Make yopr own Gas Checks...that fit too loosely?

Wallyl

Active Member
I make my own in numerous calibers. I bought Freechex II tools years ago; each cost a bit more than a box of GCs. Some GC bullets have small GC shanks---it is a bit of a challenge to make a GC that will fit tight on them. One"trick" is to use thicker aluminum stock, but it is tricky to find thicker stock and to remember which size for which cast bullet. I noticed in our mail all sorts of campaign flyers on heavy stock paper....so I placed some aluminum strip in my GC tool with a topping of the stock paper---it made a beautiful GC that fit superbly on the bullet shanks I have trouble fitting homemade GCs on---the Lyman 429215 is one that has been the most challeging. The aluminum stock I used was .008"...which is what I have the most of and the one that is easiest to work with. On some cast rifle bullets I had been using thicker aluminum stock----I found using a strip of stock regular paper is just right for the few that have a slightly "too small" GC shank.
 

Wallyl

Active Member
Bill,

I wish I had thought of it sooner!!!! I use GCs pretty often with Mag pistol & cast rifl;e bullet loads...sure glad I don't have to buy them as I used to.
 

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Good idea, Wallyl!
I have made .30 and 6,5 checks for some years now. Recently recieved tools for .30 PB, and .44. Tools for .22, .35 and .35PB are ordered and hopefully underway, soon. I use the Pat Marlin check makers.

Making the checks takes a bit of time. But I find that my home-made checks are very easy to seat properly, I save some time in the seating process. I live in Norway, which makes the supply line for commercial checks pretty long (and prone to the effects of panic buying), and the price of commercial checks pretty steep.

My standard material, is 0.011 aluminum. It is perfect for .30-checks. It also works for 6,5- but is thicker than necessary. For the 6,5 I use aluminum from cheap, disposable aluminum serving trays (0.006in) or even beer can material.

When you cut the disks with the checkmaker tool, one side of the disk will have a slightly rounded edge, while the other has some burrs. When forming the disks into cups, I place the disk with the burred edge facing up. The disk will self-center more easily, and the burrs will end up facing the bullet shaft (biting into it).

When making checks for the .44, my standard 0.011 aluminum was to thin; fit was loose. I added a disk from beercan material, and they worked perfectly. When combining two metal disks, they allign better in the forming die when oriented with the burred edges facing each other.
 

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Wallyl

Active Member
Spindrift I tried the added beer can aluminum to a regular aluminum strip in the .44 Caliber...with mixed results...the thick paper for me has worked better. Even tried 2 & 3 layers of thin beer can strips. The big issue was it was hard to keep them flat as teh metal is a bit "springy". When you cut out an aluminum strip, to be used to make yours GCs...place the heavy paper stock over it so that it is of the same size as the aluminum strip---it is then easy to position them in the GC making tool body, to make your gas checks.
 

Wallyl

Active Member
You might try various thicknesses...see which works the best. I did so using .008" aluminum strip with heavy paper (.009")---the GC made fits my Lyman 29215 bullet perfectly when sized to .431"--they don't pull off. If I were to use thicker aluminum---(the biggest I can find is .011") doesn't work as well for me on that particular bullet...a bullet I use the most often.
 

Wallyl

Active Member
I made a batch of GCs using the technique mentioned; then using my Lyman Lube/Sizer, attached them to a Lyman 429251 & a Lee 240 SWC-GC .44 Caliber bullets, doing a hundred of each. No issues whatsoever. The GCs stay put and a bonus. The heavy stock paper forces the aluminum to make a sharper edge, which I happen to believe is better than the usual rounded edge.