First time with Pat Marlin's PB checkmaker, and thicker Al.

[Beagle333]

I think I'm getting it. I wrinkled a few, tore a few off, got a couple stuck in the Lee sizing die, then figured out that if I moisten my fingertips with mink oil (I just rub the surface of the tub of mink grease) before handling the boolits (that have already been sat squarely in the check), then shove em through my Lee sizer backwards, it seats just fine and doesn't tear. These are with Pat Marlin's PB checkmaker, using Yonky's .006 Al strips. The checks punch out easy as can be, and form easily too, but they do want to grab the die. The mink oil fixed that. I believe I could get the same results with Crisco or vaseline too.

[Love Life]

Have you polished the interior of the die?

[Beagle333]

Yes, I took it from a .358 to a .3585 with some 600 paper, then some 800. It looks like a mirror in there. It slides through with some lube, but it grips the sides when it's dry. 'No way it's going through there without something slippery involved.

[Beagle333]

I think we've made friends now. I figure I'll make half a lifetime's worth of checks this week while it rains.




edit: the powdercoat boolits do not normally need checks, but these are about 95% pure lead and I wanted to push them fast for some testing, so I am gas checking them.

[kbstenberg]

Beagle how much is the check maker?

[Beagle333]

Here's the link:
http://www.patmarlins.com/Checkmaker...s_and_Ord.html

[hickfu]

Has anyone tried making checks with Pat's checkmaker out of .008 aluminum?
I just bought the last of the .006 x 667 for my 45Cal PB checks and they have the .008 in the .545 for the 35Cal.... Just wanted to see if anyone has used the .008

Doc

[Beagle333]

I have only used .004 and .006, but it seems to get better as you get thicker. So I figure .008 would be great.

This is addictive! I got my setup in front of the tv where I can watch baseball while I make checks, and it's like eating popcorn... I can't stop!!!!

[PatMarlin]

Those boolits look great Beagle...!!

[Maximumbob54]

I tried mine with Coke cans cut into strips and had limited success. I see all the pics of the same thing being done and I have to assume it works best with a Lyman or RCBS lube press where you push it base first. With the Lee dies going nose first I had some pretty crazy looking ruined checks. But then I also never tried to lube them either.

[Maximumbob54]

Sounds like adding a little lube is the ticket.

[hickfu]

I tried the soda cans but it sliced my fingers up pretty good.... Im turning all of my cans in and getting the coils from Yonky from now on! The soda can material kept getting caught on one side of the cutter and now the cutter on that side is a bit messed up so I have to get something to take care of that before making more checks with the 35 cal PB check maker...

Doc

[abqcaster]

I've been using the Pat Marlin, 35 cal, PBGC maker for about a year now. I'm quite happy with it. I bought a really cheap paper cutter to slice up aluminum cans, so I no longer have troubles with too wide/thin strips. I use Lee sizers and since I am a big fan wide meplat boolits, I simply turn them upside down and run them through base first with a gas check on. If I needed a HF press for anything else I'd do it that way, it seems just a little easier than my way. I've also used my Dremmel with a fine stone to polish down the pronounced shoulder on the entry of the sizing die. I haven't torn a check since.

For my only RN boolit, a Lee 356-102 2R, I simply bored and honed one of my sizing rams to be able to hold the boolit inverted. It was fairly easy to do with just a drill press and the right bits at low speed oiled. It also works beautifully.

In previous threads I have stated that I have, so far, gotten my lee 358-158-RF up to 1800fps in .357 mag in an 18" barrel.
I hope this gives some of you confidence with PBGCs and Lee sizing dies.
-ABQ

[hickfu]

Thanks Pat!!!
But I cant find your address anywhere.....

Doc

[flyingrhino]

The PB gas checks have kicked my butt. I bought some in 45 cal and 9mm. Using a Lee push through sizer I just can't get them to work. I haven't tried the mink oil yet. I'll give that a shot. My dies are polished. I wanted the 45's for my 460 Rowland.

[flyingrhino]

The 45's aren't soda can material. I'm not sure of the thickness. I'll have to measure them. They tear and smear really bad. Plus is that they don't come off. They are just terribly messed up.
The 9mm's are soda can material. They deform about 50% of the time. They aren't on tightly. I use a bullet feeder and they often come off in the collator.

These were purchased. The 45's from a website and the 9mm's from someone on this forum. I wanted to try them before I got into making my own.

[PatMarlin]

The 45's aren't soda can material. I'm not sure of the thickness. I'll have to measure them. They tear and smear really bad. Plus is that they don't come off. They are just terribly messed up.
The 9mm's are soda can material. They deform about 50% of the time. They aren't on tightly. I use a bullet feeder and they often come off in the collator.

These were purchased. The 45's from a website and the 9mm's from someone on this forum. I wanted to try them before I got into making my own.

Hmmm that part I can't help you with..

[6622729]

The 45's aren't soda can material. I'm not sure of the thickness. I'll have to measure them. They tear and smear really bad. Plus is that they don't come off. They are just terribly messed up.
The 9mm's are soda can material. They deform about 50% of the time. They aren't on tightly. I use a bullet feeder and they often come off in the collator.

These were purchased. The 45's from a website and the 9mm's from someone on this forum. I wanted to try them before I got into making my own.

The thickness of the gas check should not be dictated by what seems to run through a check maker best, or what you conveniently have laying around. You need to make gas checks predicated by what the boolit you are using needs. My 30 caliber checkmaker makes great .010 copper gas checks but that'll never work on the Lee C312-155-2R I'm casting. Instead, I make .015 copper gas checks for that boolit. Pat's Checkmaker also works well at that thickness and they work great. I apply them to tumble lubed boolits through a stock Lee .309 sizing die. No issues at all.