gas checks

[oldbear1950]

got a question guys, I am just starting to load 45-70 cast lead bullets. How necessary is it to use gas checks.
I load pistol cartridges, 38 special and 357 mag, and 45 colt, and am in the process of loading for 454 casull.
For the 454 casull and 45-70, how necessary is it to have gas checks to shoot in rifles?
The 45 colt, 38 and 357 will be shot in pistols and rifles.

[schutzen-jager]

depends on alloy + how hot you are loading them to - light loads probably will not need them -

[Bazoo]

45-70 will work just fine without a gas check at trapdoor levels and into the beginning of the 1886 levels. You may start needing a gas check as velocity and pressure increase. You may not though, depending on the alloy and the quality of your lubricant.

454 at full pressure, I doubt you'll have any plain based load that will withstand the pressure. At least any traditionally lubed bullets. Powder Coated bullets will withstand somewhat greater pressure, but even those will need a gas check when the pressures start getting into the 40,000 psi range.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

what level of accuracy are you looking for?

One reason to use GCs is accuracy. Typically, pistol shooters are not looking for the same accuracy as rifle shooters. A GC makes a perfect base, providing better accuracy than a plain base.

[greybuff]

Are you using smokeless or BP? No gas checks if using BP.

[oldbear1950]

right now I have not made or purchased cast bullets, only have Hornady 300 and 350 grain bullets. Those I have loaded in the past and not used gas checks.
My brother who had been loading a lot longer than me said I could only get accurate cast bullets using a gas check. Unfornately for me he passed away about 3 years ago, so my source for questions is gone. Is why I am asking here.

[Bazoo]

You can get accuracy with a plain base, but if there is any damage to the base, it will show on target. Gas checks resist damage much better. Gas checks resist base swaging when being loaded if you don't have the correct expanding plug. I have a bullet that I use in 44 Magnum that is longer than the expander I have, the gas check expands the brass when seating.

[oldbear1950]

I am not using black powder, just smokeless powder. The loads I have already loaded, when stationed in Kodiak, ALASKA, in 1983 are still good, loaded 350 grain Hornady jackated bullet

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Let's back up the bus a little bit.
from your other comments, I am assuming you have never 'any' cast a boolit yet.
Have you bought a mold yet?
Are you looking at one or more molds, and need help deciding what mold you want?
.
For a beginner, I would strongly recommend getting a GC type mold for 45-70. While there are many factors involved with accuracy, a GC will overcome the one factor of an imperfect base. As you become an advanced reloader of DIY cast boolits, you may want to experiment with plain base boolits. The ability to cast and sort the most perfect boolits is a major factor with that endeavor.

[oldbear1950]

I have a lead melting pot, it is electric, and my brother gave me a mold for 405 grain bullet. I also purchased molds for 45 acp and 9 mm bullet molds. But as of this point have not made any.
Truthfully not sure where to start. I also have some lead and lynotype and beeswax to add to the pot, as my brother said I needed. Like I said, he had been casting his own bullets for about 40 years,
and was really good at it. He cast bullets for 45-70, 45 acp, 9 mm, 38/357 mag, 41 mag, and 30-06.
I won't say he was a pro at it, he used to say he had been doing it long enough to know when he made an error. He never claimed to be an expert, and said he still made mistakes.

[oldbear1950]

I have loaded pistol bullets I purchased from two companies, Missouri bullet company, and Acme bullet company , that they had cast, and lubed, I just reloaded them in 45 acp, 45 colt, 38 special, and 9 mm

[oldbear1950]

I have reloaded for a number of years, and got into reloading back in 1974 when stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, mainly cause was hard to get ammo in some calibers.
It would have to be ordered and sometimes took a couple of weeks to months to get some ammo. So it was learn to reload or don't shoot.

[white eagle]

gas check gives you a better base, period.
You are not dealing with pistol cartridges but are loading and shooting for a rifle which takes more powder and more pressures
You can mess around and shoot without one but eventually a gas check will benefit your loading

[Bazoo]

I will second the recommendation of using a gas checked bullet when starting out. It will give you a baseline by which to judge other bullets later on.

[oldbear1950]

so how do you get the gas checks to stay on the bullets? I do know you can buy them for both 38/357 and for the 45 colt/454 casull and 45-70 bullets

[BJung]

Are your 45cal bullets made to take a gas check? BP shooters use to use a paper check. I've pulled .303 military ammo before and found a paper gas check. Could you get away with using cardstock punched out with maybe a leather punch?

[oldbear1950]

I honestly have no idea, or how to check. I guess the next time I get some will ask. I do know some companies sell rifle bullets with the gas checks already on them. i will get some of them for my 45-70

[gwpercle]

I have never had a gas check make a load shoot worse .

Everytime I used a gas check (rifle loads here) things got better .

You can work up decent loads with plain based boolits but ... by and large the gas check is going to make load development much easier .
Sometimes the gas check solves a lot of problems you keep beating your head against ...
So ... Make load development as easy or as hard as you wish ...

I embrace the little Gas Check ... it is my little friend .
Gary