RotoMetals2WidenersLoad DataRepackbox
Inline FabricationReloading EverythingTitan ReloadingPBcastco
Lee Precision MidSouth Shooters Supply
Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: N.O.E. Check Expander...

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
    Posts
    2,138

    Question N.O.E. Check Expander...

    http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.p...m9tl7ave4sdvn1

    How do these work? By that I mean how are they used? Do you need anything else other than the expander?...

    Thanks...BCB

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    Hickory's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    The Great Black Swamp of Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    4,434
    What does it do?

    Does it expand an unused factory gas check to fit a newly cast boolit?
    Or does it expand gas checks for reuse that have been taken off boolits that have already been sized and lubed?
    Political correctness is a national suicide pact.

    I am a sovereign individual, accountable
    only to God and my own conscience.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    oldblinddog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    959
    That is to uniform the checks in order to get the best accuracy by flattening the base of the check, removing that little dimple in the base of the check. I believe it works best if the checks are annealed prior to using this tool. You need the die along with the correct expander for the size check you are using, i.e. one die, multiple expanders. The expander goes into the slot on your press ram where you would normally put the shellholder.

    This also expands the mouth of the check for use on a bullet with an oversized gas check shank.
    Last edited by oldblinddog; 08-13-2017 at 06:15 PM.
    USMC 6638

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
    Posts
    2,138
    Quote Originally Posted by oldblinddog View Post
    That is to uniform the checks in order to get the best accuracy by flattening the base of the check, removing that little dimple in the base of the check. I believe it works best if the checks are annealed prior to using this tool. You need the die along with the correct expander for the size check you are using, i.e. one die, multiple expanders. The expander goes into the slot on your press ram where you would normally put the shellholder.

    This also expands the mouth of the check for use on a bullet with an oversized gas check shank.
    Thanks. That's what I wanted to know...

    Might be a good tool as sometimes the check is difficult to snap in place...

    BCB

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Elkins45's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Northern KY
    Posts
    2,414
    If you have a 7/8-14 bolt with a reasonably flat face you might be able to avoid buying the anvil.
    NRA Endowment Member

    Armed people don't march into gas chambers.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Somewhere in SE PA
    Posts
    9,989
    Quote Originally Posted by BCB View Post
    Thanks. That's what I wanted to know...

    Might be a good tool as sometimes the check is difficult to snap in place...

    BCB
    This is what it's designed to do. I have a 375 H&H mold w/ a slightly over sized gas check shank. The expander makes seating the checks square a breeze.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    Hamish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Edge of The Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge
    Posts
    3,569
    Having read posts over the years of this being done by hand with self made punches and what not, many have reported increased accuracy.
    More "This is what happened when I,,,,," and less "What would happen if I,,,,"

    Last of the original Group Buy Honcho's.

    "Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    224
    Quote Originally Posted by Hamish View Post
    I'm surprised no one has chimed in that uses one. Having read posts over the years of this being done by hand with self made punches and what not, many have reported increased accuracy.
    I have expanded many with a ball bearing and a small hammer.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
    Posts
    2,138
    Quote Originally Posted by codgerville@zianet.com View Post
    I have expanded many with a ball bearing and a small hammer.
    I have heard of that and using punches. I have punches but none the correct size. I have even heard of grinding a punch to the correct diameter. Don't think I have anything that would do that with any type of accuracy or squareness...

    What size bearing would you use for a 30 caliber check?...

    Thanks...BCB

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    224
    Quote Originally Posted by BCB View Post
    I have heard of that and using punches. I have punches but none the correct size. I have even heard of grinding a punch to the correct diameter. Don't think I have anything that would do that with any type of accuracy or squareness...

    What size bearing would you use for a 30 caliber check?...

    Thanks...BCB
    3/8" works good, bells the opening about right.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Mr Peabody's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    921
    If you can buy checks that fit the shank you have your better off. I used the expander from NOE and then bought checks from one of the vendors here. Hands down the checks that fit my shanks worked better.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Beautiful Idaho
    Posts
    2,644
    With the NOE check expander I use 7/8X14 bolt as mentioned above. For me the expander works best when you expand as little as possible to get the check on the over size shank. I put a check on the expander and raise it to the top of the press stroke and then turn the bolt down until I feel slight contact. This usually gets the job done, if not slowly adjust the bolt down until you get the check flared enough to go on. If you bring the expander up hard against the bolt (or anvil) the check is badly distorted in experience. Before I purchased these I made my own out of the closest size bolt shank and used a drill press to provide the leverage this works well also and was from a thread posted by Ben. Gp

  13. #13
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Springfield, Oregon
    Posts
    3,186
    The fella who designed this tool and sold the prints to Al at NOE made and gave me one as a gift last year for .30cal checks. It works awesome and No need to anneal or anything like that. Quick and easy and very effective for those times when checks can be difficult to put on squarely.
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    Proverbs 1:7

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    10,564
    But annealing works better, then the hornady checks don't stick on the tool. It's basically a TC nose profile. GCs don't sit well on top of mine so I had some 'deformed' ones. It needs a slight centering ridge on the nose to keep them from sliding off.
    Whatever!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Beautiful Idaho
    Posts
    2,644
    I agree with popper in that a ridge or groove to hold the check in proper position would be a big improvement. Another thing I'd like to pass along is how I've been annealing my homemade aluminum checks. I use an old pellet tin and load it up with the flat discs I cut with the PM check maker. I place the tin on the flat surface hot plate that I use for warming moulds, set the temp to high and heat the discs for one hour. This really makes a difference in how the checks seat. Well, it works for me anyway. lol. Gp

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
    oldblinddog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    959
    I also have some trouble with the checks fitting the punch and have ruined a few of them. I was thinking that some type of sleeve of the same tool steel that would slide over the punch would keep them in place. It would have to be just slightly shorter than the punch itself so that it does not contact the anvil. I think it would work.
    USMC 6638

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub full.lead.taco's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    35
    Another thing to maybe consider, and this may not be the right solution to everyone, but it sure helped me with the tight check problem. The NOE gas check seating die: http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...products_id=33
    It does not crimp the gas checks on, it only helps seat them. It's a one trick pony, but does the one thing very well. Helps me seat the tight checks nice and square. This video explains how the gas check seating die works:

    https://youtu.be/Wwaw0kqNJRY
    I love guns, tacos, and lead. I use the guns. The guns eat lead. And I eat tacos. I make videos about the first 2 things.
    https://www.youtube.com/c/fullleadtaco

  18. #18
    Moderator Emeritus


    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Land of 10,000 Lakes
    Posts
    15,809
    Quote Originally Posted by waco View Post
    The fella who designed this tool and sold the prints to Al at NOE made and gave me one as a gift last year for .30cal checks. It works awesome and No need to anneal or anything like that. Quick and easy and very effective for those times when checks can be difficult to put on squarely.
    I was lucky enough to 'swap' for one of these as well. The inspiration was the famous 30 Sil MP mold, as it has a notoriously oversized GC shank. It works well for me, no annealing, no sticking (but I do apply a thin layer of bullplate on the tool).
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
    ― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check