soda pop can gas checks can be pulled off the bullets.

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

ftut
That is what I have read, but I have not tried it.

[Bangon]

will yonky ship to Canada though?

[yonky]

I will ship anywhere in the world

[yonky]

Hi Roger , have you had time to try the samples off my coils that Gil sent to you?

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

I finally did a gas check material test today.

I used:

1. Aluminum roof flashing gas checks made from:
Aluminum flashing
Amerimax part no 68104
$19.07
4" X 50' 0.014" thick weighs 3 pounds.
Purchased from Ace Hardware.

2. Hornady gas checks

3. 1/2" wide X 0.014" thick aluminium. from Yonky

4. 1/2" wide X 0.012" thick copper. from Yonky

All are 5 shot groups at 40 yards from a rest using a featherweight Winchester model 70 pre '64 in .308 win and a variable scope set on 3 power. 38 grains H4831 and CCI#34 primers in WCC cases. There was unburnt powder in the barrel after shooting. The gas checks were made using a .30 caliber checkmaker from Pat Marlins.

The first photo are the groups using Aluminum roof flashing gas checks.
Groups 1". 1 1/2". 1 1/8".

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

The second photo are the groups using Hornady gas checks.
I cannot explain the shot inches low in the first group.

Groups 2 5/8", 4 shots in 1". 1".

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

The third photo aluminum strips top two groups and Copper strips in the bottom group. Both from Yonky.
Aluminum strip groups 13/16". 1"
Copper strip group 1 1/4".

Often the cartridges which required the most force to close the bolt are using the aluminum roof flashing gas checks. I guess this means the aluminum roof flashing is a harder material than the others.

The smallest groups are the aluminum strip gas checks from Yonky.

[fcvan]

Roger, great photos on your test, and a thorough evaluation of the different materials. I just wanted to point out you consistently missed the X every time

Seriously though, making your own checks, and making them out of what best works for your weapon is the ticket. I like not having to order and wait for stuff I can make myself. Keep up the good work and the great shooting!

[RogerWatsonfromIdaho]

I ordered aluminum gas check material from CoilAndFoil today.

1/2" x .0145" x 50‘ $5 per coil, maximum of 3 coils per small flat rate box, shipping is $6.00

3 coils X $5 = $15
shipping is $6.00
total $21.00

I am looking forward to making more gas checks with it.

Roger

[psychicrhino]

2/10ths of a cent vs nearly 6/10ths of a cent.

[ChuckJaxFL]

<<Often the cartridges which required the most force to close the bolt are using the aluminum roof flashing gas checks. I guess this means the aluminum roof flashing is a harder material than the others.>>

Care to elaborate on that? I can see requiring more force to size the bullet.
Wouldn't more force to close the bolt indicate that your OAL was longer?

[NavyVet1959]

Instead of using Super Glue or Locktite to hold the soda can gas check to the bullet, I wonder if a bit of wax / lube would work.

Plus, not all the beer cans are the same thickness.

[cdngunner]

will yonky ship to Canada though?

He does but shipping costs increases a lot. Don't know where you are located but I would be interested in maybe splitting shipping. For Canada he ships from overseas.

[rosewood]

Something I discovered my second time running my GC 7mm soup can bullets through the Lee sizing die. I had sized some and took the die off the press and then reinstalled for another session and failed to adjust correctly. I noticed some of the GCs were popping off and that there was a dent in the center of the GC. I realized it was the next bullet in line denting the GC on the one above. The instructions says it doesn't matter how you set the die, but I beg to defer. I didn't have the punch set deep enough to push the bullet completely through the resizing neck of the die and the next bullet was forcing the previous bullet through the sizer. The extra load and pointed bullet was denting the GCs and cupping them the wrong way. Anyway, I set the punch to drive the bullet all the way through and no more problems.

Rosewood

[PatMarlin]

If someone wants to use soda cans, and they will not fit or size to your shank as cast, you can try a smaller diameter male die. I can send you one for $9.95. Soda cans can be made to work.

Accuracy may not be the best but may be perfectly acceptable for your needs.

A lot of things come into play-

Bullet diameter as cast. How much you are sizing it? The more the diameter is sized, the better a thin check will fit. But it has to be the correct diameter for your bore. Many new casters have no idea if they have a mold that casts a fat enough diameter for their needs.

Mold shank diameter. How small is it running? Some molds are cut with small diameter running shanks.

More and more there are folks coming aboard new to cast when there's so much to learn and so much miss-information. Mold specs run all over the map. I have molds that cast and size well with soda cans, you can't hardly pry them off.

PB checks of course can solve all of this. If you want a no cost alternative- rock solid fit, PB's win every time.

But as with any process in your reloading, casting, sizing boolits, and sizing to your bore you have to understand the process and find what works for your setup. I've read where a customer bought a gascheck shank die set from me and his gas checks fell off, so he sold it. Then he bought a PB version from me, and the checks fell off in his bore or down range, and he sold that thinking the dies must not work.

He never emailed me about it, but I could have assured him something was seriously wrong with the process somewhere and it can be easily remedied. There is no reason, with a workable metal, and the proper sizing diameter of your cast boolit sized to your bore, homemade gas checks should fall off.

If looking at the process and the fault lies with the dies being out of spec, I will simply send you out another set.

Examples:

Using the Checkmaker™ 45PB Pistol Caliber Dies
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=133265


Do Checkmaker™ gas checks STAY ON once fired?
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=82949

[selpaw]

Just saw this text. Make FreeChecs for .257 PB(which will also fit .243 GC; 270GC bullet and 457 to use on base of 457122 sized to .453 for my 45LC. Have used pop cans and also aluminum printing plates. Used ones that have ink on them are obtained free from local newspaper. If they knew what I used them for they would have a fit. Different calibers can use 1-3 thicknesses depending on shank size. Annealing the material before cutting really helps the finished products fit on the bullet. Once you get the right thicknesses no problem with separation. Old toaster oven anneals the metal easily and can also anneal or heat treat your bullets too. Selpaw