Using a gas check boolit without the check?

[Charlie U.]

I am reloading the 480Ruger and have been really happy with the Lee 400gr. boolit. Using wheel weight lead and water quenching they are dropping out right at the advertised weight of 400 grains and my 9 1/2" super redhawk is throwing them nicely.
I see Lee also offers a 325gr. gas check boolit and I'm wondering if it can be used sans check? Will it be unsafe or will it ruin accuracy to use a gas check boolit without the check? I'm just thinking of making a lighter pinking load and don't want the cost or effort of messing with the gas checks.

[alfloyd]

They can be shot without the gas check. Lubing them will leave lube on the bottom of the slug where the gas check goes.
They are guys here that can remove the gas check ring from the mold, if you decide to do that. Then they would be just like a plain based mold.

Lafaun

[Jack Stanley]

I do the same with a different caliber mold that is somewhat heavy for the caliber . When using Accurate number nine powder and a magnum case it can be a real "Mr. Hyde" . But when using Unique and a shorter case "Dr. Jeykll" is mild mannered and very accurate .

Usually when I leave the check off , I'll roll the bullets in paste wax before running them through a Star type lube sizer to fill the grooves . Lots of ways you can make it work for ya .

Jack

[Charlie U.]

Thanks guys. I might mess around with it a bit.

[williamwaco]

Shoot them without gas check? Yes.
Unsafe? Not at all.
Ruin Accuracy? no
Diminish accuracy? yes

I find that 50 yard groups as a rule of thumb, will increase by about 50%

Gas checks are WAY too expensive to use for plinking loads.

[rintinglen]

^ ^^^^ ^ Almost exactly my experience. My 3rd boolit mold was an RCBS 38-162 swc, a gas check design. As a noob in those pre-internet days, I had little information (and less money) to go on, so the first 20 pounds or so that I cast up were all loaded w/out gas checks. I was initially disappointed, because groups were much larger than my home-brewed Wadcutters were producing. Only later on, when I managed to score a box of Gas Checks and loaded them up considerably hotter did I see how much I'd been missing. 3-4+ inch 25 yard groups became 1 1/2 to 2 inch groups. For years I had a 12 shot group fired from my old Python hanging on the garage wall that measured under 2 inches with all holes touching.

Can you load gc boolits w/o gas checks, heck yeah. But expect accuracy to suffer--and it does give you an excuse for the occasional flyer or bad group.

[Jim..47]

I amy be a little off, but I think with your lead recipe and lubed well you won't have any problems if kept under 900-1000 FPS. At least I think thats the breakoff I had.

[mdi]

http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...&fr=att-portal