NOE does a 32gr bullet but since noone does 17 checks it's a flat base.
So how fast can a non check bullet be pushed?

I don't think you can get much more than 1500-1600 fps with a plain base before you get leading. Depends on the bore and hardness. You might ask over on the Cast Boolits forum about the 17cal checks. I bet someone is making them. you are still going to be limited to probably 2400 maybe less in that small bore.

I fully question whether a gas check serves any purpose whatsoever. I used them for years. Then I happened to be out of them and shot some .22 cals without the check and could not tell a speck of difference. Accuracy the same and no leading. Leading is more a function of fit and lube. I do use Felix lube. These were the 58 grain RCBS mold and velocity was around 2000-2200 fps. I did the same in my .243 with the 95 grain RCBS mold. I can't say for sure the velocity--the Lyman manual showed about 2400 fps, but I used a guys chronograph and it showed 2900 fps??? The other loads I tested showed what I expected. The owner of the chronograph tested several loads and he said chronie was working normal and he had lots of experience with it. Whichever the velocity, no leading nor any drop of accuracy. Some say the gas check keeps the base from melting. That would be an amazing feat to melt lead with the very small time of exposure---you can't do it with a cutting torch. Recover a cast bullet and the lube is intact. If it got hot enough to melt the base, the lube would be liquid and spin off. So I'd say load them as hot as you would with the gas check and you'll be good to go.

I shoot 50 gr. H&N copper-washed round nose lead bullets outa the 22 Hornet with 5 grs. of Hercules Unique; sorta like a 22 Magnum on steriods. Accurate, virtualy no recoil and lotsa fun to shoot. Great for off hand practice.

Yeah, the bullets have the copper-plating, I've never noted one bit of smear in the the bore.

I've found that the tendency to lead is also related to the bullet diameter. The bigger the diameter, the more "flywheel effect" it has... and the more energy it takes to overcome inertia in order to spin it up. This means the pressure of the lead against the side of the groove that does the spinning increases with bullet diameter. I've always noticed more leading with .44-.45 bullets than with, say .30 cal., so this makes sense to me.

That said... you would think you could drive the crap out of a .17 before leading becomes an issue.

Porosonik.

I made 17 caliber bullets with round nose and weighted in at 22.5 grs. I shot these in 17 Rem. with 2 grs of bullseye powder for squirrels. I made two grooves to hold lyman grease. These shot about like 22 LR ammo. I made the cherry to cut the mold by grinding a 3/6 in HS end mill to about .174 and push the bullet thru a die to size down to .172 dia. No leading.

Mould arrived today and i cast some to test.
A range day will follow in the very near future.

17 Hornet with a pill mounted:

Well that is "cute." Looks like a proper Elephant round. Just shrunk in the wash a bit. I hope it works well for you!