More pics of Home grown gas checks results

[Boerrancher]

I am still shooting the same old springfield only moved it out to 100 yards. I must state in the spirit of fairness and honesty, this group was shot while I was zeroing the rifle with the new load. By they time I got it zeroed I was in enough pain that the next five shots fired I was not physically able to hold still long enough to keep the sights on the paper much less the boolits. These three shots were fired consecutivly with no sight adjustment in between any of the shots, so I figure it counts.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk155/Boerrancher/101_0200.jpg

Here is an odd duck for you all to think about when useing home grown gas checks. These photos are of recoverd boolits sized to 309 made with a 50/50 WW and Lino alloy. They have a dbl layer 12 thou thick home made gas check. I fired these boolits into a lage tub of water in order to recover them. These are the same design as what I shot the above group with, only different alloy. These were also shot out of my Martini Henry 303 brit that has a 309 bore. Notice the gas checks are still intact on the base of the boolit. I think I could actually shoot these again, what say all of you?

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk155/Boerrancher/101_0203.jpg

[Bad Karma]

Nice boolits! I just shot a group at 50 yard today using 16.0gr of Unique with the Lee 309-200 out of pure lynotype. The actual weight was 185.3gr. Anyway...what do you make your gas checks from and how do you cut them? They seem to be very intact. I was thinking of coming up with a way of using fired large rifle/pistol primer cups for a .224" gas check.

[JeffinNZ]

JOE: Are you using alum?

Good results!

[RU shooter]

Nice job! Have you tried to recover any sized bigger say .311-312 ,I know my .009 brass matl. checks grip very well when I sized some for my Dad to .309

[Just Duke]

Fantastic! Tell us, is it two layers of Aluminum for your gas checks?
Whose GC maker were you using BR?

[JIMinPHX]

Notice the gas checks are still intact on the base of the boolit. I think I could actually shoot these again, what say all of you?



I think that 357Max has done that with recovered boolits.

[Boerrancher]

The gas checks are made by punching alum disks out of 0.006 in thick material. I use a 3/8 in hole punch to make the disks. For those you see on the back of the boolit, I put 2 of those disks together and ran them through the forming die a friend of mine made, and bingo a gas check that was free. The tool I use to make the gas check with is not Charlie Darnell's. I do have one of his tools and it works well, but it is very small and hard for me to use, esp on my bad days. A friend of mine made one and it is considerably larger and easier for me to hold in my hands on days they don't want to work well.

Here is a photo of my standard gas check material. I cut the ends off of it with a pocket knife and split the side with shears. I then flatten it out a bit and then go to punching my 3/8 in disks. Unlike all the other beverage cans I have mic'ed these tend to be a bit thicker than the standard 4.5 to 5 thousandths and come in at 6 thou.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk155/Boerrancher/arizona.jpg

I buy mine at a discount grocery store for 69 cents each. The tea in side is pretty tasty and the can provides at least 50 double layer gas checks. Not a bad price for a beverage that tastes good on a hot day at the range that also shoots well too.

Best Wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[threett1]

I shop the same place Joe.:-D So thats what I need to do with all my green tea cans. I buy it by the case.

[uncle joe]

I say use them again Joe they look good as new. cost half as much
:-D

[pjh421]

I believe they're free upon any subsequent firings. It would be nice to see an after photo of how the engraving marks repositioned themselves on the next firing and to know whether you experienced any greater amount of leading then.

Paul

[randyrat]

I'm impressed. I enjoy your success story. Top it off from a can of my favorite tea. I'll have to start saving these cans from now on for future GCs. Now i need to find a tool to make them. I dispise buying GCs for .03/each.

[Just Duke]

The gas checks are made by punching alum disks out of 0.006 in thick material. I use a 3/8 in hole punch to make the disks. For those you see on the back of the boolit, I put 2 of those disks together and ran them through the forming die a friend of mine made, and bingo a gas check that was free. The tool I use to make the gas check with is not Charlie Darnell's. I do have one of his tools and it works well, but it is very small and hard for me to use, esp on my bad days. A friend of mine made one and it is considerably larger and easier for me to hold in my hands on days they don't want to work well.

Here is a photo of my standard gas check material. I cut the ends off of it with a pocket knife and split the side with shears. I then flatten it out a bit and then go to punching my 3/8 in disks. Unlike all the other beverage cans I have mic'ed these tend to be a bit thicker than the standard 4.5 to 5 thousandths and come in at 6 thou.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk155/Boerrancher/arizona.jpg

I buy mine at a discount grocery store for 69 cents each. The tea in side is pretty tasty and the can provides at least 50 double layer gas checks. Not a bad price for a beverage that tastes good on a hot day at the range that also shoots well too.

Best Wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

I say we deem this " Boerrancher's Arizona's Gas Check's" anybody second the motion?

Rockin Boerrancher!!! I would be first in line to buy some of the gas check makers if your buddy goes into production.

[Boerrancher]

I would be first in line to buy some of the gas check makers if your buddy goes into production.

I had to fight and argue with Tom to get him to make mine so I doubt he would make any more. As I said though, I do have one of Charlie's that he sells on ebay, and it works just fine, maybe a bit better, because it is made out of better steel. Charlie's is made small enough to replace the nose punch and sizing die in a Lyman 450 lube/sizer. Since I don't have one of those and have to hold it in my hands to use it, it is cumbersome for me at times. The other one has a much larger body which allows me to hold it quite easily even when I am having one of my shaky clumsy days.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

P.S. I will try and get some photos up tomorrow of both check makers and the hole punches I use.

[Just Duke]

You could have someone else make them for you. You could probably sell enough you could quit your day job BR. ;)

[Boerrancher]

If I ever get a small bench lathe set up I will start making them myself. I have access to some pretty good steel, and am set up to heat treat them. They are not that difficult to make. I am not a machinist, but have enough skill with a lathe to turn these little gems out.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[Linstrum]

Would it be possible to show us a photo or two of the tool you are using?

A good ready source of steel that heat treats well is grade 5 bolts. Grade 8 are even stronger but the cost may be prohibitive and their strength is not necessary for the particular job, although if they are what you have, then by all means go ahead and use them.

The nice thing about aluminum beverage cans is that how they are made is the the same basic process as the way gas checks are made. Consequently the aluminum alloy they use is specifically designed to be heavily worked without splitting, so it is a good material to use. Also, I use a Tap-O-Cap tool sold by Dixie Gun Works to make my own #11 muzzle loader/cap and ball primers. I stuff them with toy cap gun caps. When Klinton got into power I bought the Tap-O-Cap and several thousand rolls of toy caps in anticipation of all that stuff getting outlawed. If anyone else gets lots of toy caps, don't store them with your other loading supplies since they are extremely sensitive to accidental discharge from jarring and dropping. They are also corrosive.


rl398