Newbie Question

[06str8shooter]

Do All Cast Bullets (Wad Cutters. Semi-wadcutters, Etc.) Have To Have A Gas Check Added? I'm Looking For Bullets For My 357 Magnum & 38 Spc. Btw Thanks To The Guys Who Posted The 38 & 357 Load Data.

 

[556]

No. Gas checks are only needed when shooting magnum velocities say above 1200FPS. Anymore I only shoot cast bullets at velocities below 1100 FPS and I do not use gas checks. Of course you have many varibles such as bullet alloy and hardness, etc. When I did push cast bullets to higher velocities gas checks are required to keep leading to a minimum.

 

[thatguyshm]

Just like stated above. Only when pushing it beyond 1200 fps or so.

Not to high jack the thread, and I wish I knew more about this, but my father is very big into cast shooting. I shoot a lot of his 45 acp cast loads. He recently got into rifle cast loading after I got him the Lyman Cast Reloading Book. He's doing something even beyond that now. He recently got a powder coating system from Harbor Frieght and is coating his lead to make them harder than a copper jacket.

Heres a few pictures he's doing. I think he does most of his research on castboolits.com

Pretty interesting to say the least. He currently loading 230gr for his 300 blk. Doesn't have the barrel yet so nothing tested there. He is doing it for his 338 win mag, 45 acp and the 300blk. Don't know what else he is planning. He's a crazy sob.

He hit the .30 cals with a hammer and they broke, rather than deform.

 

[556]

What's he coating them with? That is very interesting

 

[thatguyshm]

What's he coating them with? That is very interesting

He bought a cheap kit from Harbor Frieght and a few jugs of their powder coat they keep right in the store. He sizes them but doesn't lube them,and then puts them in a baking sheet to paint. I haven't witnessed him doing it since he just started doing this a few weeks ago, but he loves it.