Hi fellow cast bullet enthusiasts.

Like many of you, I have used thousands of these copper alloy bullet base protectors over the years. In the past few years or so, I got to wondering about their history, when they were first introduced and by whom, testing that was done prior to they're introduction, and so on.

I dug around my library and found one of the answers I was looking for in Lyman's Centennial Journal 1878 - 1978. On page 31 it mentions that the gas check was first shown in Ideal Handbook No. 17 published in 1906. The illustration shows a "gas check cup" which appears to have some internal ribs running lengthwise in it. The official patent date is March 12, 1907.

I had read somewhere that the 308284 bullet designed for the .30 U.S. Govt. (.30-40) was the first bullet specifically designed to use the then new gas check. The next was the 308291 for the .30-30 & .303 Savage, then the 319295 for the .32-40 followed by 375295 for the .38-55.

But what event lead up to the research and development of this new cast bullet device? A hint of that was noted in Ideal's 1904 manual. Dr. Walter G. Hudson, who was a World Champion Rifle shooter and held many records in his day was working on the problem of trying to achieve 1,500 f.p.s. in the .30-40 with 200+ grain bullets for "fine work at 500 yards". The problem he encountered in trying to achieve that goal was fusion, or gas cutting as we know it today.

He tried experimenting with antimonial alloys for stronger bullets but fusion persisted. He worked with J.H. Barlow of Ideal on bullet design and diameters, even to the point of using a front "gas check" band (front driving band) diameter of .325"(!) but to no avail.

It appears that between the years of 1904 and 1905, Dr. Hudson and Mr. Barlow of Ideal Manufacturing Co. hit upon the idea that a copper alloy spacer to insulate the bullet from the hot powder gases might work. At first they tried copper discs which seemed to do well with plain based bullets. Further development lead to the cup profile and the Ideal bullet #308284.

Since the gas checked 308284 worked very well, Mr. Barlow set to work to develop additional gas checked bullets very quickly. Samples of cartridges loaded to factory velocities with the new bullet designs were sent to the Marlin Firearms Co. and Savage Arms Company for their evaluation. Marlin reported “We have the pleasure of reporting to you that these appear to be in every way equal to factory loaded ammunition with metal jacketed bullets.“ Savage wrote back that they tested them in the .30-30 and .303 Savage and they compared favorably in accuracy with their jacketed bullets.

A few years later, in 1909, the Ideal Handbook No. 19 illustrated a total of 15 different gas checked bullets in calibers ranging from the .25-20 up to .38-55.

It is known that these first gas checks were designed to fall from the base of the bullet shortly after leaving the muzzle. Some 60 or so years later, Hornady Manufacturing came along with a new crimp on engineered gas check designed to stay with the bullet in flight.

If any one has anything to add or to modify any of this information, please post it so that we may know the complete story of the Gas Check

John

aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w30wcf

John: I enjoyed that little bit of history. There's an instance of guys identifying a problem and coming up with a solution and the concept really hasn't been improved on yet. But if jacketed bullets hadn't become so prevalent in useage who knows what might have come next? besto

John,

Many thanks for the historical background on gas checks! I never cease to be amazed at your depth of background and knowledge on cast bullet lore. We are all the richer for your posts, and I thank you so much for taking the time to share with us all you do!

God Bless,

Marshall

Marshall,

Thank you for the kind words. Interestingly, history was my absolute worst subject in school, but I find the historic roots of cast bullet shooting to be very nostalgic. Since I am lucky enough to have some of the early IDEAL Handbooks, there is a treasure trove of information in them.

Ideal also offered separate molds to cast lead tips in them which could then be inserted in the regular bullet mold. (And we thought this was a recent development.) The earliest illustrations of this appeared with the early gas checked bullets.

In a letter dated February 7, 1906 regarding the 308291 gas checked bullet in the .30-30, it said "They are perfection for my .30-30 Winchester at all ranges I have tried up to 400 yards. The accuracy is fine, fully as good as with the metal jacketed bullet, sights set at the same elevation; charge of powder used was 22 grs. of Laflin & Rand Lightning. I found no fusion. My barrel cleaned easily."

This is getting more nostalgic! I have some "Lightning" powder which was given to me by the head ballastician at Hercules powder company several years ago. I'll have to load 22 grs. and see what happens. (Lightning is a disc powder which is similar in burning rate to 4198. It was introduced in 1898 and discontinued in the 40s')

I understand that when the next Handloaders Digest comes out later this year, that there will be a story by friend Jim Foral going into great detail about the development of .30-40 cast bullet loads for armory ranges around the turn of the last century and the experiments that eventually lead up to the development of Ideal's 311284 gas check bullet. It should make for some very interesting reading.

Sincerely,
John

aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w30wcf