Labor intensive.

[dahermit]

I just cast about 500 of these and have begun to seat the checks on them. I had forgotten how labor intensive making these and getting them checked, sized to lock the checks on, powder coating and sizing them again is. If I did not already have the two RCBS molds, I would just use my plain-base Lee's. But I do like gas checks on bullets for my .38 Supers.

 

[Unclenick]

They look good.

I came to like the 6-cavity molds because of the time they save casting. All the other steps, though, take as much time regardless of the casting.

 

[dahermit]

They look good.

I came to like the 6-cavity molds because of the time they save casting. All the other steps, though, take as much time regardless of the casting.

I use two of the RCBS gas check design when I cast... pour one, set it down, pour the other, etc. Those RCBS moulds only come in two cavity design.

However, for most of my other casting of pistol bullets, I use two identical Lee six-cavity moulds, pour one, set it down to cool pour the other, etc.

I have found that the Lee six cavity moulds will eventually (after many thousands), warp and no longer close completely. I consider them as disposable items (Lee six cavity moulds are not all that expensive after all), ordering new when they warp.

There were some stretches' in the past wherein I would shoot 96 rounds (multiple of revolver speed loaders and aluminum loading blocks), seven days a week and needed a lot of bullets.

With plain base, I cast, powder coat, size and shoot them. With gas checked bullets for my .38 Super(s), I would have to seat the check, then size (to lock the check on), shake n' bake powder coat, and size again. If I just seat the check without sizing to crimp it on, the shake part of the powder coating process will sometimes dislodge a check or two.

For the bulk of my (revolver) shooting in the past, I use two Lee 130 grain flat, round nose, plain base six-cavity moulds.

But with the primer shortage, I am shooting more .38 Super inasmuch as I can use small rifle primers (which I happened to have in reserve). If and when the primer cost comes down, I have approximately 7,000 of those Blue powder coated bullets waiting to go.

Addendum: Another step with the cast lead bullets and .38 Super is that I test 100% of my loaded rounds using the "plunk test" with the unmounted barrel's chamber... very small imperfections that cannot be readily seen in the lead and/or powder coating can cause a stoppage. Given that I do 100% testing of the rounds, any stoppage can be attributed to other causes (like magazines, etc.) and not the cast lead rounds themselves. I find that rounds meant for the revolvers do not need 100% fit to chamber inspection.