Gas Checks & Holy Black

[SharpsShooter]

I am curious if anyone had tried GC Boolits when shooting Black Powder cartridge loads and what, if any, difference was observed.

[Buckshot]

............I am going to hazard an opinion here because I've never used BP with a GC'd slug. And that is using a GC shouldn't make any difference at all. If the boolit had to upset to be accurate, it still would with the GC in place. Just that the GC might be useless for any purpose in that scenario. I can't see where a GC would hurt anything otherwise. Or at least I can't think of anything that would cause it to.

...............Buckshot

[Char-Gar]

It has been a long time, but I have used gas check bullets over black. They work just fine and you shure don't need any wads over the powder to protect the base. They are not "traditional", but do just fine.

[Wayne Smith]

Poly wads are cheaper and do the same thing. Just save the tops from your Chinese take-out containers and punch out your own. They work just fine.

[SharpsShooter]

I suppose it is just curiosity, but what effect would you guys predict GC would have on fouling. Would it scrape the fouling clear of the bore or have no effect whatsoever?

Regards,

[44man]

I would say it would have no effect because the main boolit body will be running over the fouling from the previous shot and the fouling from the shot you just fired would all be behind the boolit. It might help maintain a steady bore condition but I doubt it. I know all the fiber, plastic and card wads never did anything to reduce fouling.

[plasma]

I have used the GC on my 45-120 sharps 525 grain loads but usually use fiber wads. The GC's are not acceptable for BP competition but my loading is for hunting/fun. It seems like many of the molds for the larger BP rounds are plain base anyway and the fiber wads are easy & cheap.

[SharpsShooter]

I have used the GC on my 45-120 sharps 525 grain loads but usually use fiber wads. The GC's are not acceptable for BP competition but my loading is for hunting/fun. It seems like many of the molds for the larger BP rounds are plain base anyway and the fiber wads are easy & cheap.

Yeah, I use the fiber wads for my PB loads too with fine results. I was just pondering the "what if" of GC in those loads. The thought that went through my mind was that the GC might scrape fouling as it went and clean it out in its passage.

Just a random thought

[Blackwater]

SharpsShooter, I haven't shot any GC'd bullets with black, but a buddy of mine did, and didn't get very good results. The main problem, I think, is that GC bullets always seem to be designed for smokeless lubes, while BP bullets have more and/or deeper grooves so they'll hold more lube. BP lubes not only have to "lube" the bullet, there has to be enough of it to also soften the fouling. With smokeless designs that have a GC, there's just not enough lube carrying capacity. Oh, and my buddy who tried that GC bullet also used a wool felt wad soaked in BP lube, to try to make up for the bullet's lack of enough lube carrying capacity.

My CRS disease makes my memory notoriously hit and miss, but I do think I've heard of some folks getting decent results with that type of bullet, but not very many and not very often. YMMV, of course.

[Bullshop]

Blackwater
If insufficiant lube quantity is a problem using a GC design with black all you have to do is add a grease wad under the boolit. Matter of fack some of my best group shooting with black is with two lubes. I lube the boolit with smokless lube and add a BP lube wad under the boolit to handle powder fouling. I have done some fine shooting this way and used that dirty old cheap Goex not expensive Swiss. I also burn FG which some will have you believe leaves more fouling. Everything I have ever read printed befor 1900 indicated that FG was the preferd grade for calibers down to 38 for target shooting
BIC/BS

[Dick Dastardly]

This is exactly the conondrum that I'm trying to address with my Big Lube(tm) bullet designs. So far they have worked just great in SASS main match competition. They have won many contests.

When it comes to very long range shooting there are other things to consider. That's why I'm working hard on the Mark II DD 45-500 long range rifle bullet design. Preliminary tests show that I'm on the rite track. Now, full scale testing will happen.

Gas checks would make little or no difference in my designs. All the lube is carried by the bullet without any need for "cookies" or "wads". In order for the Mark II design to accomodate a gas check, the base would have to have the proper rebate design. From tests to date, there is no need for a gas check so none is being designed for.

As soon as data is available I will post results here and on other wires. The truely ground breaking design of the Mark I showed the way. The Mark II design will do all that the Mark I would, plus it will allow more room for powder under the bullet.

DD-DLoS

[McLintock]

I'm currently using the Lyman 375449 265 gr gas check bullet for my Winchester 94 in 38-55, and with black powder. Cast 20-1 and with 41-2 gr of Swiss 1.5 in a Winchester case it shoots very well, actually better than any of the normal plain base with wad loads I've tried. Carries enough lube for a 30" barrel with my homemade lube. Was just out yesterday checking sights for a match tomorrow and it put every shot on my steel buffalo target at 180 yards; when it misses it's definitely me. Works good if the rules permit.
McLintock