Powder Coating gas checks mold without checks

[rosewood]

For those that have powder coated a gas check boolit without using a gas check, what kind of accuracy have you seen? Any issues with using the gas check boolit without checks?

Thanks,

Rosewood

[BentSprings]

It all depends on how hard you push on the naked gas check designed bullet missing it's gas check. If you are in the realm where a gas check is not required anyway, you are good to go. If you think you can push a gas check design without it's check as fast as with the checks installed, well you are going to be a might bit disappointed accuracy wise.

[GregLaROCHE]

I shoot them all the time in my 45/70, but don’t keep track of the accuracy of that gun these days. If you are looking for best accuracy, go with the gas checks.

[cwlongshot]

If light loads a GC bullet W/O gc seems to shoot fine.

But any gc DESIGNATED bullet always shoots best for me WITH GC INSTALLED.

CW

[rosewood]

That is what I was wondering. Have a few GC molds and I now prefer powder coated. Was wanting to avoid the time and expense of adding the checks, but looks like to keep accuracy, I likely need to install them.

Thanks,

Rosewood

[Smoke4320]

the faster you push the gas checked bullet sans the check the worse the accuracy gets. in a 308 I started to see accuracy effected at around 1900 FPS
in a 45/70 with a NOE 325 GS no check I got very good accuracy up to 1675 FPS

[Rapier]

I just buy plan base bullet moulds then double coat the faster loads, they shoot sub 1/2 inch at 100 without fouling at 2,500-2,700. Not bench rest, but excellent for general use or hunting.
In rifles like the 35s, 375s or 45s, who cares about .25" groups....... Especially if hunting wild hogs.

[GregLaROCHE]

It wouldn’t be hard to remove the place on the mold that makes the gas check diameter, if you have access to a lathe. It could probably be done with a good drill press too.

[Hick]

It all depends on how hard you push on the naked gas check designed bullet missing it's gas check. If you are in the realm where a gas check is not required anyway, you are good to go. If you think you can push a gas check design without it's check as fast as with the checks installed, well you are going to be a might bit disappointed accuracy wise.

well-- that's not what I have experienced. As long as the bullet is well formed and coated with PC, the naked base seems to make it fly like a boat-tailed bullet. I've haven't tried a lot of designs, however.

[charlie b]

I have not had that good luck with not using gas checks. .308W at 1800-2000fps. It shoots GC bullets at close to MOA. If I drop the GC I am lucky to get 2MOA. If I drop the vel to 1200fps then I can get 1 1/2MOA. I also tried them with conventional lube and got the same results.

[rosewood]

I just buy plan base bullet moulds then double coat the faster loads, they shoot sub 1/2 inch at 100 without fouling at 2,500-2,700. Not bench rest, but excellent for general use or hunting.
In rifles like the 35s, 375s or 45s, who cares about .25" groups....... Especially if hunting wild hogs.

That is what I do now, but when I first started casting, I wasn't PC'ing. I bought GC molds for the faster loads. I really don't want to have to buy new molds, but use what I have. And it seems like it will be aggravating trying to install gas checks and PC the boolits.

Rosewood

[FredBuddy]

I bored out a Lee 150-F to eliminate the gas
check groove. Pc'd,sized .3105, the boolits
work fine at higher velocities even in micro
groove barrels.

Also, someone has been mentioned in this
site who does this sort of work professionally.

I also buy moulds that have both plain base
and gas check options.

[charlie b]

I agree with modifying the molds. I have done that to several of the Lee molds in the past just using a drill press. Size the bullets nose first and the irregularities on the finished bullet will be less. You will need to size them before PC as well as after.

I use GC's on all of my rifle bullets. Just slip them on when sizing. My Lee molds made shanks such that the GC's could be applied after PC. So, cast, PC, size. Easy peasy.

[Shuz]

In my experience, gas checked pc'd boolits driven around 1700fps always shot better than the same pc'd boolit sans check. The difference for me was remarkable, 2 to 4 inches !!

[rosewood]

In my experience, gas checked pc'd boolits driven around 1700fps always shot better than the same pc'd boolit sans check. The difference for me was remarkable, 2 to 4 inches !!

Good info. I always wondered if the missing check would cause turbulence that might affect accuracy.

Thanks guys!

Rosewood

[charlie b]

I don't think it is turbulence in flight that causes the issues. The shank may actually be helpful in flight.

I believe it is the difficulty at the muzzle. As the bullet leaves the bore there is usually one critical 'edge', the base of the bullet. The GC shank has three critical sections. The base of the bullet, the shank itself and then the lower edge of the bottom drive band. If all of those are perfectly formed you will still have good accuracy. If one of them is messed up at all, then you will have a flier.

[res45]

If light loads a GC bullet W/O gc seems to shoot fine.

But any gc DESIGNATED bullet always shoots best for me WITH GC INSTALLED.

CW

Agree 100%

[P Flados]

I don't think it is turbulence in flight that causes the issues. The shank may actually be helpful in flight.

I believe it is the difficulty at the muzzle. As the bullet leaves the bore there is usually one critical 'edge', the base of the bullet. The GC shank has three critical sections. The base of the bullet, the shank itself and then the lower edge of the bottom drive band. If all of those are perfectly formed you will still have good accuracy. If one of them is messed up at all, then you will have a flier.

I have had some good luck skipping the checks on some loads using bullets with GC shanks. But these were with bullets carefully inspected to avoid defects in the critical areas noted above. On the other hand, I do have applications where the check was required for accuracy.