Do I need gas checks with this load?

Lyallpeder

Lyallpeder

Regular
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
Location
Alberta
I am going to try loading some 30-30 with bullet barns 165gr hard cast, round nose flat point, double lube groove with a beveled base but no gas checks. My book says For 160gr lead bullets try h4895 (1351-1562fps) and trail boss (997-1195fps)
I have never loaded cast bullets before so am I ok to not use gas checks at this light of a load? I understand that gas checks typically are for the hotter faster loads over 2000fps. I am just looking for a shot range, cheap plinking load.

Thanks.
 
If it's not designed for gas checks, then it would be a major PITA to install them.

While I do water drop my bullets, I can almost always get 2000 fps with plain base bullets, and around 2300 with checked.

1600 fps should be fine, as long as the bullets are large enough for your bore.

Particularly since bullet barn bullets are nice and hard, I don't see it being any problem.
 
1. Leading will tell you the story...try it without GC if you get leading you need a gascheck or you need to slow down your load

2. CHECK MAKER has dies for making gaschecks for non-gascheck bullets, apparently works great but I have no personal experience with these
 
Scratch that,
I only have trail boss because I failed to verify he handed me H4895. So now I have IMR4895... for full power loads.

Thanks for the advice guys. I will try em and see.
 
H and IMR 4895 are very close and I have swapped them at starting loads on many occasions without issue. Same for either of the 4198's.

How fast you can push a plain base bullet has a lot to do with your barrel and rifling. If you have Marlin Micro Groove rifling they are known to be very problematic with cast bullets in general. If you have a worn, rough, or even slightly pitted bore you can also get bad leading. Sometimes a nice, new, crisp bore will lead for some unknown reason as well. It is a trial-and-error system as to what works and what doesn't.

I personally just use GC'ed bullets for as much as possible. The only PB cast I use are for my 45-70 which I don't normally push much faster than 1500fps.

Bullet Barn bullets are pretty hard so chances are good you'll be able to hit 1500fps without an issue with even a half-decent bore.
 
Thanks, it's a winchester 94 from 1987, in mint condition. I won't be swapping imr for h because this will be a light load and the imr will be put to use in a full power jacketed load.
 
'Boo said:
You won't use a gas check with that bullet as it isn't designed to have one installed.
Click to expand...

exactly.

gas checks can be used with bullet designs that are made for gas checks and have a step down at the heel of the bullet, your is a beval base and is not designed for a gas check to be seated at the base of the bullet.
 
I have shot that exact round from my '94 carbine, I got better light load results with Unique over TrailBoss, I am in the 8gn range, reliable accuracy out to about 100, no leading. Hits hard, too.
 
Sometimes you can get low level leading and not know it. After normal cleaning put a very tight patch soaked in turpentine through the barrel. If there is any leading you will see flecks of lead on the patch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom