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I suspect this has been gone over thoroughly, apologies in advance.. but I can't seem to find the info I'm searching for.
Has anyone tested accuracy through the same gun and same load: gas checked bullet versus no gas check but with powder coat?
I've 'heard' that powder coating negates the necessity of using a gas check.. but has anyone tested it?
Pistol calibers are what I'm specifically interested in.
I have a nice mold from a friend that has no gas check shank and very light lube grooves - pretty much a recipe for leading. So-- I pc the bullet. I have run this bullet well over 2000 fps with no leading issues, and get as good accuracy as traditional bullets. My Lee Enfield in 303 British is more accurate with that bullet than with anything else I have ever tried.
I have also tested a 30-30 bullet with traditional lube and with PC-- and the PC version is more accurate. I've never tried putting a gas check on a PC bullet. and based on my results I cannot see a reason to do it.
I have cast bullets with gas checks and lube for each of my rifle, and bullets with no gas check and PC-- and haven't found any real difference, except that I can generally run the PC bullets to higher velocity.
Good stuff, Hick. I appreciate your response
If I can go well over 2K FPS (and I do!) without the hassle of old-school GC's by using PC for what I shoot, then I will. And I DO. Quit using GC's a few years ago. Only used Cu comm-made GC's from Hornady.
I do use GC's and PC with my rifle bullets. I get better accuracy with the GC bullets. Maybe part of the reason is because the heel of the bullets are below the neck of the case in all of my loads (.308).
I have run PCed GC style bullets without the check in 7.62x39 just to see if I would get any leading and be able to ring the steel on my home 50yd range. They work perfectly well for that but I haven’t taken them out any further or tried for any kind of real accuracy. Perfect for back yard plinking.
I think there is a correlation to bore size. 22 -27 calibers need a check from my shooting. 28-32 might, 35-44 probably don't.
Forget the GC for any pistol load. But fit and alloy come into play then. GC can cover up a lot of 'sins'.
In pistol calibers I would say yes. In rifle calibers beyond a certain pressure/vel I would say. no. This is just based on my own testing with a 6.8spc. Groups were much better with the gc running 130gr @ 200fps. Since PC I have had the gc removed from many of my fav molds.