To check, or not to check

[henry8734]

Hey all, I have been drooling over different molds and sizes ect. I thought maybe I'd order one with 2 gc cavities and 2 plain base cavities. Or just get a 5 cavity pb or 5 cavity gc lol. I don't know... brought the question.... just shoot a gc bullet without the gc, until I need them. So what would you do? Order a plain base, or gc? It would be for a 44 mag. Probably not run that hot.... but you never know... smith and wesson 629, ruger new model bh, and a dragoon, single action... I forget the make.

[hunter74]

Buy one mould for checks. You can shoot boolitd without checks if you want to.

If you buy a new FB mould you only have one option

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[Smk SHoe]

Almost all my molds are cut for GC's. But I use very few of them. Better to have it and not need it verse need it and not have it.

[Piedmont]

For a revolver other than a VERY high pressure one like a .454 Casuul, I would buy a plainbase mold. You can run them full out if the alloy is hard (or water dropped for hardness) and you won't have to fiddle with or buy checks (or make them). If there was carbine use involved and I would sometimes load to full velocity in it I would go with a gas check mold. So in your case, buy a plain base mold.

[paul h]

I've fire 1000's of plainbase bullets at full magnum pressures and velocities in the 357 mag, 44 mag and 480. When using coww alloy or similar air cooled or water dropped, there is simply no need for a gas check. I have plainbase and gascheck molds in all those calibers, but my preference is a plain base mold.

[Drew P]

Almost all my molds are cut for GC's. But I use very few of them. Better to have it and not need it verse need it and not have it.

Are you concerned that GC cuts could contribute to leading?

[Retumbo]

Checks... I put that <beep> on everything

[Blammer]

I'd get the 2 and 2 mould.

[Blammer]

variety, two GC'd, two plain base, with and without HP.

[gwpercle]

For the first mould, and this is 44 mag/special , get a plain base. You can cover a lot of reloading ground with a plain base. You will probably shoot way more loads that don't need a check than do need one.
Save up and buy another mould with a gas check. After shooting a while you might want another style or weight along with that check and if gas checked you could use that hollow point feature.

A 4 cavity with 2 PB and 2 GC sounds like the best idea , but in real life it's just 2 double cavity moulds stuck together. With a 3 or 4 cavity mould you can take advantage of that free time and correct casting conditions to drop as many boolits as possible.
Besides, life's too short to have only one mould!
Gary

[dragon813gt]

I've been buying four cavity molds from NOE that are 2&2. For low volume rifles this is perfect. For pistols it's working well so far. If the design work well I will go back and buy a four cavity in either GC or PB depending on what it's going to be used in. I've also bought a four cavity PB and two cavity GC of the same design at the same time. I shoot more PB bullets more than GC so I want higher production for them.