Stripping cas check indents

[Machado]

Gentlemen:
It's very hard to obtain shooting supplies like gas checks and moulds where I live. My gas check supply is over, and I had the GC indent in my RCBS 240 SWC GC mould removed. The resulting bullet shoots very well, and I find no barrel leading at velocities in excess of 1600 fps in my 24" Rossi rifle. Same thing in my Redhawk and Super Blackhawk Rugers, @ 1,400+. I recently obtained an RCBS 300 grain mould, and am thinking of doing the same thing. Somebody advised me not to do it, and cited umpteen "technical" reasons. I have the highest respect for the amassed knowledge and experience residing in this forum, and would appreciate your comments. Thank you

[Doughty]

Machado,

Based on what you have said, I'd say do it.

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome to the board, Machado.

I use fewer and fewer gas-checked boolits in my handguns as time goes on. If the barrel dimensions are consistent, and the boolit fits--things work well. I still use gas checked designs in most of my rifle applications, but I suspect that I could use plain-based designs in many of the rifles. The 45-70 and 44-40 are two that come to mind where decent accuracy and no leading result with plain based boolits. I also have a 25-20 that didn't shoot the RCBS plain based 85 grainer well at first, and wouldn't shoot a couple gas-check designs either. The rifle is starting to behave itself now, and I think it was more a barrel break-in issue than anything else. I should re-visit the RCBS boolit, for no other reason than the little bitty 25 caliber GC's are a pain to deal with.

A LOT of the posters here have turned off the gas check shank on their molds. I'm sure they will jump in here with their experiences.

[SharpsShooter]

I have a two cavity RCBS 30-180-FN that began life as a gas check design. A previous owner reamed the gas check shank to just slightly larger than band diameter, and by doing so, created a base band of .070 thickness and increased the weight from 180gr to 194gr. Using this boolit in the 30-30, I have had good accuracy results up to 1450fps and have had no leading whatsoever. I am confident that due to the strength of that base band, I'll easily make it to the 1600-1800fps range before the boolit fails. I'd say "go for it". As long as you load it within the realistic limits of the design, you will be ok.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Machado, welcome to the board! You are the first member from South America that I remember. Plain base bullets were all that was available until 100 years ago, and set accuracy records that still stand. If you have a skilled machinist available who can accurately modify moulds I would encourage you to have it done. I have the same RCBS 44-240 GC mould (unaltered) as you do. I am enjoying better accuracy with the RCBS 250 KT (plain base) from both a Marlin Cowboy rifle and a S&W 629 revolver. My favorite load is 7.0 grains Green Dot, which goes 1200 fps from the rifle and 950 fps from the pistol.

[steveb]

Welcome to the forum!

[Machado]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your warm welcome. The machinist already has my mould to cut the shanks off. I'll post the results.