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Might anyone have. 44 cal (.429) gas checks? I need about 200 and can pay or trade other caliber checks. Not finding any online.. Thx
a bit pricy but i thought of getting one for 30 cal.
But then the brain says screw it and orders $100 worth of gas checks or about 3-4k
i have not tried aluminum checks yet?
 
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a bit pricy but i thought of getting one for 30 cal.

Was just looking at that.
They rave about it over there at Castboolits.
Something about certain soda cans are the exact thickness for checks
 
I don't know what the purpose of the gas check is beyond the muzzle. Is it typically supposed to stay with the bullet to its final resting point or can it shed in flight after leaving the barrel?
I ask this because most of the aluminum gas checked bullets that I've used (Norm's coated rifle bullets) shed the gas check about ten feet from the muzzle. POI seems as good as expected.
 
I don't know what the purpose of the gas check is beyond the muzzle. Is it typically supposed to stay with the bullet to its final resting point or can it shed in flight after leaving the barrel?
I ask this because most of the aluminum gas checked bullets that I've used (Norm's coated rifle bullets) shed the gas check about ten feet from the muzzle. POI seems as good as expected.
They should stay on. Some checks are better than others at doing this.
 
Okay, that settles that.
The aluminum doesn't seem to do the job as well as the original copper variety. Even the non-crimped copper type (non-Hornady) seem to stay attached in most recovered bullets. I think many do dislodge after impact with something solid, but I can't prove this beyond seeing a few near the target area.

Since most of my cast bullet loads are on the slower side, I usually don't even use the gas checks. The bullets still shoot better than I do.
 
Taking a know alloy and adding tin to bring it up to 2% tin.
When im done it will be
2% tin ( more than enough for my needs) 3% Antimony 95% lead
If you have not found it yet this alloy calculator is pretty handy

This alloy will give 12bhn as is water dropped it gets to 15-18bhn
Over hardened to over 20bhn


Lead alloy calculators

I had to use Apache open office for it to work for me on my desk top.
 
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So in my hunt to have a caet load worthy of function and accuracy for the M1a and to a lesser degree M1 308 , Im going to try something different.
Oven hardened my wheel weight alloy and per pencil test its 20bhn.
314299 bullet mold sized to 308. Both barrels are close enough to new i think this will work fine. 2500+ lube and gas checked. Im hoping along with the harder alloy , higher pressure and the nose riding tendency of the 314299 nose is a touch under .300"
5744 and H4895 can cycle the M1a fairly easily. Accuracy how ever has not played well.
So im going to load the 314299 until its just of the lands. using H4895 and hodgdons reduced load formula i will start there and work up till I get function. Then push it until i see groups.
I tried my flat nose 165s , functioned fine but accuracy was not there.
 
This is a lot of crud for alloy that was “fluxed” well. I get this out of old crusty scrap . Anyhow its all part of the game. 0BE16B40-F57F-4881-80A8-3B8AD7A9AC89.jpegJust a Note: Dont always believe alloy tou get from folks is what it is or its been smelted and fluxed well.
40lbs of muffingots traded for
some brass. Was told it was Fluxed really well. As I handed him the brass I said “ well this brass is f***ing dirty and filled with shit”
Anyhow I got a a bunch of nasty shit out of that batch alloy. Pencil Test Bhn at 10

The purple hues are oxidized lead. I gave the crud a secound blast burning up the last Pound out of the LP tank and squeezed a 1/2 lb more lead out of it
 
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Picked up a Lee 356-120-TC for 9mm plinking and was looking through all my manuals for load data for W231 and Unique. I found plenty but was amazed how manuals over the years either reduced the published charges or just got rid of them. Couple of examples for Unique and Lyman 356402 120gr TC mold:

Lyman Ideal #38, 1951 - No Start WT or Max WT, just a charged weight of 6.0gr
Lyman 44th, 1967 - Start WT: 4.4, Max WT: 6.0
Lyman Cast 3rd, 1980 - Start WT: 4.3, Max WT: 5.3
Lyman 48th, 2002 - No data for Unique
Lyman 49th, 2015 - No data for Unique

Are the changes due to liability or changes in powder manufacturing?
Just thought it was interesting that 1 mold with 1 powder can change over the years.
 
Picked up a Lee 356-120-TC for 9mm plinking and was looking through all my manuals for load data for W231 and Unique. I found plenty but was amazed how manuals over the years either reduced the published charges or just got rid of them. Couple of examples for Unique and Lyman 356402 120gr TC mold:

Lyman Ideal #38, 1951 - No Start WT or Max WT, just a charged weight of 6.0gr
Lyman 44th, 1967 - Start WT: 4.4, Max WT: 6.0
Lyman Cast 3rd, 1980 - Start WT: 4.3, Max WT: 5.3
Lyman 48th, 2002 - No data for Unique
Lyman 49th, 2015 - No data for Unique

Are the changes due to liability or changes in powder manufacturing?
Just thought it was interesting that 1 mold with 1 powder can change over the years.
I think that the manufacturers have removed loads due to their lawyers and the fact there that are much better performers for the same job.
Unique can do anything but probably isn’t the best for high pressure semi auto cartridges. So they push for their modern higher performing powder or newer more efficient powders.
There used to be loads listed for Bullseye in 357 magnum.
It wasn’t the best load, the powder reaches peak pressure way before it reaches true magnum velocity so they did away with it to keep the lawyers happy and to reloaders alike. If they can show you data for a powder that will give better performance then you’ll be happy with it.
@1919FAN and I have run a bunch of old tried and true load data through Quick Load and some of it was surprisingly hot and some was spot on with what the manuals said.
 
Picked up a Lee 356-120-TC for 9mm plinking and was looking through all my manuals for load data for W231 and Unique. I found plenty but was amazed how manuals over the years either reduced the published charges or just got rid of them. Couple of examples for Unique and Lyman 356402 120gr TC mold:

Lyman Ideal #38, 1951 - No Start WT or Max WT, just a charged weight of 6.0gr
Lyman 44th, 1967 - Start WT: 4.4, Max WT: 6.0
Lyman Cast 3rd, 1980 - Start WT: 4.3, Max WT: 5.3
Lyman 48th, 2002 - No data for Unique
Lyman 49th, 2015 - No data for Unique

Are the changes due to liability or changes in powder manufacturing?
Just thought it was interesting that 1 mold with 1 powder can change over the years.
Might have to do with trying to squeeze more info inbetween the same space between the covers.
Printed manuals will soon be gone and or special order only and espensive.
So out dated , no longer popular info gets tossed.
Non of my manuals bought in the last 15 years have 32 SW in them.
 
Might have to do with trying to squeeze more info inbetween the same space between the covers.
Printed manuals will soon be gone and or special order only and espensive.
So out dated , no longer popular info gets tossed.
Non of my manuals bought in the last 15 years have 32 SW in them.

you'd think manuals might go extinct, however a board like handloads doesn't tell me testing performed. hodgdon, alliant, barnes etc data i would trust as safe but johnny rockets "accuracy" handload might not be so comforting. manuals have lawyers involved and lawyers don't like cowboys in this arena.
 
you'd think manuals might go extinct, however a board like handloads doesn't tell me testing performed. hodgdon, alliant, barnes etc data i would trust as safe but johnny rockets "accuracy" handload might not be so comforting. manuals have lawyers involved and lawyers don't like cowboys in this arena.
They could make it a paid subscription, online access. He was referring to printed manuals.
 
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