Gas Checks... Oh, Rick!!!!

Rally Hess

Well-Known Member
Thanks Pete, that helps me confirm what I've come to believe. When I got one of the check tools from NOE, I even made .30 cal checks out of a bunch of copper .32 checks I'd picked up in a deal. The check tool really squares the base and makes the shoulder angles sharp to fit the sharp bases of the bullets. Now when my checks are in place they are flat square and any blemish in the bullet base is obvious through the check.
I buy the Amerimax aluminum coils and cut them in strips on a paper cutter. then put them in my pizza oven for 11 minutes. They get hot pretty fast (heating element top and bottom) and the difference is obvious, just flexing the strips when they are done. Not real scientific but seems to work.
 

bullseye67

New Member
Good evening,
This is a very interesting topic. I used to make all my checks with aluminum flashing as it came off the roll. Just sliced off strips and clunky, clunk away until I filled the container or ran out of strips. About 2 years ago, playing around with powder coating. I made a tray out of aluminum flashing. Well it didn’t workout as it should have and not wanting to waste the aluminum tray. I sliced it up for making gas checks. From heat cycling, powder coating residue and tarnish I ran the strips through a couple of shop towels with “Ed’s red”. When I made checks with them it was like stamping out butter....so smooth and easy. When using the checks they don’t have the spring back and hold on better than Hornady copper checks. Shooting steel at 200 and 300 yards I often find the checks laying on the ground all around the plates. I tried shooting into the end of a piece of firewood and the check stayed on 4 of the 5 shots, when I dug them out.
All it takes to try is put some aluminum flashing strips in the oven, crank it on high for 20 minutes. Come back when cooled off. I still wipe with “Ed’s Red” and run through the check maker. Try them on some boolits....
Works for me hopefully for all those who try it.
Have an awesome long weekend!!
 

VZerone

Active Member
I've come to the conclusion (through shooting) that annealing gaschecks is an internet myth just as is fast twist barrels won't shoot cast bullets accurately. I have done extensive testing with the aluminum checks I made against Hornady. Most often ( that means not ALL the time) I get a wee bit more accuracy with my aluminum checks. Depending on caliber I've used flashing (not powder coated) and soffit, which is powder coated, and have had no ill effects...that is no build up of powder coat in the bore. I think too that if gaschecks were suppose to be annealed the manufacturers would sale them annealed. Are the jackets on factory jacketed bullets annealed? I'm not talking about the ones you guys swage.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
factory jacketed bullets annealed? Yup, just like brass is annealed when forming. One of the problems with torch annealing is uniformity. one side dead soft and the other side almost? Dead soft get gas cut at HV/pressure? Then you also get to chase the ones that 'popped' someplace when heating - always fun. Annealed Cu can get below 30 BHN so if yo shoot high 20 H.T. boolits, do you gain anything? IMHO mildly annealed will get a better fit to the base. IMHO, for HV, proper material and installation of GC is as impportant as alloy. I think Bama & BTSniper have it right, swage the bullet & GC in the die for a perfect(?) base.
 

VZerone

Active Member
During the actual process of making (drawing) the jacket..... Yes... In fact they are!

Yes true and they are controlled to get a certain hardness through all the working. They aren't dead annealed when you get them as bullets. Kind of like cartridge cases.
 

Intheshop

Banned
A collet style crimper can be made to work easy enough.You wouldn't be able to beat or pry them off!.... this can be as complex (to include other swaging efforts to base) or as Fred Flintstone as needed.

Only issue here with copper Hornady's is an occasional difference in cup height viewing unseated examples.
 

Eutectic

Active Member
I've come to the conclusion (through shooting) that annealing gaschecks is an internet myth just as is fast twist barrels won't shoot cast bullets accurately.
Factory would anneal them if they needed it huh? The real trouble Hornady leaves for us (and any formed check may also have) is stress... They are formed and the 90° corner is worked the most..... The hardness is not uniform and the work hardened bend make them springy on the corner. Even stress relieved some would help. They just give them to you as they punch'em. What do you want for $40 a thousand! I don't have time for Internet myths. I am testing something every day. I'll anneal my gaschecks whether Hornady does or not. Shoot them springboards if they suit your fancy!:headbang:

Pete
 

Intheshop

Banned
Pete, I use the hammer style bullet puller.Don't pull that many? and never had a real desire to buy into collet style puller.

But,if I wanted a true mechanical GC crimper,would order up an RCBS version collet puller and go from there.VS,starting from scratch.Whats the $$?.... so,you waste a collet insert?

I may get one off fleabay just to see.
 
Last edited:

Intheshop

Banned
Just looked on the bay,no cheap .30's..... but it would work.Need to do a little internal grind/relief to create the crimping station near the end.There's also a cam'd lever available as an "upgrade" which would work faster than the std threaded T handle.

I'll snag one,but gotta be patient..... get it cheap.
 

Ian

Notorious member
A cheap collet tool ripe for modifying by Freds and Icons alike is the Lee collet sizing die.
 

quicksylver

Well-Known Member
Ok I missed the first paragraph..Why are we annealing checks?Something wrong with the mold and checks won't fit?
 

popper

Well-Known Member
Just did some Cu GC using the 'slow' method. 400F for an hour on my hot plate. Releives stress and soften them just a bit. Got some 185gr for the BO to test against non-annealed. Fit & squareness is as good as I can measure - installed with 311 Lee, then 308 sizer after PC cooking.