RCBS 35-200-FN cast without gas check

[rickt300]

I have this mold I would like to try without the gas check, planning on pushing it to around 1700 fps from my 35 Remington. Will cast from wheelweight material and push with IMR 4227 or AA 2520. Lube will be Alox. Should I water cool? Will the lack of gas check cause accuracy problems? I would like to air cool, load unsized and use it as a short range deer load. I can cast 50/50 pure lead and Wheel weight material if this would be better. Looking for advice and opinions.

[TedH]

In my experience, bullets that are designed for a gas check will always shoot more accurately with a gas check in place. Straight air cooled wheel weights will work fine for a hunting bullet at the speed you're wanting. What's the diameter of the bullets as cast? If they're a couple thousandths too big, you may run into problems with them chambering. Load up a dummy round and make sure they'll function before loading a mess of them. The alox will work fine as well. If you're using a fairly fast powder you may do good enough for short range work without the gas checks. The only way to know is to try it, but I suspect you'll get some leading at that speed without a gas check.

If it were me, I would buy a box of gas checks and a Lee push through sizing die to size them and crimp the gas checks in place.

[fordwannabe]

I can't comment on using that bullet without a gc but I know my 336 showed a marked preference in the sizing dept. I tried each sizer from357 to 360 and it liked 358 ,not so much for 359, and 360 was horrible ,so you might want to check it. I mean no disrespect but each rifle is an individual and very seldom do I have more than one rifle or handgun that uses the same exact loading, not saying I don't find one that all will use but that for optimum acc and vel' it may not be the same load. good luck and please report your results. Thanks Tom

[rickt300]

I'll try it my way and if it works I'll fill us all in. I haven't cast any yet but now that Christmas is out of the way I can get to the kitchen but the wife isn't back to work yet.