Any one else had a problem EBAY aluminum gas checks?

[JedYonkers]

Started casting for 223 today bullets turned out great NOE 225-55 mold.

I ordered some gas checks off of ebay and had nothing but problems getting them to seat firmly or evenly. The checks were a bit uneven and had a nice burr where I imagined there were stamp out.

I remembered reading a post about using a ball bearing to flare them a bit. So I got to thinking and walking to the hardware store. I picked up a brass acorn nut and a machine screw and any ways a quick tap with a tack hammer and all is well.

I was using a lee sizer and feeding base first because I couldn't get them to crimp well nose first.

Anyone else had a problem with them and maybe know another source of cheap gas checks? The free chex is out of my budget right now.

[koehn,jim]

I have found it depends on which seller you buy from.

[Casper29]

I make my own, from a pat marlin gas checker

[JedYonkers]

I make my own, from a pat marlin gas checker

Does he offer one in 22 cal?

[altheating]

I also cast the 225-55 FN and just started making checks with the Freechex III tool. They snap right on and crimp on perfectly. With the Freechex III tool you get one complete check with each press of the handle. No putting them back in the tool to reform the disks like with Pat Marlins tool. I just finished making 8000 checks, about 2000 per hour if I have the strips pre-cut. No place to get cheap checks unless you make them. The cost of the tool equals out to the cost of 5000 checks and postage give or take.

[badboyparamedic]

What material do use to make the checks?

[altheating]

.008 roof flashing. I have Litho Sheets coming today. They are 8 mil. The sample that was sent with the freechex tool was 8 mil and that also worked well.

[Jeff Michel]

I recently aquired some 7mm checks from Sage Outdoor. I understand they are made with Freechex tooling. My questions is: Is anyone having issues with oversized checks from this tooling? I bought these specifically to see how they compare with the commerical offering before ordering a Freechex. Is there any dodge or way around this oversize issue? I've heard of people using superglue of hot melt glue to affix the check prior to lube/size. I'm curious to hear from anyone who does this and their sucess.
Thanks,
Jeff Michel

[Kraschenbirn]

Which supplier was the source for those checks from fleaBay? Any idea? I browsed through 'Gas Checks' over there a couple nights a go and noticed there are several sellers.

Also, while he's not a Cast Boolits vendor, there's a guy in Florida - The Gas Check Store - who offers aluminum checks in .008, .010, and .014 thicknesses (Hornaday copper checks are .014). Haven't tried these but may order one of his sample packs just to see what they're like.

Bill

[mdi]

Most aluminum beverage cans will be too thin to make good gas checks. I've found most run .007" to .010" and for my molds I need at least .014" to get the checks on tight. I was carrying my mic. with me every time I went to the hardware store checking various sheet metal/shim material. If my free-check tool isn't lined up perfectly, I'll get lopsided checks or a burr. I'm normally a tinkerer, and speed isn't important, but the free-check tool is pretty sloooooooow even for me...

[Jal5]

I just lubed and sized some of those NOE boolits for .223 yesterday using Blammer's checks available on this site. No problems, they fit perfect and you hear a click as they go on. In my Lee push through sizer they go right on and crimp on the boolit. Joe

[Shamus]

I recently aquired some 7mm checks from Sage Outdoor. I understand they are made with Freechex tooling. My questions is: Is anyone having issues with oversized checks from this tooling? I bought these specifically to see how they compare with the commerical offering before ordering a Freechex. Is there any dodge or way around this oversize issue? I've heard of people using superglue of hot melt glue to affix the check prior to lube/size. I'm curious to hear from anyone who does this and their sucess.
Thanks,
Jeff Michel

I know a growing number of our customers are using LEE molds that drop bullets with small shanks. The 7mm Soup Can we tested was tapered and undersized. So, Sage's Outdoors is making .017 7mm's now as standard. We only had two complaints recently out of thousands sold. But, we saw the issue first hand with our own fresh out of the box 7mm Soup Can mold.

We make custom fittings, send out thicker or thinner options etc. By far most of our business is repeat customers that have old military rifles. .303, 7mm and 8mm are gaining in sales every month. Unlike the usual aluminum checks, we use the thickest material as practical. We use .017 material often now, .014 is mainly used on .30's and our .45 pistol checks.

If we haven't sent the .017 7mm's to you already, drop us an email with your info: sales@sagesoutdoors.com

[xacex]

I have tried the .22, and they were to tight on both the Lee Bator, and MiHec 5.56. Also tried the .30 cal which worked fine, and I now own that freechex III tool. I just tried the .50 cal checks and they can be pulled off, but go on nice. I wont use the .22's and will load up these .50's before I make a judgment call on them.

[captaint]

While I've not shot that boolit, I have used Blammer's Gator Checks, and they work
great. No problems at all. Cheap enough, too. Mike

[uscra112]

Have a batch of boolits bought from a seller who used some sort of aluminum check. He glued them on, because they wouldn't crimp properly. Would not have known except I tried to melt the blue lube off, so as to replace it with my own, and the heat caused 90% of the checks to pop off. On examination they have two obvious problems. The draw is too shallow, so they grip only the very end of the shank, and secondly there is no burr on the edge, (like Hornady gilding metal checks have), to be swaged into the lead to enhance the grip. That's it for me. My opinion of cheap aluminum checks is that they are overpriced for the value received.

[tinsmith]

I would like to purchase some .30 cal. and .35 cal (357 Mag.) gas checks. Midway is sold out of most gas checks. On Ebay they are going for crazy prices. Can anyone recommend a supplier for good quality gas checks? I would be willing to try aluminum checks if they are as good as copper. I don't shoot enough to justify buying a check maker.

[uscra112]

From what I've learnt, buy only from somebody who's using Pat Marlin's tools, if you have to buy aluminum at all.

[johnnybar]

Lot's of talk here about checks and check making tools not working out, with certain bullets or molds, without mentioning all pieces to the puzzle: measured bearing surface diameter of sized bullet, measured base diameter of presized bullet, measured material thickness of check and measured throat diameter of bore if a performance issue. The fly in the ointment can't be caught without all the information.

[1Shirt]

Have used Sage GC's in 22, 6.5, 7mm, and 30 cal. without any problems.
1Shirt!

[sthwestvictoria]

I have used sage checks, only in .30. For me they stay on Lee shanks 150FN and 170Fn. I size with Lee push through. I find the Sage GC in my backstop so they certainly stay on.