Just got a gas check tool

[Duckdog]

I have to wonder just how important the crimp is on these checks, as the bullet is being pushed down the barrel by the high pressure of the charge. If the gas check were to fall off when it hit the rifling, that would mean that it has already exited the cartidge. At that point, wouldn't the gasses already be pushing it down the barrel?

I am looking at it like an overcard that is used under the bullet/ round ball and over the powder in muzzleloading. I use 1/8" felt, and I have yet to have one not exit the barrel. I also use a felt wad over the powder in a BP revolver and there is agap between teh forcing cone and the cylinder and they also all exit the barrel. I would guess that a certain amount of the gas checked bullets I shoot have the gas check fall off after exiting the barrel already, and I can not notice any accuracy problems.

I'm thinking that if the outside diameter of the AL check is sufficient to create a seal to stop the gas cutting, it will in essence become a plunger that will be forced down the barrel.

Maybe I'm all wet here, but a lot of the fun of this hobby is making things work, and rolling with the flow when they don't. That's why I frequent forums like this to get the info from other peoples successes, or failures, and try to use them. If I wanted everything to work like clockwork, I'd probably be shooting jacketed bullets where the variables are pretty much set. Man! Just thinking about going back to jacketed bullets almost leaves a foul taste in my mouth!

[blysmelter]

I am watching ebay for a.35caliber one. But agree, maker would do better bussines outside ebay!

[PatMarlin]

I think it's been proven for quite some time that these homemade checks work, and work well. Far as falling off of the boolit when it leaves the barrel and a negative effect on accuracy, the experts here will chime in their opinions.

Copper checks come off of my boolits too sometimes. The boolits still hit the target.

I think the main problem in the past had been the cost of the gascheck tools. But now with the cost of gaschecks, this has to be looked at seriously again.

I'm not going to give up shooting gascheck designs and as always, any way I can roll my own, make my own what ever... I'm there!!

[Junior1942]

Charlie has added a "But It Now" button to his ebay page. I just bought a 357 gas check maker. The price was $31.95 + $4.65 shipping = $36.60 total. I'll review it when I get a roundtoit.

On ebay search for seller "codarnall."

[blysmelter]

Doesent accept foregin bidders

[Junior1942]

Gave the 357 gascheck maker a trial this morning. I used the punch on beer can material against the end of a stick of firewood. That worked well. However, I had trouble making good checks due to skewing the punched-out material and making checks which were high on one side and low on the other side. But I believe I'll get better with practice. I did the hammering on the front porch floor, and next time I'll do it on my loading bench where I can get my eye closer to the ram/die junction. I have good news--the resulting good checks were a perfect fit on bullets from the group buy C358-180-FP mold.

The checks were an easy push-on fit, and they stayed on. I believe they will stay on all the way to the target, too, and probably all the way through a deer or hog. The check looks like a tiny bottle cap. Think about the little ridges going all the way around a bottle cap. I believe when a beer-can check is ran through a sizer die that all those little ridges will be forced into the wall of the bullet. I think these free gaschecks will be a tighter fit on a bullet than store-bought gaschecks. And from what I saw this morning, one layer of beer can material is plenty.

PS: don't worry about aluminum oxide wearing out your barrel. Put the painted side of the check down, and the metal won't oxidize. Plus the sides, especially, will be coated with lube which will further prevent oxidation.

[sundog]

Junior, 'several' years ago I had (and prolly still have) several Lot #s of Hornady GCs for 6.5. They were the same way. I emailed them, they replied, and I sent some back to them. They said it was because their tool was not sharp. The sent me a replacement box. Same. BUT, they shot fine, at least out to a hunert yards. That's all I know...

I remember posting about this. It might have been on the old Shooters Board.

[Jakey]

Junior, Thanks for the report. The bottlecap ridges pushed into the bullet sounds like it would "crimp" on and stay on, in theory anyways. When I asked the maker of this tool "how they stayed on", why couldn't he just tell me this, instead of getting all non-people skilled on me?

[Junior1942]

Junior, Thanks for the report. The bottlecap ridges pushed into the bullet sounds like it would "crimp" on and stay on, in theory anyways. When I asked the maker of this tool "how they stayed on", why couldn't he just tell me this, instead of getting all non-people skilled on me?

Jakey, our man Charlie is obviously a machinist and just as obviously not a talker or a writer.

[afish4570]

Keep up the tests on how this tool works and if it is a solution to the ripoff prices we are stuck with from Hornady....I did't see the Lyman gas checks anywhere and no 6mm gas checks either. Anyone experience in shooting 6mm/243. If remember that the difference between the Hornady and the Lyman gas cks.---Horn. were crimped on and the Lyman fell off on the way down range. Lets learn and maybe a GB will be possible. Any other machinist type guys willing to try another venture. How about using a C or O type reloading press mounted tool?????afish4570

[Paul Tummers]

I just cant see how they are going to work. the lube might hold them in place, but just can't seem to believe they will stay together once bullet hit rifling.

The bullet is not pulled through the rifling, but pushed by pressure, in this case the pressure which affects on the bottom of the gas check, which still is the case when the gas-check on the bullet goes into the rifling, and I think, the engraving of the rifling is fastening the gas-check solidly onto the bullet .
I have one of Charlies tools, and after making a couple of gas-checks from alluminiuim I went to a friend, who put them on his bullets in stead of his Hornady checks, and he just came back from the range- I myself could not make it to go with him once again, d**ned, and his report was simply;NO DIFFERENCE!!
Kind Regards,
Paul Tummers.

[HamGunner]

Originally Posted by Jakey
Junior, Thanks for the report. The bottlecap ridges pushed into the bullet sounds like it would "crimp" on and stay on, in theory anyways. When I asked the maker of this tool "how they stayed on", why couldn't he just tell me this, instead of getting all non-people skilled on me?
Originally Posted by Jakey
I just cant see how they are going to work. the lube might hold them in place, but just can't seem to believe they will stay together once bullet hit rifling.

Jakey, I have been on this forum only a short time, but I can not understand all your concern. If you operated an evil-bay business you would not have time to ragchew with all the emailers that you get. Think about it. Non-stop emailing.

As for gas checks coming off after firing. Are you kidding? I think the Charlie is still scratching his head over that one.

I say give the guy a break. Buy one if you want, the price is cheap. Or just buy the high dollar checks. They probably stay on all the way down the barrel.

[JeffinNZ]

Doesent accept foregin bidders

Oh yes he does. I am in NZ. Just send him a message and he will oblige. He is only too happy to assist.

I still can't believe Charlie sells these things so cheap. Each is individually made by hand on a lathe so when you factor in the materials and an hourly rate he would be better of working at the local Subway.

Still some charity left in the world ah?

[David Wile]

Hey folks,

I have a total of four of Charlie Darnall's gas check tool sets: .30, .357, .44, and a .45 for my 45-70. I use aluminum soda cans for stock material, and I cannot see any difference from my aluminum gas checks and the copper checks I used to use from Lyman and Hornady. I have no idea whether any checks (copper or aluminum) come off on the way to the target, I only make my judgement based on the size of the groups produced. Since the aluminum checks shoot as well as the old copper ones, that's all I care about.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[AzShooter]

I finally found one on E-bay after talking to Codnail. He told me which one would be best for my .30 cal. I had no problems getting him on the phone or having him answer questions on E-bay and was happy with the product when I got it.

I had been using Hornady checks and they work very well.

I made a buch from pop cans and tried them along side the Hornady checks. The aluminum were a loose fit but once I ran them through my sizer they stayed on and not one sliped off.

I can't tell a difference in group sizes so, for what it's worth, it's a plus to be able to sit down and crank out a bunch and use them. I put them in the old Hornady box.

It might take someone a few tries to get them straight but I don't see any problem. Anything new takes some effort to learn how to use it. I've had no problem with the disks centerin themselves. I use the back side of the mandrel to push them flush with the die and then just one small wack with my wooden hammerand they are done.

I use a wheel weight for when I'm cutting the cans so that the punch won't wear out.

[rollingblock]

I've heard good things about aluminium GC's but I wonder about it because aluminium seems to have a natural tendency to grab and gall when it rubs against other metal. Some metals like brass seem to be naturaly self lubricating but aluminium is just the opposite.

[PatMarlin]

We really need someone with a bore scope to varify that.

Personally, I will only be using copper when making my own gas checks.

[zuke]

yes but how thick a copper sheet will you use?

[PatMarlin]

.010 soft.

[Boerrancher]

I have run over 300 rounds of 15 thou thick soft aluminum down the bore of my 30-30 and it looks like a mirror. I shoot a 174gr boolit with 30 grs of IMR 4064 out of my 30-30. I don't even bother to run a patch down it anymore. After doing it several times and not finding anything I quit. Now 300 rounds later it is bright and shiny.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe