Gas Checks

[Scrounger]

Found an interesting gadget on EBAY (If you've been bad-mouthing them, don't look). It is a set of tools for making gas checks from beer cans. Says it's for .44-40, don't know if that would work for .44 Mag or not. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/Gas-Check-Making-Tool-429-44-40-Aluminum-Standalone_W0QQitemZ230182352160QQihZ013QQcategory Z31825QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Go ahead and bid if you like, I'm not bidding on it.

[Nueces]

The seller, codarnall, has posted here about these systems, but not lately, it seems.

Mark

[Skrenos]

Oh man, that looks so easy to make. I'm gonna crank up the lathe and try that out.

[Scrounger]

Might be trickier than you think. May I suggest buying this one and studying it closely, then making others in various sizes to sell to your brethren?

[quasi]

other than the cost difference for raw material, why not use copper sheet instead of aluminum?

[Skrenos]

Doesn't look that tricky. Looks damn easy. I understand the concept perfectly. The only problem is, that soda cans might be a tad thin, but it'll do for plinkers I guess.

You could use copper sheet, but everyone has soda/beer cans laying around they could turn into gas checks.

Saying that, I'm still going to use copper gas checks from Hornady, but this is nice for bullets I'm not too serious with.

[Skrenos]

Ok, went out and did some work and here's what I found:

soda can sides are .005" while the bottoms are .012-.013"
measuring a Lee checked .312 155gr 2R style bullet mold (didnt have a bullet cast on hand):
bulelt should come out near .314. check shank is .285. gas check will need to be .015" thick to properly seal.

You can make those check out of the bottoms of the cans, but you cant make many. You'd need to stack 3 of the checks from the side of the can, but they'll probably fall off easily. cant use a single check from the side as they are undersize and wont be crimped on using the sizing die. All in all, a bad idea to use soda cans unless you use the bottoms. Maybe copper flashing would work better.

[jim4065]

Didn't see a handle that I recognize. If someone else here is bidding I'll stop - otherwise I'm going to try for these (again) with the idea of sending them to one of you machinist types to duplicate. Any problems please let me know before I hang it out to dry. :roll:

[RU shooter]

another option if you think a soda can is too thin would be a pc. of aluminum siding or a pc of trim coil for flashing which are laying around everywhere, I believe it comes in different gauges still .I half heartedly tried to from some at work with a modified set of uni punches only success I had with what I had was with 22 ga. alum.(.028) Oh if I only had a Lathe !!!!

[jim4065]

Better yet - why not get the seller to sell here?:confused:

[Skrenos]

I'm gonna hit Lowe's up tommorow since I have to fix the camper anyways. I'll see if I can find some flashing or some soft metal sheets that would work as gas checks (brass shims?). Looks like this guy is getting $20-25 each for his kits.

[IcerUSA]

If you do a search you should be able to find his post here and the info he gave on making the kits he sell on eBay.

Just my $.02 worth minus taxes, inflation, and ?????

Keith

[Scrounger]

Right. He is a member here and there was a thread about this very thing. Here is the link to that thread. See Post #4 where he talks about his system. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=18380

[MGySgt]

I have always thought that the Beer/Soda can check maker was for 'Free Checks' that you put on Plain/Bevel Base boolits so you can drive them faster without leading.

Just my .02 worth.

Drew

[Skrenos]

Didnt get a chance to get any metal sheets today. Turns out the camper has more trouble that I thought. I'll have to postpone this until next week when I get back from camping.

[Lloyd Smale]

that was my understanding too
I have always thought that the Beer/Soda can check maker was for 'Free Checks' that you put on Plain/Bevel Base boolits so you can drive them faster without leading.

Just my .02 worth.

Drew

[45 2.1]

When Free-Check makers were available, I contacted the maker about some for gas check boolits. The first one he made was for 30 caliber and i've got it. Three soda can thicknesses are required, all cut at the same time, then the cup is formed. Not a hard thing to make, but will not work right until you lightly lubricate the top and bottom of the soda can sheet you punch the discs out of. The Free-check gas checks work fine BTW.