35 cal gas checks aluminum self made

[GoodAlloy]

Guys, what is the best place to start with aluminum sheet for making 35 cal checks that are consistent and stay on all the to target? I understand that thickness along with fit to boolit is important. So getting the correct thickness of aluminum is needed. How about your experiences in this endevor?
Thanks

[Sagebrush7]

Use .007-.012 litho , no spring back! Or sages .010 half hard aluminum checks.




Guys, what is the best place to start with aluminum sheet for making 35 cal checks that are consistent and stay on all the to target? I understand that thickness along with fit to boolit is important. So getting the correct thickness of aluminum is needed. How about your experiences in this endevor?
Thanks

[Ben]

Or sages .010 half hard aluminum checks.

I can vouch for these, they work !

Ben

[35 shooter]

Use .007-.012 litho , no spring back! Or sages .010 half hard aluminum checks.
Sages .010" al. hard checks work as good as anything i've tried so far in the 35 whelen. They stay on the base for the ride. The lith plate checks i've made probably couldn't be pried off the base with pliers without tearing the boolit up.

As far as al. sheeting, i use ameri max .014", but have to ht in an oven at 450 to 500* for an hour for best results. Sage's .010 hard checks don't seem to need the ht. They work great right out of the pack he sends them in and saves me the ht step.

[gunoil]

l use sageoutdoors.

[DukeInFlorida]

You can do some measuring, and get the information you need yourself:

1) Measure the bore diameter, that's what you are sealing against. Slugging is the easiest way.
2) You usually want to go .001" to .002" over the largest diameter you measured with you slugged the barrel.
3) Measure the gas check shank on the back end of your casting.
4) Subtract the gas check shank diameter from the slugged bore diameter (adding the one or two thousanths), and divide by TWO

That would be the minimum thickness for the aluminum. HOWEVER, aluminum strip, shetts, etc aren;t made like shim stock in .001" increments. To get commercially available aluminum shtte for making gas checks, you might have to go a bit thicker than your math presented. And, thicker is actually better.

The thicker material, when you make a gas check from it, will get slightly extruded sides, and make the "legs" longer. And, when run through your sizing die, you will actually CRIMP the gas checks in place, thereby giving you the "to the target" goal you desire.

It's not rocket science, but simple math. And, your own calculations (presuming that you'll be making these yourself) will guide you best of all.

For the record, I find that the BEST gas checks I make for 30 cal and 35 cal are in .0092" material, readily available as rolled aluminum flashing from the hardware store.
I get rolls at ACE Hardware: ROLLS OF .0092" FLASHING (http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=29795076)

Note: The flashing also comes in a LOT of different sized rolls. I find that a roll that will fit on my paper cutter (guillotine type) is easier and faster to cut into proper strips. Don't try to use scissors or metal scissors(shears) to cut gas check strips. You need straight lines. For bigger calibers of bullets, I find that .014" thick material works better. And, my 500 magnum and 50 BMG gas checks are made from .024" material.

[GoodAlloy]

Duke, does the .09 in 30 cal stay on good to target?
Well guys I made order from yonky for .09 & .11
Soft alloy. I will try those and see how the results are. Thanks to all you guys for chiming in.

[GoodAlloy]

So what does sage make his checks from? .010 half hard? Would that be about like lith plate?

[35 shooter]

Sages .010 hard checks are al. They size on super tight on all my 35 cal. rifle boolits.

[Sagebrush7]

The .010 aluminum half hard I use has the same characteristics as the C210 copper Hornady uses. I had to beg them to cut me two little rolls off the mega roll and give them $1000.00 for there trouble after much negotiation. The .012 Litho is a good option but cleaning off the ink is a pain. New sheets are $!2 and up in cost. Putting them up there with copper.




So what does sage make his checks from? .010 half hard? Would that be about like lith plate?

[Sagebrush7]

35shooter when do you sleep? Between trips to the loading bench?


Sages .010 hard checks are al. They size on super tight on all my 35 cal. rifle boolits.

[35 shooter]

35shooter when do you sleep? Between trips to the loading bench?
Lol, gotta bad knee that keeps me up and down some nights...last night was one of those!:smile: