Getting back to casting, couple of questions.

[kynardsj]

Used to do a lot of casting and got away from it for a while. My SBH Hunter in 45 Long Colt loves the 300 gr bullets from a Lee 90359 mold. Cast from wheel weights the final weight with lube and gas check ends up close to 320 grains. My questions are, I've never cast bullets and installed gas checks on them. Always did plain base before. Is there a certain size for this bullet and I've noticed that aluminum gas checks are cheaper. Are they OK ? Do you install a gas check when you run the bullet thru a sizer ? Thanks for all input.

[twoshooter]

There are some gas checks seated separate from sizing, but the ones I have used I put on when they were sized. I almost never use gas checks though, as long as you don't go over about 1400 fps you really dont need them, and rarely do you get over that in revolvers. I doubt you actually need a gas check.

[Lloyd Smale]

I like gas checked bullets. Not for the lack of leading but because ive allways had a bit better luck in the accuracy dept with them. If nothing else theyve allways seemed easier to find an accurate load with. Stay away from aluminum and non crimping copper. they wont stay on the bullet unless glued and if your shedding gas checks on the way to the target it happens at differnt times every time and when the gas check peals away it does peal away cleanly and this can drasticaly effect accuracy. to be safe use hornady checks or gator checks and install before you size and when your done try to peal one off with your fingers. If you can peal it off its not going to stay on in flight. Some molds are cut with a gas check shank that is a bit small and even crimp on checks wont stay on.

[res45]

Plain base bullets will be just fine for the 45 LC even the most powerful cast load want generate enough velocity and pressure to warrant using a gas check.
 
 If you decide you still want to use one I apply all my checks with Lee push through sizer for both rifle and pistol loads.  Lee make all the standard sizes but if you need one slightly larger they can make you one special order or you can hone it out yourself to the desired diameter.
 
 I have about 14 different molds mostly Lee a couple Lymans and a NOE custom 357 mold,some have gas check shanks  but I don't always apply the gas check depending on the velocity and pressure of the load and they shoot just  fine without it in those situations.
 
 I've never used aluminum checks only the copper Hornady and Gator checks,I use so few of them over the course of a year mostly in rifle loads that the cost isn't really that big of a deal plus I've managed to pick up a couple thousand here and there on the cheap.

[BBF]

I don't have any way of proofing this, just a thought. Once the G/C bullet enters the barrel I would presume the rifling adds more crimp to the gas check. 

[kynardsj]

After a range session this morning my choice of bullets has changed for the SBH Hunter. I shot some of the 320 gr Lee bullets, 270 gr Keith style SWC's and some Montana Bullets 255 gr SWC's . All were loaded over 10. gr of Unique. The 270 SWC's were the most accurate with this loading in this pistol. Book speed is around 1000 fps give or take. I'm pleased with the results as I have good many of these already cast, sized, lubed and ready to load. This weight is still plenty heavy enough to poke a good hole thru anything is this part of the world.

[.22-5-40]

Hello, Kynardsj.  I used to shoot alot of IHMSA pistol silhouette.  I used an 8 3/8" S&W Mod. 57, .41 Mag.  My std. load for chickens & pigs was the Lyman 410429 cast 15-1 lead-tin alloy over 18.5grs. H110.  I never had any leading issues, and this is of course a plain-base bullet.