Q about aluminum checks

[HammerMTB]

I have never used or even seen an aluminum check. It is apparent to me that many of you have, and that they seem to be effective.
Here is my question: Using copper GCs, my bbl stays very clean except for some very minor copper fouling.
Do Al GCs leave Al fouling? If so, is it removed more like lead fouling, i.e. with Chore Boy or a Lewis Lead remover?
If there is no fouling, why don't the sellers of GCs (meaning Hornady and Lyman, not individuals) sell Al instead of Cu GCs?

Sign me

Curious.... :coffeecom

[Ben]

I've heard of AL g/cs leaving AL deposits in chrome bores, but the rest , .......NO.

Ben

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I would be surprised to see Cu or Al fouling from exclusive use of gas checked boolits lubed with a good lube that have been properly sized to about .001" over bore size.

not that I'm an expert or anything, and I wouldn't have any idea about a chrome lined barrel.

that's my 2¢
Jon

[Sonnypie]

Moved this here as this thread is more appropriate.

While on the subject of aluminum gas checks....
I'm curious if anybody has noticed any aluminum transfer to the chambers or bores of your firearms?

(Along the line of aluminum pot marks...)

[Pigslayer]

I purchased on Ebay, 250 Aluminum gas checks to try them out in 7mm caliber. Pro's/Con's?

[Baja_Traveler]

I've been shooting exclusively aluminum checks in my M94 30-30 for the past year - probably around 150 rounds a month between the two matches I shoot each month. I make them with a Pat Marlins Check Maker. The bore is just as clean now as when I started using them - no hint of aluminum. I use Carnuba Red lube...

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have shot about 1000 in a chrome line bore and so far no problems.Also about 3000 in non lines bores with no problems.

George

[Sonnypie]

I cut up a Pepsi can today and it only mic'd at .004".
I have a large amount of copper flashing that is .006", but it just does NOT want to work in my check maker. Punches fine, but then won't feed. It distorts when punched.
I also have some .011" brass shim stock. That is a bear to punch. I'm moving that press to a different (sturdier) bench to continue my quest for gas checks.
The brass works very well except for the punching. (Spring loads the bench and when it pops everything hops.) :(
I don't want to buy another press just to make checks. :roll:
So I'm moving the big C-frame across the isle to it's old home on a massive 9' bench, for a test run.
Life is a can of worms. And sometimes I think I'm a worm casting (http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/earthworm-castings/). :bigsmyl2:

[ReloaderFred]

The brass shim stock may be hard brass. If so, annealing it first would make it easier to punch and form.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[PatMarlin]

Sonny- what you're describing is caused by the metals tempered to hard. Hard to cut, but specially when it does not form. To hard. You need to anneal it.

[Sonnypie]

Pat, and Fred,
I'll try that today.
The copper does not want to stay on the boolits, either.
So my thoughts was it is too thin. The edges of the strip tend to draw in and get distorted. That makes them not feed to the next punch point.

Not so with the .011" brass I made checks with. (I had it so I made it.) It worked great. (Once I moved my press to my sturdier bench.)
I even made a chute for the disks to slide down to a tuna can collection "bin". (My C-press is angled back.)
I have Boolits with brass butts. To shoot brass monkeys who have frozen their balls off. [smilie=p: 250 + yesterday

While I have your ear...
Will the check maker: punch and form .020" aluminum? I have access and an idea, but wanted to ask first. (My Hornady checks, copper, measured .0175-.0180 on the cup edge. For comparison.)

[PatMarlin]

Just order a roll of Amerimax AL for $20 .014, and cuts like butter. Forms real nice.

One (1) 4"X 50' Amerimax roll will make 10,399 gas checks with the Checkmaker™ dies in 30 caliber. That's less than $1.50 per thousand. My dies produce 1144 checks out of 264 sq inches.

STANDARD alum-.014 (part #68104)

Plus it's holding the gas check accuracy record with cast boolits.

[Sonnypie]

Actually I can pick it up at Lowe's. (I live in the (shudder!) city. )

But, letting the cat out of the bag here, I found some Aluminum Banding material in rolls. Think pallet strapping, insulation strapping for air conditioning ducts. Following me here?
Now imagine a continous strip of 1/2" wide X 200, or 900 FEET long material.
A Fellow could set that up and punch checks till he found a brass monkey. :wink:
The deal is: It's .020" thick.
Hence the question....

No fooling around shearing strips. Catch my drift? :wink: 8-) [smilie=1:

Hang-on, I'm a wild ride. [smilie=2:

[30CAL-TEXAN]

I'm not sure that the .020 will form properly without moddification of the die dimensions. Not to say that it can't be done but you would probably have to modify the male die or female die or both.

I did experiements with many different materials and thicknesses and I must say the .014 alum is the best for me.

[Ben]

Another vote for Amerimax .014"

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0003-28.jpg

[Tom W.]

I've made plenty of GC with pepsi cans folded to double thickness...I dunno why the work, but the do. One day I'll luck up on some of that Amerimax .014... It's all special order in this area.

[legend]

Nice group Ben.

[PatMarlin]

You can call any Ace Hardware store and give them that number I listed above. They will have it there for you in a few days.

[30CAL-TEXAN]

Hands down the best "looking" checks I have made were from .015 brass shim stock but even after it was annealed it was a royal PITA to punch the disks and I did some real damage to the reloading bench (I seriously doubt the dies appriciated the abuse but they did take it!).

Although they did look great and seated well they did not out perform the aluminum of similar thickesses.

[PatMarlin]

Was cutting up to .624 diameter disks from .010 1/2 hard copper, and .014 Amerimax AL for the largest 45 caliber Checkmakers yesterday. The 45PB and 45PBAR new design gas check for the AR platform. Cuts without a problem on my LEE Classic Cast single.

You want a solid bench for making gas checks.

[Sonnypie]

Thank You Pat, and all you other experienced guys.
I did get some Aluminum Flashing material yesterday from my local OSH store. Just 2' of 6" wide to try out. My nearest Ace is a long ways away. And their web site isn't letting me shop specifically enough. [smilie=b:

I should have taken my micrometer with me. :groner:
What I got a sample of is the Amerimax 68006, which is .0092" thick. :-( It works, and I'm using up the 2' while waiting/working on the .014" Standard.

This stuff is anodised gold on one side. And oddly enough (to me anyway), that side "sticks" better to my boolits than the aluminum side does. But I think that has more to do with the tension developed during the seating process because it it thinner than the good stuff.
But it looks good on them boolit bottoms.

By going to Amerimax's website (http://www.amerimax.com/catalog/default.htm), I now can shop a LOT smarter. Duh....
My local Lowe's only sells junk flashing. The thinnest stuff. No need to bother with them.
So, armed with Pat's SKU #68104, and the 68106 6", 0r 68108 8" I know what to watch for.

But I'm still gonna take one of my micrometers along. Thank You for getting me on the right path.

(In a perfect world, we could find Aluminum Banding in .014" T X .500" wide. SIGH! :-|)

Ahh... back to the shop. :)

[PatMarlin]

Good deal.

I just ask my local Ace to order it.

Here's a lineup of Amerimax:

AMERIMAX Aluminum flashing model name and thickness:
http://www.amerimax.com/productdetail.asp?iProductId=81&iSubCatID=5#

Versa alum-.0078
Economy alum-.0092
Commercial alum-.0167
STANDARD alum-.014 (part #68104)

[gerrycan]

Hi,
I,ve just made 350 al. checks with Pat,s gear. The flashing here is 12 thou. but 14 would be better I,ve found the checks stick to the forming die [50/50] and al. is difficult to cut into strips without a paper cutter. The Checkmaker is a beauty. Gerry.

[PatMarlin]

Don't recognize your handle Gerry. What caliber dies do you have?

[gerrycan]

Pat,
30 cal via 300 sav ,cheers and thanks, Gerry.

[PatMarlin]

The checks should not be sticking to the forming die. Email me and we'll figure out why and correct it.

Pat ...:drinks:

[Pigslayer]

I purchased on Ebay, 250 Aluminum gas checks to try them out in 7mm caliber. Pro's/Con's?

Got my order today. Material to thin to get a good crimp. Regrets. I'll stick with Hornaday copper.:confused:

[gerrycan]

Pat,
Checks no longer sticking to former ,maybe it just decided to work properly,cheers and thanks, Gerry.