gas checks

[bear tooth billy]

I put on a couple of buffalo shoots every year, with steel knock down targets. Last fall when we picked up the targets there were 3
gas checks stuck on the targets, plus a hole through one target. I don't think a gas check would cause that but not sure. We
advertise this as lead bullets only, so I'm asking you guys, where you shoot, do you consider a gas check still a lead bullet only

                                          Thanks   BTB

[Silver Creek Slim]

No gas checks where I've done buffalo shoots.

Slim

[Litl Red]

There aren't but a couple of places around here that put on buffalo shoots.   Jacketed bullets and cast with gas checks are considered as modern bullets and not allowed.   

What caliber hole?

It is highly doubtful the hole in that target came from regular old buffalo caliber bullets.  They don't have the velocity and lead doesn't have the strength to punch a hole in steel, especially steel used for targets.   

Even "hard cast" bullets almost completely disintegrate on steel.  Even those bullets that left the gas checks "stuck" to the steel disintegrated.   Even modern full jacketed bullets come apart on steel unless they have the velocity and/or structure. 

You mentioned using knock down targets.  Were they home-made?  Or some that were made for Silhouette matches from times gone by?   

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[Ranch 13]

 Most of the "gong" matches I've been around prohibit gas checks. But that doesn't mean that folks will follow the rules..
From shooting my own steel targets with handguns I don't see much difference between gas check and plain base bullets, except sometimes the gascheck is stuck to the dime and sometimes it isn't.
 I would think the bullet holes in your targets came from either jacketed or possibly a linotype bullet.
Next time when you find those holes might want to question the shooters in that relay..

[Litl Red]

It oughta be fairly easy to spot the shooter that's putting holes in the targets.   If he's shooting an old buffalo caliber, then he's the shooter that has to walk back to the bench after every shot. 

It's real difficult to get lead bullets that are not much over 1000 fps to punch a hole in steel.  To get lead to go through steel those bullets are going to need unreal velocity.  Putting little bitty gas checks on their rear ends isn't going to convince the lead to do anything except melt quicker and splatter more.

It's a pretty good bet the bullet hole came from a modern caliber and just might have been punched by a steel core slug.     

[Blair]

Do you have Range Officers? (RO's) Or "Range Safety Officers"?
My best,
 Blair

[bear tooth billy]

These are steel targets that have been shot quite a bit, possibly there was a bad spot, possibly an air pocket that got hit
just right and the bullet went through?? I put on this shoot and am in charge during the shoot. We have a few shooters who will
only use smokeless powder, and suspect one of them was using gas checks, I wish I could convert them to the holy black.
Thanks for the info on your area rules, I think this year we will not allow gas checks.   Thanks

                                                               BTB

[Big Goose]

BTB,
I host a buffalo match up here on the north slope of the Laurentian divide in northern MN every year second weekend in September.
 Got a herd of 30 steel buffaloes rather like the ones that used to be at Ackley. They are 1/2"  plate withh the biggest ones about 30" high to top of hump.(run side matches concurrently all weekend for .22s, pistol caliber lever guns, single actions and muzzleloaders. A right nice "trail walk" too.)Come on up if you ever get a chance...
  Anyways I have tradtional class for straight black powder/grease groove or PP bulletsand period dress and accoutrements. Open class for any subs, duplex or smokyless, bbut cast bullets only, and at moderate velocities( black powder equivilent speeds)Haven't had a problem with gas checked bullets so far as they are, but one hooplehead did severely damage a couple buffaloes( I stopped him at his third shot). He had some hard casrt linotype 520 grain gaschecked bullets, at just ridiculous velocities in his 45-70. His Browning highwall I'm sure was loaded to max smokeless data.  Punched those cast bullets very nearly through the1/2" plate at 200 yards.
I still allow gas checks but have contestants shoot a couple sighters at the 300 yard  hard wear plate gong to check out their loads right from the get go.
We also have a full size buffalo out of 1/2" plate; sometime during our cowboy match thispast August someone poked some jacketed bullets right through that big fellow. A real bugger to move the durn thing to makr repairs.  There was a couple jackets partially  through .45 caliber with microgroove rifling marks.Guessing some high speed 45-70s, most often though it is the smaller caliber modern fellers that do the damage, when without parental supervision I guess. You'd think guys would be able to read CAST BULLETS ONLY.
anyways, good luck with your buffalo shoot, like to make down that way someday,
Big Goose