Gas Check material???

[no34570]

Hi All
I'm about to order some 30cal & 45cal GC dies from Pat,but I want to know what the best material is to use for them,I mean the 30cal & 45 cal(rifle& some pistol),is it .014 copper sheet or aluminium or thicker?

I seem not to be able to find much in the way of stockists here in Australia,anyone else know where to look?:sad:

Hope someone can help?[smilie=s:
Cheers

[sav300]

no34570.I though Pats check maker used .010 copper. I maybe wrong too.
Still trying to find a supplier here in Newcastle.
Happy new year to all

[35 Whelen]

Hi All
I'm about to order some 30cal & 45cal GC dies from Pat,but I want to know what the best material is to use for them,I mean the 30cal & 45 cal(rifle& some pistol),is it .014 copper sheet or aluminium or thicker?

I seem not to be able to find much in the way of stockists here in Australia,anyone else know where to look?:sad:

Hope someone can help?[smilie=s:
Cheers

Are aluminum signs such as these available in Australia?

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Cast%20bullets/EZChexII.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Cast%20bullets/EZChexIIa.jpg

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Cast%20bullets/314299withhomemadechecks.jpg

They're available here at most any hardware or farm store.
They are .014" in thickness and here, cost about $1.50 apiece and will yield about 550 .30 caliber gas checks. I've also used aluminum guttering, but at about .018" it's a little thicker than I care for.
If you can't find them, I bet you could order them from somewhere in the states. Ten or so of them shipped to you shouldn't cost much and would make thousands of checks.
As I'm sure you know, most of the guys here on the forum use aluminum flashing, but I've been unable to find any in my area and saw no need in ordering it when these signs work perfectly.
Good luck,
35W

[ReloaderFred]

I've settled on .010" copper foil for my gaschecks. I bought a roll of dead soft foil from Storm Copper that measures 12" x 10', which should provide enough gas checks for my needs for quite some time.

Here is the link: http://store.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/copper-foil--010--thickness---30-guage-copper-foil.html

I don't know if they export to Australia, but I'm sure an e-mail after the New Years holiday will provide an answer.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'm just starting out with this too.
I am using aluminum Coke Cans 0.004"
working with that is easy, and have fit
the boolits I've cast so far,
No range results yet,
but others have had success.
Jon

[no34570]

no34570.I though Pats check maker used .010 copper. I maybe wrong too.
Still trying to find a supplier here in Newcastle.
Happy new year to all

It could be me thats wrong mate;)

[no34570]

35 Whelen
Yep,we got those here,our road signs are a bit thicker,but I never thought of them.
I can get some of those signs,just have to remember where I saw a great big pile of them.

Thanks for that
Cheers

[no34570]

I'm just starting out with this too.
I am using aluminum Coke Cans 0.004"
working with that is easy, and have fit
the boolits I've cast so far,
No range results yet,
but others have had success.
Jon
Thanks mate
Will be interesting to hear the results.

[no34570]

I've settled on .010" copper foil for my gaschecks. I bought a roll of dead soft foil from Storm Copper that measures 12" x 10', which should provide enough gas checks for my needs for quite some time.

Here is the link: http://store.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/copper-foil--010--thickness---30-guage-copper-foil.html

I don't know if they export to Australia, but I'm sure an e-mail after the New Years holiday will provide an answer.

Hope this helps.

Fred
Fred
Will try them a bit later,will try to get it here(Australia)first,but if no go........

Thank you for that.[smilie=s:

[Artful]

no34570, have you visited you local hardware and scrap/recycle centers? Also I don't know about roofing down under but here in AZ they still do copper roofing and use Aluminium rolled sheeting for composite roofing and scrap can be had for the asking sometimes.

[no34570]

no34570, have you visited you local hardware and scrap/recycle centers? Also I don't know about roofing down under but here in AZ they still do copper roofing and use Aluminium rolled sheeting for composite roofing and scrap can be had for the asking sometimes.
Artful
I don't think they do copper roofing here,I could be wrong,I have been on many occasions.
Can get flashing here,will try my local hardware store next week,or the scrap yard.
Thank you mate

[no34570]

Could you use brass shim material?

[DeanWinchester]

WHAT? You mean you ain't using a Fosters can? Man one of those fat boy cans cut and unrolled would make several. Where's your national pride man?:drinks: J/K:mrgreen:

[no34570]

WHAT? You mean you ain't using a Fosters can? Man one of those fat boy cans cut and unrolled would make several. Where's your national pride man?:drinks: J/K:mrgreen:

Fosters!,please,give me a VB:-D:-D

[no34570]

Hi
Was going to get some Amerimax Home 68104 Aluminum Roll Valley Flashing 4" X 50'
(ITEM # 68104) from acehardwareoutlet.com but it was going to cost me $107.00US in shipping,if I can't get any here,will have to get from the US and hopefully it will do me for a few years :(
But I have found an Aussie maker that MIGHT make some at the right thickness,for they say the will do any size and thickness required,will wait and see.

[Mugs]

no34570
I checked USPS web sight and I can send you up to 20lbs. in a medium flat rate box for $45.50 us. That box will hold 2 rolls of 68104.
Mugs
IHMSA 5940L

[no34570]

no34570
I checked USPS web sight and I can send you up to 20lbs. in a medium flat rate box for $45.50 us. That box will hold 2 rolls of 68104.
Mugs
IHMSA 5940L
Mugs
I was quoted over $107.00US for shipping 3 rolls of it,which cost $14.99@:groner:
If need be I will take you up on your offer,I could paypal you and mark it as gift,then they won't take their fee out.
Let me know and I might go with your kind offer :)

[JFE]

Have you tried any of the places that supply roofing and guttering locally ?

I'm pretty sure you should be able to find a suitable aluminium flashing material.

[no34570]

JFE
Yeah,I have all to thick.
But I am going with mugs on his kind offer to send me some.
Also,I have one more avenue to try,just waiting for them to get back to me.

[fathertime24]

I have purchased Pat's check maker in both the 30 regular check maker and the 35 PB.

I purchase my aluminum from Ace Hardware local here in town. I use the .009 for the 35 cal PB and works fine. With the 30 cal I use both the .009 and the .014 thickness which both are available from the store. I am looking at using some thin copper for the PB 35, .005. Here is a link for buying some.

http://basiccopper.com/?gclid=CISm-4jZvqYCFSVe7Aodj25xGA

[trapper9260]

I see what you all wrote about what you are usen for maken the checks ,I like to know , what dose the aluminum dose to the barrel . Compare to copper and brass ,beside being cheap. That is what my concern is. dose it leave alot of fouling. I looking at use it for my 22cal for my 22-250 . Then after looking to get the tool for my orther cals . Thank you for the input on this

[n.h.schmidt]

Hi
This has been covered before. Aluminum GCs don't seem to foul the bore any more than copper . I haven't been able to see any aluminum in my bores at all. The bores clean the same as with using copper checks. I have only used .009 thick aluminum for my checks. With aluminum prices of 15years ago ,I could make a1000 checks per. $1. Even at todays prices of aluminum a 1000 30 cal checks should cost about $2.50 .
n.h.schmidt

[RGMJ]

Hi Guys,

Don't use aluminum for gas checks. The oxidation on the surface (aluminum oxide) is used as abrasive material for grinding wheels and sandpaper. It might scratch your barrel. If GC makers did not find Aluminum a problem, they would have offered it. But they stick to copper as it does not harm the barrel as aluminum might. Check out the another thread in this website.

FYI

[Ben]

Uuummmmm , will it ever end ? ? ?

[35 Whelen]

Hi Guys,

Don't use aluminum for gas checks. The oxidation on the surface (aluminum oxide) is used as abrasive material for grinding wheels and sandpaper. It might scratch your barrel. If GC makers did not find Aluminum a problem, they would have offered it. But they stick to copper as it does not harm the barrel as aluminum might. Check out the another thread in this website.

FYI

:groner:...not again.....
'
'

[mold maker]

Will it never end. I thought all those old wives had been gaged.

[30CAL-TEXAN]

Oh great. :rolleyes:

Everybody grab a stick, looks like we have to beat this old dead horse again.

Poor guy.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SHOOTING ALUMINUM GAS CHECKS!


If you are so concerned that aluminum is bad then buy factory checks and save the aluminum for you hat and stop spreading misinformation that you head or read elsewhere.

Ok, I'm done, exit soap box.

[HollowPoint]

I started out using the soda cans. Even double layered them because the ones I was making with the single layer of soda-can aluminum were some of the ugliest gas checks I ever seen.

They wouldn't stay on regardless of how hard I crimped them. With the double layer of soda-can aluminum they held a little better but, they still looked like miniature pop-bottle caps.

I went down to home depot yesterday and bought some aluminum flashing. Took my digital calipers with me. It measures between .0115 and .012.

My first trial run with this thicker aluminum gave me aluminum washers. The punch was punching a whole right down the center of every disk. After taking a magnifying glass to the punch I realized that the edges needed to be rounded and polished. Same with the forming-cup on this checkmaker.

After I did that I started getting some better looking gas checks. It needs a little more tweaking because I'm still getting the pop-bottle-top corrugations along the top edges of my checks.

Could just be anal-retentiveness on my part but I'd like my gas checks to look more uniform along the top edges.

All this was easily fixable once I found the cause of the problems. I think a .014" aluminum sheeting will solve my problem completely. Right now I still have a four foot long by six inch wide piece of aluminum still left.

I think if I turn a tighter fitting punch on the metal lathe I can use the aluminum I have left with no further corrugated edges.

I figure at the rate I use 30 caliber gas checks, this little check maker setup will have paid for itself by the end of the year.


HollowPoint

[Ben]

HollowPoint

If you don't wear your barrel out with that nasty old aluminum after firing 100 rounds............................

[HollowPoint]

Ever since signing on to this forum I've noticed that there is still an over-abundance of "Old Wives Tales" still floating around. The aluminum gas check thing being one of them.

If it hasn't already been done, I think I'll start a new thread titled "OLD WIVES TALES."

HollowPoint

[Ben]

Sounds good,............... good luck ! !

[Dannix]

You're a brand spanking new member of the forum, and I should listen to you why? With all due respect, you should be listening, not answering. There's lots you could learn here.

Welcome to the forum just the same. Stick around and keep reading. :)


Hi Guys,

Don't use aluminum for gas checks. The oxidation on the surface (aluminum oxide) is used as abrasive material for grinding wheels and sandpaper. It might scratch your barrel. If GC makers did not find Aluminum a problem, they would have offered it. But they stick to copper as it does not harm the barrel as aluminum might. Check out the another thread in this website.

FYI

[Sasquatch]

Aluminum oxide doesn't last long when sanding steel. The sand paper lasts all of 10 seconds and you use it on grinding wheels as it wears down fast so the pores of the wheels won't get clogged up. I don't know much about gas checks, but you need on thick layer of aluminum oxide to be abrasive. I would feel perfectly safe shooting them out of my gun. Then again, I also am the guy who has no issues with cuppro nickel jackets on my bullets as well. lol

[JKH]

no34570,

I sell .008" aluminum newspaper lith plate material that is anealed & forms easily & makes excellent checks. I sell a package of 100 - 5"x7" sheets that will make a minimum of 16,000 .30 cal checks, to Australia I would sell for $65 US shipped to your door.

I just sold some to the shooter from NZ who uses a .22 Hornet for rabbit control & he loves it! This man is shooting 5K+ a year & was using whatever he could get, now he is one of my customers :^)

I have sold a lot of this to board members if you want to ask around, let me know, I take PayPal & eat the fee.

Jeff (JKH)

[.30/30 Guy]

I would like to put a plug in for JKH's lith plate. His service is great and the .008" lith plate is by far my favorite materail fo PB checks.

[no34570]

no34570,

I sell .008" aluminum newspaper lith plate material that is anealed & forms easily & makes excellent checks. I sell a package of 100 - 5"x7" sheets that will make a minimum of 16,000 .30 cal checks, to Australia I would sell for $65 US shipped to your door.

I just sold some to the shooter from NZ who uses a .22 Hornet for rabbit control & he loves it! This man is shooting 5K+ a year & was using whatever he could get, now he is one of my customers :^)

I have sold a lot of this to board members if you want to ask around, let me know, I take PayPal & eat the fee.

Jeff (JKH)
Jeff
Thanks for the offer mate,I will keep you in mind.
Got some Amerimax .014 Aluminium from a forum member who kindly sent it to me(Mugs ;) ) so I have enough for now thank you,but I know I have different supply sources now.

:)

[Euan]

no34570,

I sell .008" aluminum newspaper lith plate material that is anealed & forms easily & makes excellent checks. I sell a package of 100 - 5"x7" sheets that will make a minimum of 16,000 .30 cal checks, to Australia I would sell for $65 US shipped to your door.

I just sold some to the shooter from NZ who uses a .22 Hornet for rabbit control & he loves it! This man is shooting 5K+ a year & was using whatever he could get, now he is one of my customers :^)

I have sold a lot of this to board members if you want to ask around, let me know, I take PayPal & eat the fee.

Jeff (JKH)

Another plug for Jeff (JKH)
I'm the guy from NZ who uses the 22K Hornet. I used over 9000 cast Gas Check rounds in the last 10 months. I am very happy with jeff's litho plate, and will be getting more from him in the near future. He was very good to deal with. I am making the chex with Charlie's checmaker 111 for 22 cal. and it works very well.

Cheers Euan

[7of7]

I sent a message to Basic Copper. They said they do ship to Australia. Here is the message I got back..
" Yes, we do ship to Australia. The cost for shipping depends on the item weight and we typically recommend USPS Priority Int'l mail because it is the least expensive. The USPS cost for shipping a small item like this one, is usually around $25 and gets there in 6-10 days. I hope this info helps! please let me know if you have any more questions. Thank you for your email. Cathy"

The Auction:Copper Sheet 8 mil/ 32 ga. tooling foil roll 6" X 4'

so, there is another source, if you are looking for copper..