is a gas check necessary

[nickn10]

I have a box of 350 Hornady 158gr SWCHP I believe they are swaged bullets. Is it necessary to put copper gas checks on them if I load them for a 38 sp with 4.5 grn of Unique powder.
Thanks, Nick

 

[Alk8944]

Not only is it not necessary, it is not possible! Bullets intended for gas checks are cast with a reduced diameter "gas check shank" or "heel" to provide a place for them to be installed. All commercially available lead bullets, either cast or swedged, are intended to be fired as-is.

There is never a good reason to use gas checked bullets in any .38 Special load, and rarely for .357 Magnum either. Actually gas checks are rarely any advantage in any revolver cartridge.

 

[JBnTx]

Not only is it not necessary, it is not possible! Bullets intended for gas checks are cast with a reduced diameter "gas check shank" or "heel" to provide a place for them to be installed. All commercially available lead bullets, either cast or swedged, are intended to be fired as-is.

There is never a good reason to use gas checked bullets in any .38 Special load, and rarely for .357 Magnum either. Actually gas checks are rarely any advantage in any revolver cartridge.

I agree.

I've never used them, not even in 44 magnum.

 

[nickn10]

Not only is it not necessary, it is not possible! Bullets intended for gas checks are cast with a reduced diameter "gas check shank" or "heel" to provide a place for them to be installed. All commercially available lead bullets, either cast or swedged, are intended to be fired as-is.

There is never a good reason to use gas checked bullets in any .38 Special load, and rarely for .357 Magnum either. Actually gas checks are rarely any advantage in any revolver cartridge.

Thank you, I appreciate your answer, it is what I had hoped for.
Nick

 

[nickn10]

Thank you JB

Nick

 

[venomballistics]

I have a box of 350 Hornady 158gr SWCHP I believe they are swaged bullets. Is it necessary to put copper gas checks on them if I load them for a 38 sp with 4.5 grn of Unique powder.
Thanks, Nick

its not possible .. gas checked bullets are designed as such having a base that is stepped down for the check to be crimped onto.
Most of the time you dont need them in handguns and its just an extra feelgood step to the process.

 

[S.B.]

In nearly 40 years of reloading, I've never found I need gas checks! I've tried to cast and size some gas check bullets and find it's very hard for me to get the things to stay on the butt end of the bullets. Now, if your going to load some of those star streaking super velocity bullets maybe? But then again, your forcing cone won't last long.
Steve

 

[venomballistics]

In nearly 40 years of reloading, I've never found I need gas checks! I've tried to cast and size some gas check bullets and find it's very hard for me to get the things to stay on the butt end of the bullets. Now, if your going to load some of those star streaking super velocity bullets maybe? But then again, your forcing cone won't last long.
Steve

dont know where ya heard that thing about forcing cones. In 44 magnum, 180 G JHP is a rather common high velocity factory loading.
for a cast counterpart, a GC would still stave off wear over full patch and probably make for a fierce varmint round. but then in this role, I'd just use something else anyhow which brings us right back to no real need for gas checks

 

[S.B.]

dont know where ya heard that thing about forcing cones. In 44 magnum, 180 G JHP is a rather common high velocity factory loading.
for a cast counterpart, a GC would still stave off wear over full patch and probably make for a fierce varmint round. but then in this role, I'd just use something else anyhow which brings us right back to no real need for gas checks

Maybe my descriptive words were too mild about the velocities? I was refering to super duper loads with very high velocities? I would offer reading on the Ruger forum about their Redhawks and forcing cone problems with high velocity rounds.
Steve

 

[venomballistics]

erosion rate is a common issue any time we flirt with the pressure redline.
This could spin off into an unrelated debate of phenomena only sort of related to the OP's question. It would be a worthy trail of bread crumbs for the OP to read up on as we only know where he is in the reloading craft and not where he's heading.