At what point should I gas check this boolit???

[OFFSHORE]

Hello all,
I'm getting ready to order a new mold for a new "To Me" caliber for an T/C Encore pistol. . .375 Winchester. Looking at a 225 to 235 grain mold from Mr. Tom at Accurate Molds. I'm willing to think based on other calibers I shoot that I can get to the 1500/1600 FPS realm with a 230gr. boolit load in fair form. This will be a powder coated boolit . . .should I -OR- should I not, order this in a gas-check mold configuration??? Please explain your reasons for so. Thank you. I am a hardcore hunter with a handgun, and my alloy for the majority of my hunting loads is 75%soft / 25% COWW / to 1lb. pewter for a 30:1 alloy. . .and I love it, critters hate it!!! I appreciate any wisdom. Thank you.

- OFFSHORE

[pworley1]

I would go ahead and get the gas checked design. You can always shoot the bullets without using checks and you might want to shoot them in a rifle and need to check them.

[RickinTN]

I don't understand how that can be a 30:1 alloy with Antimony in the mix?
Rick

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I would strongly suggest getting a GC style boolit mold.

75%soft / 25% COWW / to 1lb. pewter
I can't make hide nor hair of that recipe...but if it works for you, it don't need to make sense to me.

[405grain]

Gas checked bullets are more versatile. Bullets with gas checks can be shot at both high and low velocity, but plain based bullets usually work best at 1400 fps or below. Gas checked bullets have a greatly reduced tendency toward barrel leading. I would suggest that you choose the gas checked design.

[Sam Sackett]

Another thing to note. You can use a gas check on a softer bullet and not have leading. This works great for a hunting bullet that you want to keep soft (maybe 50/50 pure and wheel weights) for expansion, but still drive it to higher velocities.
If you want to creep up to 1400 fps without a gas check, you need a fairly hard alloy

Just my nickle…..
Sam Sackett

[GhostHawk]

When I first started coming here I noticed several old timers talking about 1400 fps and gas checks.
Seems like a pretty easy general rule of thumb type deal. There are always exceptions one way or the other.

So I pretty quickly adopted it. No issues.

[gloob]

You can take into account the capabilities of the cartridge. That cartridge is capable of higher velocities than 1500-1600 fps. If you want to get closer to 2200+ or so, I'd get the gas check mold.

If you shoot 45ACP, no need for gas check. If you shoot 460 SW magnum, you also don't need a gas check... to shoot low powered reloads at 45ACP power levels.

[Bigslug]

If a round can run without gas checks in the range I intend to run it, I'll work to avoid them.

In .375 Win / .38-55 at 1500-1600 fps, I'd personally choose a harder alloy in the tin-enriched wheelweight family and run plain base, but with your softer 30-1 equivalent alloy, you'll probably do better to copper up their butts.

[OFFSHORE]

I appreciate all the info fellas. Thank you.

The break down of my alloy is (maybe I typed it out in the wrong order?), anyhoo. . .
For my size pot I mix 30lbs. in a batch of COWW lead (25%) and pure soft lead (75%) with 1lb. pewter.
7.5lbs. clip-on wheel weights / 22.5lbs soft lead / 1lb. pewter.

Thanks again.

[rockrat]

I am thinking you are close to WW's in your alloy but with the added benefit of a bit of copper from the pewter. If you powder coat, you should be fine without GC's or if you water quench from the mould and use traditional lubes, then you still should be OK without GC's also, going up to 1500 fps. Much faster and you would probably need a GC.