30-30 gas checked lead

[flemball]

How essential is it to use gas checks on lead bullets? On line shopping for 150 gn lead and gas checked lead is 2x as much as not gas checked. $.045 v $.09. Loading for Model 94 30-30.

 

[GRIZ22]

It depends how fast you're pushing the bullet. I use a hard cast 165 gr up to 1400-1500fps w/no gas check. Generally I load them lower than that and it meets my needs. Faster than 1500 fps you're going to want that gas check to prevent leading. Leading is more a function of pressure than velocity (in addition to the hardness of the lead) but both usually go up together.

I load the 165gr at about 1250 fps (chronographed velocity) and it works for me in a Marlin w/Micro Groove rifling. This gives about 357 mag energy. About every 50 rds or so the accuracy tends to drop off, I scrub the barrel a bit nad it shoots fine again.

 

[flemball]

I did read all the posts I could find on gas checks. I know they are primarily for higher velocity loads to prevent leading. suppose to raise pressure too. Some are saying 2000fps, others say 1500fps. Reading the various manuals and trying to find data for powder loads and GC v non GC has not proven fruitful. I am looking in the wrong places? Most of the manuals only discuss Lyman cast bullets too. Is there that much difference btwn 1 boolit make and another if they are the same grain, length, shape and diameter? Eg western states v penn or?

 

[scrat]

with gas checks you can almost load to fmj type loads. i however have chosen to by pass the gas checks and just load lighter. Pretty cool too. i too shoot 30-30. make my own on 150, 170 grn. just use a lighter load. usually about 17 grains of win 748 or 8 grains of trail boss. works excellent

 

[cheygriz]

I push 170 Gr cast GC bullets in my .30-30 to 2,000 FPS. These are cast from wheelweights, and hardened by dropping into cold water.

 

[Clark]

http://www.westernbullet.com/cbip/b311291.html

$0.10/bullet

I seat them long, jam then into the lands single shot with Win 94, and shoot at 1800 fps.

Great groups.

 

[QuickRick]

It is pressure rather than velocity which dictates the need (or not) of gas checks. I shoot mostly a load of 9.5 grns of Herco with unsized, Lee liquid lubed 150 grn cast bullets from my Model 94. This produces around 1,400 fps with zero leading from my rifle. To get substantially more fps without leading you could try a reduced load with a slower burning powder. Reloader 7, H4895, W748, or similar choices for typical full power jacketed bullet loads would be worth trying. The Lyman manuals (regular or cast bullet versions) both offer numerous combinations with cast bullets and various powders. The 30-30 has proven itself to be one of the very best cartridges out there for cast bullets. Good luck with your experimenting...