gas checks and barrel leading?

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  • Last Post 04 March 2013
Tallison 1911 posted this 03 March 2013

I haven't started casting my own bullets or even reloading yet but I plan on starting both very soon. My first volley of questions are in regaurds to barrel leading. I plan on loading 45acp, 357 magnum, 38 special,460 rowland, 308 winchester,30-06 springfield, 270 winchester, and 300 wsm. No I don't do things half way, I believe in knowing as much as I can and get things all at once so I don't waste time in trying something that after researching it I don't believe I'll like. Do any of these rounds have a tendency to lead the barrel? If they do are gas checks enough to prevent the leading of your barrel? What velocity do I need to start worrying about leading and the need for gas checks? How much more velocity can I get from using gas checks? How effective are gas checks in preventing barrel leading? What is a good reference for starting to cast and reload with cast bullets. And finally for this round of questions are the supplies hard to come by and blend to make quality cast bullets? Thanks for the time and best of luck sending the response without getting carpal tunnel syndrome when typing the response. :D

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onondaga posted this 03 March 2013

Tallison 1911:

The first necessary step that is too often ignored is realizing ( or learning the hard way) that bullet fit is the most important factor controlling leading. Gas checks can assist but are a much less important factor.

Revolvers, semi-auto pistols, and longarms all have different ways to determine bullet size that will fit best for accuracy and not lead your firearms.

Revolvers are perhaps the simplest, A cast bullet should not be able to just drop through your chamber, It should be big enough that it stops at the forcing cone area and takes 2-4 pounds force with a dowel to get it past the forcing cone. Less force and the bullet is too small, you will have gas jetting,  your bore will lead and have poor accuracy. More force will be difficult to load.

Chamber/throat casting or chamber/throat slugging  helps greatly to select bullet size for rifles. General rule is the largest diameter bullet that will chamber will shoot to best accuracy potential if all else is matched.Best fit means the bullet touches the throat and is sized by the rifle when shot.

All the facets of learning cast are a lifetime endeavor. I suggest reading here and then asking specific questions on one thing at a time: http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm>http://www.lasc.us/FryxellBookContents.htm

Don't buy bullet casting molds first, that is the most common error. Second is loading the same as you do for jacketed bullets, Cases need to be expanded for oversize cast bullets so they are not swaged down to undersize upon seating them with your seating die.

Welcome aboard, you sound like you want to start right. This is a good place to get started. I hope you are an interested and voluminous reader, there is a lot of archives that will answer questions before you ask and the search function works well, But, Start with the Fryxell book linked above. It is a modern primer.

Gary

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Duane Mellenbruch posted this 03 March 2013

Tallison 1911 wrote:  What is a good reference for starting to cast and reload with cast bullets.

I would suggest you purchase and read the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th edition.  And if you come across the same book, but the 3rd edition, you buy that too.  Some of the information from the 3rd edition was left out of the 4th edition. 

Duane

 

 

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R Dupraz posted this 03 March 2013

"Cast Bullets for Beginner & Expert”

Available from the Cast Bullet Association through the home page. Search “publications".

More than likely, the answers to all of your quiestions can be found by using the search on this forum. The info. is already here. If not, just ask.

RD

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Tallison 1911 posted this 03 March 2013

Thanks for the help, I loaded that book onto my computer to print later. After a cursory exam I am really salivating at the prospect of casting. I also appreciate the suggestions on searching old threads, I didn't even think of that.

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tturner53 posted this 03 March 2013

You'll have a lot of fun with your new hobby. Next step is becoming a dumpster diving lead scrounge. If you can find a source for wheel weights get all you can.

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R Dupraz posted this 03 March 2013

That's great!!

You have become “infected". Now you can join the rest of us pilgrims that have long been suffering from the cast bullet affliction for which there is no cure.

RD:D:

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Chargar posted this 03 March 2013

You have been directed to some great resources. Read them and all your questions will be answered plus many, many more that have not crossed your mind already.

When you dig out the answers yourself, you own the knowledge and it will stay with you for life. Asking a series of questions on boards like this is a very inferior way of gaining knowledge.

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Tallison 1911 posted this 04 March 2013

oh my what have I gotten myself in to

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onondaga posted this 04 March 2013

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=7307>Tallison 1911: I enjoy casting more than shooting. You are starting something completely new. It can be fun and an exact science to some or just fun or even a job to get done. That is up to you.

There is some really excellent shots out there that get by well collecting scrap, melting it and pouring it into a hole to make bullets. I don't get lucky like that probably because I'm a science guy.

Gary

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Chargar posted this 04 March 2013

Tallison 1911 wrote: oh my what have I gotten myself in to

Don't let the mass of information overwhelm you. For decades I fired cast bullets in handguns which is a rather simple thing to do, but used jacketed bullets in my rifles.

After a period of time, I found rifle reloading with jacketed bullet boring and far too simple. That is what pushed me into cast bullets and there is so much to learn and a fellow can play with cast bullet shooting all his life and never learn all their is to know. This is my attraction to cast bullet shooting.

It isn't as difficult as many folks make it seem to get good performance with cast bullets in handguns or rifles. There are thing some cast bullet shooters make a fetish of that really are not necessary or even helpful. Like many things in life, folks get lost in the trees of detail and lose sight of the forest.

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