Gas Checks

[Red Owl]

I recently bought a Ruger Bisley in 454 Casull and I like it a lot but the ammo is very expensive. I want to reload and go slightly more mild, more 44 magnum "ish". I am thinking a 250 grain lead bullet at around 1,000 fps at the muzzle. I have run into a lot of issues.
1. Powder charge. The case is so large that a small charge could not ignite properly causing all sorts of trouble. The powder used has to be suitable.
2. Primer. On the 44 magnum you don't need a small rifle primer, I am thinking if I reload to lower pressure (24,000 cup) then maybe a small pistol primer s/b okay.
3. Bullet Hard cast? Gas Check? I cast 250 gr .451 sized for my Colt 45 peacemaker. The round does leave some lead fouling so I figure if it gets bumped up to 1,000 fps there will be a lot of lead fouling. I don't have a hardness tester. Can I use wheel weights and add tin etc in a ratio and be fairly certain the hardness is okay or is it more complicated? If I just use wheel weights but go with a gas check design and add the gas check, then will the gas check reduce the lead fouling even if I am using wheel weights or do I still need a harder lead alloy?
4. Factory crimp die by Lee. This is recommended but I am thinking maybe just for full power loads. I don't use it for the 44 Magnum and I've never had any issues. On a mild 454 Casull, do I need the crimp die?

 

[deepwater]

3. Wheel weights + gas check + good lube + proper sizing = gtg
4. I would crimp. Easy operation and it adds a little powder protection.

 

[Bill K]

Wheel weight lead is fine, gas check them and work up some loads with Trail Boss, it fill cases very well and works amazing for light loads.

 

[AJC]

Does your mold support gas checks. I powder coat to escape the expense of gas checks but my bullets have a full base. Gas checks can help scrape lead buildup out of your barrel and a lot of guys shoot a few jacketed rounds at the end of a session to the same effect.

 

[Rsadams]

Shooting jacketed bullets through a leaded barrel will make life suck...It will help smear the lead and make it alot worse to remove.... Not shooting hot lead loads is the best lead defense in my opinion....I would definitely put a good crimp on long revolver rounds , you will get a better burn... Don't ask how I found out , I was running into alot of your problems downloading .38 loads with crap primers... A good primer and crimp solved alot of my problems...

 

[mike mccormick]

Keep using small rifle primers. Use a moderate crimp( improves uniformity). I use 10-12 grs of Unique with a 255 gr hard cast. No gas check necessary. Size bullets .002" over bore diameter

 

[SSL]

I recently bought a Ruger Bisley in 454 Casull and I like it a lot but the ammo is very expensive. I want to reload and go slightly more mild, more 44 magnum "ish". I am thinking a 250 grain lead bullet at around 1,000 fps at the muzzle. I have run into a lot of issues.
1. Powder charge. The case is so large that a small charge could not ignite properly causing all sorts of trouble. The powder used has to be suitable.
2. Primer. On the 44 magnum you don't need a small rifle primer, I am thinking if I reload to lower pressure (24,000 cup) then maybe a small pistol primer s/b okay.
3. Bullet Hard cast? Gas Check? I cast 250 gr .451 sized for my Colt 45 peacemaker. The round does leave some lead fouling so I figure if it gets bumped up to 1,000 fps there will be a lot of lead fouling. I don't have a hardness tester. Can I use wheel weights and add tin etc in a ratio and be fairly certain the hardness is okay or is it more complicated? If I just use wheel weights but go with a gas check design and add the gas check, then will the gas check reduce the lead fouling even if I am using wheel weights or do I still need a harder lead alloy?
4. Factory crimp die by Lee. This is recommended but I am thinking maybe just for full power loads. I don't use it for the 44 Magnum and I've never had any issues. On a mild 454 Casull, do I need the crimp die?

If you decide you need gas checks, try Sage Outdoors (online). Great people, good prices and flawless products that seat easily and secure. I use them with 300-grain Lee bullets for both my .45 Colt and with sabots for a .50 caliber muzzleloader.

 

[rockrat]

mike mccormick has it right. Check your barrel groove size and cylinder throat size. Hopefully your throats are larger than your groove size. You want to size usually max. 0.001" over cylinder throat size. You MIGHT be able to use small pistol primers since you are planning on mild loads. Gas checks not needed and WW's will be fine. Might add 1% tin for castablility if needed. I shot thousands of round thru my 44 mags using a 250gr and running about 1000 fps.

 

[Uncle Ed]

Just load plated bullets in .45 colt cases, the plated bullets have a gas check that covers the entire bullet..

454 casull reduced loads​

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?286197-454-casull-reduced-loads

As a side note, I sold my S&W 29 .44 magnum to my son and now have two .44 Specials.
In my younger days I would tell my buddy lets go shooting until our hands bleed. Now I tell him lets go shooting until our arthritis starts to bother us.

Or you can buy a Glock .40 and shoot lite loads that land next to your right foot.

Make Right With a ".40 Lite"​

https://www.handgunsmag.com/editorial/ammunition_40lite_091806/138689

And Hodgdon's has .454 Trail Boss loading data, just don't go too light.

 

[nicholst55]

Size bullets to cylinder throat diameter (or -.0005"), if they are larger than groove diameter (not bore diameter), which they should be. If they are not, have your cylinder reamed or honed to the proper diameter. It sounds to me like a stoutly loaded .45 Colt would fit your needs better than a .454 Casull does. For the velocity that you're looking for, a gas check is probably not even necessary - if your bullets are not too hard. A properly sized cast bullet of the appropriate hardness (not harder than woodpecker lips) will not lead.

 

[BDman]

Agree with Nichol, I've never found gas checks necessary - just pricier. LBT molds are excellent as are Beartooth bullets - perfect hardness. Don't load them too hot and leading is not an issue. If I ever felt the need for truly magnum
velocity, I'd probably use jacketed bullets. I never have.

 

[JSH]

A lot of good advice here.
Size is king when using CB’s. I myself am not sold on the lipstick bullets, I still use a luber sizer.
Also as mentioned and I will mention again, hard as wood pecker lips bullets don’t usually solve anything.
It seems the 454 likes to run pretty close to full throttle to get smiling results. Original thoughts as I recall, it was designed to shoot lighter bullet at high speed.
I chose the 45 Colt. Both of mine respond well with pop gun loads to Blackhawk only loads. The Blackhawk only are down right obnoxious and can be brutal, if that’s what you seek.

 

[wagonman]

Size bullets to cylinder throat diameter (or -.0005"), if they are larger than groove diameter (not bore diameter), which they should be. If they are not, have your cylinder reamed or honed to the proper diameter. It sounds to me like a stoutly loaded .45 Colt would fit your needs better than a .454 Casull does. For the velocity that you're looking for, a gas check is probably not even necessary - if your bullets are not too hard. A properly sized cast bullet of the appropriate hardness (not harder than woodpecker lips) will not lead.

what nicholst55 stated, fit to the throat not barrel use of gas check at 1000 fps not required on crimp use standard roll I load 454 using 45 colt rcbs carbide dies 10 gr unique 12gr hs-6 is about what will get you to 1000 fps 250 gr. plain base cast my super redhawk is a pussycat with these loads have fun good luck.

 

[mike213]

wheel weight+gas lube proper sizing+gas check,It works for light load.

 

[Twicepop]

Barrel leading is usually caused by too soft of an alloy being driven to fast, or (most likely) flame cutting (melting) undersized bullets. Like a previous post said, your bullets should be sized to +.0005-.001" over the throat diameter of the cylinder (chambers). If you go this route, you'll also need to find a lube that will hold up through the entire length of the barrel.

 

[fatelvis]

Keep using small rifle primers. Use a moderate crimp( improves uniformity). I use 10-12 grs of Unique with a 255 gr hard cast. No gas check necessary. Size bullets .002" over bore diameter

I wasn't aware 44 magnum brass was offered with small primer pockets.

 

[rockrat]

Some 454 casull brass uses small rifle primers. Earlier stuff, IIRC, used large primers

 

[mike mccormick]

I wasn't aware 44 magnum brass was offered with small primer pockets.

454 uses small rifle primers. We weren't discussing a 44

 

[fatelvis]

454 uses small rifle primers. We weren't discussing a 44

If you could see my face, I’m blushing. Lol

 

[pirate ammo]

If you could see my face, I’m blushing. Lol

Don't worry about it, when I first saw the load data for the 454 I thought what the heck.