Gas Checks

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  • Last Post 26 March 2021
cavscout107 posted this 18 March 2021

Im new to reloading.  I casted my own 150 grain 30-30 rounds with a Lee mold.  Is it absolutely necessary to use a gas check when reloading?  All my equipment is Lee.  I am using a single stage press.  Casted a fair amount of 150 grain bullets over the summer.  Time to reload.....but worried about using a gas check on casted bullets.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 18 March 2021

simply put, yes, you can do very well without using gas checks on your cast bullets.

whether design of base is gas check or plain base.  i haven't used gas checks since 1992 ...

but then i am just a plinker that likes to shoot different rifles and bullets ... 

***************

here are my rules for checkless shooting:

stay under 1400 fps  ... which by the way will kill even our giant Iowa whitetails ... if more power without checks is needed, to blow down trees, use that excuse to buy a 38-55 ... or a 45-70 ...

accept a bit less accuracy ... the checks do seem to be a little more accurate but 2 to 3 moa is easy without the checks. 

hope this helps ... ken

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Little Debbie posted this 18 March 2021

Listen to Ken. Loading cast bullets made for gas checks can be used very successfully at 1400 to 1500 fps. with out gas checks. Lube can be applied with a lubrisizer or by pan lubing.

Simpler are bullets that are tumble lubed with Lee Liquid Alox, 45-45-10, or Ben’s tumble lube as cast. A light charge of pistol powder and this bullet tumble lubed will be surprisingly accurate with little effort and equipment. The velocity should be 1,000 to 1,200 fps; more than enough for useful practice. Start simple and cheap with something that will bring success and satisfaction. There’s always time to get wrapped around the axle about more equipment, alloy content, heat treating, bullet diameter, and a hundred other things that may or not matter. Try to keep it simple and enjoyable!

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John Alexander posted this 19 March 2021

To keep it even simpler you can probably get away with not lubricating the bullets at all at these low velocities if they fit well.

John

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cavscout107 posted this 19 March 2021

Thanks for the info!!!......I tumble lubed them with the Lee Liquid Alox 45-45-10.......I did load 3 rounds with gas checks,,,,noticed a slight bulge is the casing's neck.......thats why I posed the question to the experts!!!......going to load the remainder of my rounds with out gas checks.....thanks again!!

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Larry Gibson posted this 19 March 2021

Did you size the bullets when putting the GCs on?

Unless you are loading  plinking rounds as Ken suggests GCs will really be wanted for any kind of reasonable accuracy.  Also, I have loaded numerous GC designed bullets of various calibers over the years sans the GC and found they shot the most accurately when the velocity was held below 1100 fps.  Above that using a GC always resulted in superior accuracy.  If you don't want to use a GC the a real PB bullet design should still be used.  However, even then, with PB bullets full 30-30 velocities will not prove to be very accurate.

 

Best advise is if you want full power 30-30 performance with your GC bullet....use the GC. 

LMG 

 

Concealment is not cover.........

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cavscout107 posted this 19 March 2021

Ran each bullet thru a Lee Classic Sizing die

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Lee Guthrie posted this 19 March 2021

A method for straight walled cases for bullets w/o gas checks, which could be unsafe in a bottleneck case such as 30-30.  However, that cartridge has a relatively long neck, so that with light bullets should work OK.

Once upon a time there was a thing called "wax checks".  There was a CBA member who made them, which I would have to look at my box of wax checks to help my memory.  May or may not still be made.

Their use could increase accuracy and you could shoot at a somewhat higher velocity than w/o a check.

The wax checks came in a sheet of wax mixture approximately 1/8 inch thick.  Procedure was to resize and prime the case and charge with powder.  Then place the mouth of the case against the bottom of the sheet with your thumb or finger at same location on top and gently push the case mouth and thumb together.  Seat the bullet.

The danger involved with a bottle neck case is if you were to push the wax check past the bottom of the case neck.  Doing so could turn the check into a projectile and when it impacted the base of the bullet ----- angry  So, while you could make it work in a 30-30, don't try it in a short neck case such as .308.

 

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 20 March 2021

CF Ventures is probably the guy ( Paladin ) that you are thinking of.

i traded a mold to him for a pack of his wax sheets about 20 years ago ... i have no dire need of these, so if anybody would like to play with these, ... pm me , i am easy to trade with  ...

ken

 

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Lee Guthrie posted this 26 March 2021

Yes, that's who it was.  I've used them a fair amount in both .45-70, .38-55, and .375 Winchester.  Seemed to help with group size and bore condition with softer alloys at a little higher velocity.  At least it didn't appear to hurt.  Guess I should add a disclaimer for John:  no, I did not conduct any scientific testing to compare with and without, just used my Mark 1 eyeball.  laughing

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