridge with a short neck, a long bullet seated deep in a case could expose bullet lube to powder. Can this be a problem for long term storage of loaded rounds?

Thanks in advance.

Charlie.........

Today started at a balmy eight degrees above zero (farenheight) and we currently have a couple feet of snow on the range . The other day when it got up to ten degrees , I took the Krag out just to spite the weather .

Crimped on gas checks won't have an effect on a brake because that stay with the bullet . If you are having bullets stiking the brake that's another story . Checks that don't crimp on and other wads that are not attatched real well I think I'd keep away from the brake just beacause .

The two lubes that I have loaded for years are Mirror lube and Alox 50/50 . I have left both of these loaded for at least ten years without concerns of wiping bases . So far degrading the powder has not been an issue . Ammo is stored in thirty caliber cans and just dumped into that . They are stored in the basement but when taken to the range the weather has been known to be in the nineties . I do try to keep the can in the shade though ( for what good it does :roll:)

Jack

Thanks for the quick reply Jack. Have you ever seen anyone leave the checks off and what is the result? Good or bad.

Charlie...........

I have used them without checks with good results , I still had to work up the load though . When using bullets like that I would make an effort to keep the bullets up in handling and storage .

Jack

high standard

Can gas check bullets be safely fired in a barrel with a muzzle brake? If not, can a gas check design bullet be used without a gas check seated on the base?

I've shot lots of GC'd bullets through numerous handguns/rifles with muzzle brakes and flash suppressors with a single problem. Never had any indication of the GC coming off the bullet in the short distance of the brake/suppressor. This has included thousands of Lyman non-crimping GC'd bullets through them.

GC designed bullets can be shot without GCs. Mediocre accuracy can be had along with very poor accuracy. Best I ever got with several tries using a couple different designs was acceptable accuracy. It was twice the size groups as when the bullet was GC with the same load. That was using Bullseye powder and keeping velocities below 1100-1200 fps. Any velocity above that produced very poor accuracy, many times with keyholing. If you want to shoot cast bullets without GCs get a PB mould to begin with.

Also, in regards to lube, I have started using the hard lubes that require a heater in my sizer lubricator. On a rifle cartridge with a short neck, a long bullet seated deep in a case could expose bullet lube to powder. Can this be a problem for long term storage of loaded rounds?

Yes, powder contamination can easily happen, even during short term storage. Using a dacron filler that seperates the powder from the bullet base does mitigate this. Best to use a cast bullet design that you don't have to seat the bullet below the case neck to begin with.

Larry GIbson

Thanks Larry. That's exactly the information I needed. I was hoping to keep my bullets seated out enough that the gascheck is in the case neck.

Charlie..........

I shoot GC's through a baffled suppressor without any problems so your brake is fine.

Welcome! Some guns handle some designs sans GC with some loads. That's the easiest way to put it. I have never seen a GC design give BETTER accuracy without the GC. Some folks say they can equal grouping with or without the GC. If the cost bothers you try a good square based plain based boolit. In rifles it's usually best to aim for 1000-1300 fps with PB. Boolit fit will be of vital importance as velocity increases. In some cases a harder or softer alloy can make a difference. Fillers also help in some cases.

Thanks to all for the input. Bret, the only reason I would have considered leaving the check off is if it was unsafe to shoot them through a brake. That does not seem to be a concern according to everyone here so I will be using checks on all my loads. There is a wealth of information here. Great site. Thanks again to all for the input.

Charlie...........

H.S. 40 Welcome.
I've never had a problem shooting gas checks thru a 98 Mauser with a JP recoil eliminator (old model). Go for it and have a blast.
You are absolutely right about the "wealth of information here." The added benifit is that these guys are clean and polite. Stick around and keep writing. Helice

The only times I use bullets in the rifle without the checks is ammo that is loaded way down for thirty yard plinking and target ammo . In that , it has worked as well as I expect it too . For shooting steel at three hundred yards ??? nahhhh , I'll pass untill I go get the forty-five seventy .

Jack

Hay High Standard_40 - I have had similar good groups with gas checked and non gas check . Using a solid type filler (ground walnut) with the non gas checked boolit. I load down for the filler of course.Boolit was Lee 200 gr. rn in the 7.62x54 cartridge.