Question about Gas Checks

[Czbilly]

Can the gas checks be added to cast bullets by me or is this part of the casting process. I've got lots of lead bullets and want to try for accurate hunting loads in both revolvers and a few rifles. Just don't know yet where the cutoff will be between speed, accuracy and leading. So, I thought adding the gas checks would allow for a little hotter velocity till I find this. Thanks

 

[27 Man]

Gas checks are added to cast gas check designed bullets during the sizing/lubrication process. Bullets such as the Lyman 358156 are inset at the base to allow the gas check to slip on and be "crimped", for lack of a better word, in place when the bullet is sized and lubricated. I use this bullet with the gas check for the higher velocity loads but leave them off for lower velocity plinking loads.

 

[H Richard]

It takes a specific mold to produce cast bullets with the relief for attaching a gas check. This is applied during the sizing/lubing operation. You cannot add a gas check to a non-relieved bullet base.

 

[Doubless]

It takes a specific mold to produce cast bullets with the relief for attaching a gas check. This is applied during the sizing/lubing operation. You cannot add a gas check to a non-relieved bullet base.

That is generally true, but not etched in stone. I have rifle bullets that are .410-.411" as cast, and I can crimp a 416 gas check on them. But generally speaking you are correct.

As for the need of a gas check, if the bullets you are shooting are of the correct size, are not too hard (most commercial bullets are...), and the lube is right, you should not need gas checks for revolver/handgun velocities. I will get a lot of flak for that, but it is a true statement none the less... I recently sent flat based rifle bullets to a friend in Utah and he shot them at 2200 fps out of a 450/400 and experienced virtually no leading.

 

[mtgianni]

Can the gas checks be added to cast bullets by me or is this part of the casting process. I've got lots of lead bullets and want to try for accurate hunting loads in both revolvers and a few rifles. Just don't know yet where the cutoff will be between speed, accuracy and leading. So, I thought adding the gas checks would allow for a little hotter velocity till I find this. Thanks

The key to speed, accuracy and leading is fit. If the bullets fit your bore you will not need gc @ handgun velocities. If they don't gc will not help. Fit starts with bore size and continues on to how they fill the throat. Get a good chamber slug from each cylinder and barrel for a start.

 

[Alk8944]

Doubless has made a misleading statement regarding gas check bullets. While a .416 gas check can be applied to .410-411 bullets, the bullet still must have a gas check shank before this can be done!

He is correct about gas checks being unnecessary for revolver bullets, and in large this applies to rifle bullets too. Whether or not a cast bullet causes leading is almost entirely a result of bullet hardness, sizing and lubricant used. Hard bullets are not the answer to leading, but are more often the cause of it. Bullets that are too hard for the specific application will not seal the bore properly and allow gasses to blow by and erode the bullet surface.

For experimentation in rifles, assuming that the cartridge neck is long enough, a simple cardboard wad cut from heavy card stock can be seated under the bullet. This will give the same protection to the bullet base as a gas check. It works in revolvers too!

If you are buying cast bullets buy them from a company that allows you to specify sizing diameter and Brinnell hardness. 22 Brinnell is fine for rifles, but revolver bullets shouldn't be harder than 12-15 Brinnell, even for magnums. The bullets should be sized no less than .001-.002" larger than barrel groove diameter. In revolvers the cylinder throats must not be smaller than .001" larger than barrel groove diameter.

 

[RobsTV]

There are plenty of people that use plain base gas checks. These are designed to go onto cast bullets that have no gas check shank. They work very well, as good as any gas check designed bullets.

Note: These are "Plain Base Gas Checks", not normal gas checks installed on a bullet with a shank. Different material and construction.

I use them on 30 carbine, 9mm and 40 S&W. They increase accuracy with many guns, as well as cure some guns that might have annoying leading due too defects or others just looking for a quick and easy sure fix. Plus allow you to play around with the alloy a bit more, as well as expands the mold choices you can use with various weapons. Google plain base gas checks. Cheap too. Been around for years.

You can also buy a plain base gas check maker to make your own if desired.

To install a plain base gas check onto a cast bullet, you will need the same thing you would need for installing onto a bullet with a gas check shank. A $15 lee lube and sizing kit (ignore the lube part), or a $10 gas check seater for Lyman (etc) type lubrisizer. This ensures the diameter stays as intended. If you remove the plain base gas check from a bullet, the bullet will then look like a bullet with a shank.

 

[fredj338]

As noted, gc require a bullet designed to accept them. In most handgun calibers, just not needed. I can get good results to 1500fps with a plain base bullet of moderate hard alloy, sized properly & pushed to 1500fos. It's mostly about proper size, then alloy, then bullet lube, then powder choice.

 

[RobsTV]

As a rule, "today" Gas checks do not require a bullet with a shank, or a bullet designed to accept them. Gas checks designed for a bullet with a shank, work best with a bullet that has a shank. Gas checks designed for a bullet without a shank, work best on bullets without a shank, and that were designed to not have a gas check. Performance of end results is similar.

Things change over time with advances in technology
Many times peoples thoughts are harder to change, or keep up.
Heck, many people still don't understand that a 45 is old technology (that still is great today), and refuse to accept what a modern 40 S&W can do as a better alternative.

Google is a great tool for learning about all the modern things we can enjoy today, that many never thought possible just a decade or two ago.

I highly suggest you visit castboolits forum for all your cast bullet questions.
They have a section devoted to Gas Checks, where all your questions can be answered.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?60-Gas-Checks

I will agree with others above that most bullets can be shot without a gas check in most guns, and even guns that have issues with plain based bullets can be corrected most of the time by changing size, alloy or powder to shoot plain base bullets just fine. But that was not the question. "Can the gas checks be added to cast bullets by me or is this part of the casting process." Yes, you can add gas checks to most bullets, but make sure you get the correct type for the cast bullet base the bullets use.

 

[Czbilly]

Thank you all for the great info. All the above is much more than I was able to search out. What brought this thought up was the variety of bullets that I have. 100 of these, 50 those etc. Good insight

 

[Forrest r]

I make my own gc's & use them allot. Owning/using/shooting 12 different 38/357's & 4 different 44spl/mags the saying fit is king goes right out the window. Expecailly with the 44's that have huge differences in their cylinder sizes (older s&w ='s .433/newer s&w ='s .430).

Some 35cal plain base gc's used on a cast 9mm bullet (.356) & a cast 357 bullet (.358). The plain based gc's are made from pop cans.



Some 44cal bullets that use my home made gc,s, standard gc's on top made from aluminum flashing & plain baased gc's on the bottom made from pop cans.



There's been more advances with gc's in the last 5 years then in the past 70 years.