anyone use gas checks?

[happyhuntr]

do you add gas checks to store bought cast bullets? what brand works best? do bevel base and flat base bullets accept gas checks equally?

i am planning on using .452 bullets for 454 casull 250-300gr

happyhuntr

 

[Ron Brooks]

I don't know of anyone that puts gas checks on "store bought" bullets. They either come with them on, or not. Depending on whether or not the mold calls for them.

Bevel and flat base bullets do not take gas checks. The bullets that take gas checks are from molds where the bullets are designed for them. The molds designed for gas checks have a "step" designed into the base where the gas check goes.

Someone else here can probably describe the whole thing bettter than I just did.

 

[Bula]

Yup, gas checks are only to be used on bullets designed for them. If your casting your own, you need a specific mold for gas checked bullets. If your buying what you shoot, try leadhead, cast performance or oregon trail brands. They all make good quality GC bullets.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

I guess that means both bevel base and flat base bullets will accept gas checks equally - neither one will.
Just kidding around. The above posters are right. Cast bullets that will accept gas checks have gas check type bases and I don't know where a person could buy factory bullets with gas check type bases without the gas checks already installed.
But I thought the same thing when I first started loading for a .357 Magnum. I bought a thousand soft, swaged lead SWCs, pushed the first few I loaded too fast, and leaded up my barrel. I'd heard of gas checks so I thought they would solve my leading problems. Luckily, I asked an experienced reloader at work before I ran out and bought a box of gas checks. He got me into casting my own bullets.

 

[BluesBear]

do bevel base and flat base bullets accept gas checks equally?

No!

As has been previously stated you cannot use gas checks on flat base or bevel base bullets. You can only use them on gas check style bullets and those are not sold by reputable casters without gas checks because, without the gas check they will not shoot as well.

So if you're using store bought boolits you either buy them with or without.

 

[m0ntels]

But can someone use gas check designed bullets without a gas check?

Randy

 

[Ron Brooks]

It's not a problem really to use a gas check design without the gascheck. The
space where the gascheck would go on the base of the bullet just fills up with lube when the bullet is lubed and sized.

Ron

 

[Clark]

Randy Ketchum tells me that he traced bad groups to having gas checks fall off that he installed himself. Hornady makes the gas checks.

I buy bullets with the gas check already installed:

http://www.westernbullet.com/
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/index.htm
http://www.castperformance.com/users/performance/catalog.html?Vl=1&Tp=2

 

[m0ntels]

I wasnt sure if the smaller base would make turbulence/other aerodynamic term that would affect accuracy or not. I dont cast, but I kick around the idea from time to time. The hardcast I use now all comes from a semi-local guy and they are pretty tough as-is without any gas check. I use them in a 41mag with 20gr of 2400 and no leading. The primers seem to dislike that more than the bullets.

I've heard the deal about boattails being more accurate in rifles, but I figured that the more extreme base of the bare gas checked bullets would be too much to allow for accuracy.

As to the original question of using lead in a 454, I dont load for anything that hot, but would a lead bullet be the best choice for that application in a case where the bullet would be going fast enough to need a gas check? If you want to shoot lead to practice on the cheap, I can see using a 41/44mag range load using lead, but for hunting use (which I assume you dont plan to shoot a 454 just for plinking), why not take advantage of those rifle type velocities and use a premium hunting load? I cant see there being expansion problems with a bullet going that fast like there is for most pistols out to any normal handgun hunting range. I love lead as much as the next guy, but every material has its limitations.

Randy

 

[Bluehawk]

Some gas checks are pressed on and designed to fall of shortly after exiting the barrel...others are crimped on and stay with the bullet until impact...I've used both styles and have never had an accuracy problem once I found the right bullet and powder combination for a particular gun.
If the gas check is seated properly you shouldn't have any problems.