Just got a Ruger Super Redhawk in .44 mag I have 400, 300-gr hard cast bullets .250" meplat dia that are not gas checked.

My question is this, at what level do I load to avoid leading in my barrel. I have heard that if you go beyond a certain point, you will lead up because of flaming the bottom of the bullet etc.

I am going want to load 21.5 gr H110 with this bullet. After I get these shot up, I probably will order from Marshal Stanton at Beartooth so I can use a wider meplat dia of .340"

Any help would be appreciated.

I used to install gas checks when I loaded to over 1,200'/sec to avoid leading the barrel. Maybe it wasn't necessary but it seemed to work for me.

Loading home cast 240 & 250 gr bullets in my 44 mag.,without gas checks, have never been a problem for me using scrap lead mixes. Proper sizing and a good lube should keep your barrel lead free. The photo of your bullet makes me think it could use another lube grove because of its length.

quote:

Originally posted by "JB":
..I have 400, 300-gr hard cast bullets .250" meplat dia that are not gas checked. ...My question is this, at what level do I load to avoid leading in my barrel. I have heard that if you go beyond a certain point, you will lead up because of flaming the bottom of the bullet etc....

Hey JB, It depends on the Alloy of the Bullet, how well it fits the Chamber(and then the Bore) and the Powder being used. (I hate that kind of answer.)

Some Alloys lead if you go slow and some if you go fast.

My old tired eyes do not see where that 300gr Bullet of yours is designed for a Gas Check. If the small "step" is on the Base, I just can't see it.

But, there is an alternative that many of us used years and years ago - Milk Carton Gas Checks.

You take a Fired Case and drill out the Primer Hole to a larger size. DO NOT Resize it, but sharpen the Case Mouth with a Chamfer Tool.

Now use the Case as a "Cutter" to create Milk Carton Gas Checks. That Waxed Paper retards the heat long enough to keep the burning Powder from "melting" the Bullet Base. You may need one or two set atop the Powder depending on the Waxed Paper thickness.

The large hole in the Primer pocket allows you to push them out of your Cutter.

I've also used Styrofoam Meat Trays, but prefer the old Milk Carton material.

Best of luck to you.

Hotcore your right this bullet is not designed for a gas check. I have noticed that more and more bullets such as those from Beartooth and Cast Performance are gas checked and so I asked the question.

This bullet 300-gr WFNGC from Beartooth Bullets is probably what I will be using in the future after these others are shot up.

I will be using these 425-gr WLNG with a 0.374 meplat dia in a Marlin 45-70 Guide Gun.

Thanks for the feed back.

I have used Gas checks upside down behind 250gr bullets, that weren't designed for GCs in my .454 Casull and .45 colt. I have found no problems with doing it this way, and have pushed the bullets to some high velocitys soing this.
Mike

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
I used to install gas checks when I loaded to over 1,200'/sec to avoid leading the barrel. Maybe it wasn't necessary but it seemed to work for me.

Me too. If a load is going to evelop much overe 1200 FPS MV, I like a gascheck. However, note that .22 LR HV bullets clock around 1330 FPS MV, and all they use to avoid leading is a coating of grease.......

quote:

Originally posted by MikeN:
I have used Gas checks upside down behind 250gr bullets, that weren't designed for GCs in my .454 Casull and .45 colt. I have found no problems with doing it this way, and have pushed the bullets to some high velocitys soing this.Mike

I do the same in a .45/70 using the Lyman 457122 HP at a MV of close to 2000 FPS, and it works great.

I used to launch soft cast lead (no gas check) at 1600+ from my SBH with no leading, however I used the old Alox/beeswax soft lube.
Looking at the lube on those bullets, I'm going to guess that it's a hard lube (IMHO hard lube is better in a rifle, not a handgun).
Recover a few slugs from down range, any lube left on the bullet didn't do you any good.

The theory I like states that the lube gets blown off the side of the bullet by the primer blast, before the base opturates and seals the bore. The bullet than slides in it's own lube.

The other theory is that the lube from bullet 1 lubes the barrel for bullet #2. I don't buy into that theory.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeN:
I have used Gas checks upside down ...

Hey JB, Mike and El D have provided a much better solution to the situation than I did.

I REALLY like the thought of the inverted Gas Checks. Should even prevent gas-cutting created by the Blow-By that Tailgunner mentioned.
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By the way, those sure are some outstanding looking Bullets in the pictures. I'll guess that they should make some fine Griz medicine.

Meant to say, Welcome Aboard earlier. Always good to have another reloader come on Board.

In my experience the commercially cast SSK-pattern TCFP has too small a crimp groove when used in heavy kicking loads in 44 magnum and 45 Colt revolvers. That and the meplat is too small by half. As for the skinny single grease groove I experienced little or no leading in the 1200-1300 fps range. I've run plain base LBTs by Beartooth and Cast Performance into the 1400s with no troubles, but most of the interesting .429 and .452 LBT-pattern bullets come with gas checks these days.