Reloading lead with or without a gas check??

[NJSigfan 218]

Hello fellow reloaders-

 

I'm about to start my 2nd round of reloading 45ACP, but this time I will be using titegroup and 200 grain LSWC by laser cast. Is it absolutely required to load with a gas check, or is it simply a preference of the reloader?

 

The gas checks I have are hornady copper checks. Is there a special way on how the checks need to be placed on the bullet? I was able to tap a dozen or so using a lite hammer strike and they appear to be set nice and straight. Do they now need to run through any special sizing dies or can they be loading in a normal fashion? The bullet themselves are already lubed.

 

These rounds will be for plinking at the range and maybe IDPA if I find the time. Lastly, I'll be starting at 4.8 grains of TG as per the Lee loading guide.

 

Thanks in advance.

Gabe

[GRIZ 3,369]

You shouldn't need gas checks at 45 ACP velocities. You need a special tool to put gas checks on bullets.

 

DO NOT TRY TAPPING THE ON WITH A HAMMER.

 

Who told you you needed gas checks?

[T Bill 649]

No gas checks on 45ACP does not travel fast enough to need one.  Copper checks are used mostly on lead rifle bullets traveling faster than 1200FPS.  Bullets need to be cast to allow checks to be added to them in a bullet sizer.  You do not add checks to regular cast bullets. Hard cast are more resistant to leading problems over swaged bullets. 

[NJSigfan 218]

Thanks for the speedy response guys, it's very much appreciated.

 

No one "told" me I had to use a check. It was recommended by the "reloading guy" at cabelas saying it will help reduce the lead fouling. So I went with it. After adding the check to a dozen or so, I had a bad feeling and YouTube the idea. Some people were just loading and going others were running thru a sizing die. So I figured let me ask my friends here.

 

Thanks for the help. I'll remove the checks and reload as plain lead...thanks.

[Old School 611]

 

You got your answer. Loading 45ACP for a long time never used them.

[NJKen 23]

Ive never needed them.  Its my understanding (as stated above) that you just dont need them unless you are loading lead in rifle calibers and pushing it hard.  Ive probably shot a ton of lead out of various caliber pistols with no real problem.  Just dont try to push lead too hard and you will be fine.

Ken

[noylj 5]

You might need a gas check if your bullets will be going over 2000 fps. You need a cast bullet designed for a gas check to use a gas check (you can also use the cast bullets without the gas check). Also, if the gas check falls off the bullet, your group will open up.

I use gas checks for 7mm TCU, .30-30, and .30-06 for loads over about 2200 fps.

Questions like this should be answered by the company who made the bullets or by actually reading a loading manual/cast bullet handbook.

In fact, for a .45 Auto, your bullets are actually "too hard." Too hard can cause as much or more leading as too soft, but you'll probably be just fine.

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

As to your load data, I use Titegroup exclusively for my handgun loads, including my .45acp

For 200gr lead RNFP (what I shoot mostly, from Rogers Better Bullets in their .45LC selection) my loads range from a wimpish 4.4gr to a usual 4.5gr (lite handgun) to a nice stout 5.2gr that I use in my Beretta and High Point carbines.

 

No gas checks on any of them, ever.

Be sure you bell the brass sufficiently so that when you seat the lead bullets you don't shave lead.

A Lee Factory Crimp die is great at giving you a proper crimp on these .452 projectiles.

Finishing up with a Lee Bulge Buster setup (which uses the body of the LFC die to make certain that the entire round is not too big around) is how I complete the process.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Cast bullets meant for use with gas checks have a rebated heel. The gas check is pushed onto the heel of the bullet and crimped in place by the luber-sizer die.

 

Commercially cast bullets, like the Laser-Cast bullets you are using, are usually plain or bevel base and cast with a hard enough alloy to preclude the use of gas checks.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[NJSigfan 218]

Thanks all. I appreciate the help. I'll be loading up some test rounds this week and hitting up easton on the weekend. If anyone wants to me up, let me know.

 

And on a happy note, I just got a backordered notice from Brownells, my 8 pounds of w231 is in...wahoo...