Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

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07Kingpin
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Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by 07Kingpin »

Looking at Accurate Molds 220gr BO mold and it seems to be a plain base, no gas check.

Running strictly subsonic (obviously) is this a viable choice?

Accuracy issues?

Being used in a RAR.
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dellet
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Re: Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by dellet »

I personally will not use a gas check with a suppressor. If one should come off inside, one of the next few shots will probably get real expensive.

I have used gas check capable bullets without the gas check, but don't ever buy them or a mold if there is a choice. If you are staying under 1500 fps, unless you are using some of the highest pressure powders, there is no reason to use a gas check.

No reason that it should not be reasonably accurate.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
cdl
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Re: Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by cdl »

The gas checked NOE 311-230-FN's, powder coated and with gas checks, group tighter for me. I've shot piles through a suppressor without separation or a problem. But then I'm luckier than most folk ...

Before I switched to the gas checked molds, I used the standard base version. With those, I ran quite a few plain base bullets with plain base gas checks punched out and formed of aluminium (pop cans), thin copper (Ebay) and even a sheet of brass (little too hard). Seemed most of those thin plane base checks would sluff off about 8' out from the suppressor and litter the ground. Still, they shot tighter than just a plain, plain base, but not as good as the more normal, and less hassle commercial gas checks I shoot now.

I'm not convinced it's a big deal if they do come off. But if you're one of those unlucky types, and it's your responsibility to know who you are, you should probably stick to plain base or jacketed bullets and spend the time looking for double charges or falling pianos or something.
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dellet
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Re: Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by dellet »

cdl wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:07 pm The gas checked NOE 311-230-FN's, powder coated and with gas checks, group tighter for me. I've shot piles through a suppressor without separation or a problem. But then I'm luckier than most folk ...

Before I switched to the gas checked molds, I used the standard base version. With those, I ran quite a few plain base bullets with plain base gas checks punched out and formed of aluminium (pop cans), thin copper (Ebay) and even a sheet of brass (little too hard). Seemed most of those thin plane base checks would sluff off about 8' out from the suppressor and litter the ground. Still, they shot tighter than just a plain, plain base, but not as good as the more normal, and less hassle commercial gas checks I shoot now.

I'm not convinced it's a big deal if they do come off. But if you're one of those unlucky types, and it's your responsibility to know who you are, you should probably stick to plain base or jacketed bullets and spend the time looking for double charges or falling pianos or something.
Kind of curious to know how you know where they fell off. They won't fall straight to the ground and the muzzle blast will carry them at least a few feet?

What I will shoot through a suppressor changed a bit when I had to have one re-cored because the bullets were coming apart.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
cdl
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Re: Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by cdl »

dellet wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:27 pm
Kind of curious to know how you know where they fell off.
I was experimenting with those plain base gas checks coming out of winter a few springs ago. I first noticed them sitting on top of crusted snow, right there out in front of me. It wasn't a fluke. Ultimately I had quite a pile because I decided to use up all the sized bullets I had made. Basically, I didn't like the way they tended to come off and moved on.

Back then I was loading short, trying to use less powder and GI mags. Well, you jamb the base of a cast bullet deep in the powder and what you get get is flame cutting and major lead build-up on the break and in the suppressor. A double coat of powder coat would even burn off and accuracy was really bad. Add a gas check and accuracy got better. Seat the bullet out farther, use 300 Blk mags and things get even better. Add commercial gas check to that, even better. That's were I am today, One coat of powder coat, a commercial gas check and the least amount of IMR4227 that'll run my gun at 1000 fps, 9.5gr.

Now I'm on to N110. With N110, bullets seem to need to be seated even longer to keep the velocities down. Reliability, consistency and accuracy are still an open question, but they do sound a little "airier". To me at least. Might not find gas checks help with these.

The IMR4227 load is still my standard though.
popper
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Re: Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by popper »

Just today I was shooting my BO pistol with 185gr GC (PC and NO GC) - ~1200 fps. Worked fine. 50/50 COWW/pure alloy. No GC are NOT mandatory for low pressure loads. Do note, you have pistol gas system and that does some base gas cutting when it goes by the hole.
yooper_sjd
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Re: Subsonic cast plain base vs gas check?

Post by yooper_sjd »

Well, I been shooting a sized down 155 gr 312 (suppose to be gas checked) But I powder coat and keep a decent grouping at 100 yds. no I don't shoot suppressed....
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