Something other then gas checks?

[tayous1]

$59 for 1,000 gas checks!!! That's crazy there had to be something better or cheaper! I'm looking to make cards for 38/357 and 45 LC are there any punches out there that will also the trick for there size?

I have been rolling my own 12ga mini shells and found a punch to make overshot cards out of cardboard even if it's a little big it would still be useful. Thanks for the help and advice!

[farmbif]

last time I checked, sage's prices were much lower than that.

[tayous1]

last time I checked, sage's prices were much lower than that.

To bad most are out of stock. I'll check them again just need 452 and 357 gas checks.

[Ididntknowwhattopick]

Just got to check back frequently. Right now sages has the .45 / .454 copper gc in stock. Noe has 2x 35Cal GC bags in stock RN as well

[Mk42gunner]

You can get your blacksmith friend to make you a couple of arch punches.

Or failing in that do as most of us do and get a set of hollow punches from Harbor Freight for about nine bucks. The 3/8" will work for the .38, and the 7/16" might work for the .45 LC. If it needs to be bigger, it doesn't hurt nearly s much taking a dremel to a HF punch as it does to something good.

Think decimal, 3/8" = .375", 7/16" = .437". Supposedly.

Robert

[tayous1]

You can get your blacksmith friend to make you a couple of arch punches.

Or failing in that do as most of us do and get a set of hollow punches from Harbor Freight for about nine bucks. The 3/8" will work for the .38, and the 7/16" might work for the .45 LC. If it needs to be bigger, it doesn't hurt nearly s much taking a dremel to a HF punch as it does to something good.

Think decimal, 3/8" = .375", 7/16" = .437". Supposedly.

Robert

Thanks might do the punches might also see Amazon has any punches around that size the 3/8 should not be that hard to find 7/16 or 29/60 that's going to be the hard one.

[Handloader109]

powder coat. I have shot several different calibers up to 2200 ft/s and no leading. 357/38, no issue at all.

[tayous1]

powder coat. I have shot several different calibers up to 2200 ft/s and no leading. 357/38, no issue at all.

Can't make a under and overshot cards from powder coating. If you can like to know how.

[Adam Helmer]

Gas checks at $59 per 1,000 equals about 6 cents each. Check the prices for gas, food and any other things and see the prices we used to know are history.

Only a top gas check would be needed to close any handgun shot load. Card wads would work as over powder wads.

Most handgun rounds at my LGS are $.50 up to $1.00 per round. A nickel hardly seems to be a problem IMHO for reliable shot loads.

Adam

[Ed_Shot]

Use a deprimed brass case either 38 spl or 9MM for 38/357 and 45 LC or 45 ACP for the Colt to cut over-powder and over-shot cards from dixie paper plates manilla folders, what-have-you. For over shot cards some folks punch them from coffee can lids or milk jugs. Do your cutting on the end grain of a 12" block of 4x4. Use a pies of wire to poke you cards out of the case. Top the over-shot card with a big drop of Elmer's glue and spread with a toothpick to get a good seal. Card stock is not as durable as a gas check but works perfectly and is free.

[tayous1]

Gas checks at $59 per 1,000 equals about 6 cents each. Check the prices for gas, food and any other things and see the prices we used to know are history.

Only a top gas check would be needed to close any handgun shot load. Card wads would work as over powder wads.

Most handgun rounds at my LGS are $.50 up to $1.00 per round. A nickel hardly seems to be a problem IMHO for reliable shot loads.

Adam

Most aluminum is free most cardboard is also free! So free+free and know how equals free.

Not saying your not right that things are more expensive! Yet why pay $59 for something you can make with tool less then that? Also I can make well over 1,000 aluminum type gas checks with the tool!

For the 357 I found a punch that cost $6.99 used a bigger one on aluminum cans to make overshot cards for 12 ga and works great. Have well over 250 mini 12ga 1 3/4 round with cardboard and aluminum overshot cards and never had a problem so why would it be a problem with 357/45lc?

No flame maybe I'm missing something? Also read how people have been doing this with vegetables fiber for a long time with no problem.

I'd like to know why I should pay $59 for 1,000 copper gas checks that are better then the $6.99 punch and free aluminum and a little work is better?

Out of respect I'm just asking!

[Texas by God]

This is what steel rifle and pistol cases are good for. Sharpen the mouth of the case with a chamfer tool. A cut off 8x57mm case works perfectly for card wad making for my .41 magnum shot loads. .223, 9mm, .45 auto, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, and others are commonly found with steel cases.

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[Nobade]

Since I took up paper patching I have not had to buy a gas check. That's been about 10 years now and I haven't missed them yet.

[Harter66]

I know someone is going to get their feelings hurt but not long ago I ran a copper tainted WW +tin plain base 255 gr RNFP 2000 fps out of a 45-70 and 350s almost 1950 in more or less a 460 S&W just greased in some Darrs lube with no ill effects . 30-30 and 32 Rem have been and still are running 2100 fps and I would imagine the 358 Win will run a 358-158 1800+ MV . So maybe I don't understand why in a 9mm/38/357 or 45 ACP/Colts/454 you need a check ......I do have an RN .451 bullet with a check but up to about 30kpsi it's not really needed .

[Texas by God]

The OP is talking about gas checks for shot loads; not bullets.

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[Nobade]

The OP is talking about gas checks for shot loads; not bullets.

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By golly you're right. Oops, guess I'd better look at which room we're in.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Years ago I took advantage of a bargan bin at a local gun shop and picked up 2,000 .44 1/8'' Alcan card wads for $2.00. I'm not sure of their intended purpose, but they work wonderfully in .44 Magnum cases for shot shells. If intended for .410 shot shells, (which I believe they are) they and fiber wads should still be available in a different brand of course. Use one over powder and one over shot, crimp like a normal bullet. I paint my over shot wad with bright orange finger nail polish.

Don't they sell .45 card and fiber wads for muzzle-loaders? All else fails, buy a punch and make your own. A slightly small punch should be able to be ground and sharpened to proper size if the right size can't be matched exactly.

[Rizzo]

$59 for 1,000 gas checks!!! That's crazy there had to be something better or cheaper! I'm looking to make cards for 38/357 and 45 LC are there any punches out there that will also the trick for there size?

I recently bought this set for 38 spcl. cases that I use for shotshells:

Hollow Punch Set, 9 Pc. $8.99
Punch sizes: 3/32 in., 1/8 in., 5/32 in., 3/16 in., 1/4 in., 5/16 in., 3/8 in., 7/16 in., 1/2 in.
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

I use thin cardboard for punching them out. (like ammo boxes are made from)
For 38 spcl. cases I used the 3/8" punch and they fit great.
I use the head of a 16D nail to push them in and tamp them in.

Hope that helped.

[Alferd Packer]

should say over powder or overshot wads and then the gauge.12 gauge, 16 ga.etc.
auto parts store sells both cheap gasket punch or arch punch.
Also big black powder catalogue sells punches.
Name escapes me?

[trapper9260]

What I use not use of GC is cards I cut out with gasket punches from Snap on , What they sell it cover all the ones I shotshell and also for over shot cards for all my shotguns. I load 10, 12, 20, 410 . There is a hole punch that cover them in what they sell beside for 32 cals, 38 , 44 cal, and you need to check the rest and what I do is put 2 cards over the powder press in by hand one at a time then put shot the then 1 card over the shot and glue in place , but I see some posted that they crimp them I need to try that out the next time I make some. I use cracker box to cut my cards .

[fiberoptik]

should say over powder or overshot wads and then the gauge.12 gauge, 16 ga.etc.
auto parts store sells both cheap gasket punch or arch punch.
Also big black powder catalogue sells punches.
Name escapes me?

Dixie, Track of the Wolf, etc.


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[scattershot]

Sharpen the neck of the appropriate cartridge case and punch your own.

[tayous1]

Sharpen the neck of the appropriate cartridge case and punch your own.

How do you sharpen?

[Adam Helmer]

How do you sharpen?

tayous1,

I run a 60-acre farm and shoot much on my 5 ranges. I do load snake loads for the occasional copperheads and rattlers. I suspect a nickel a gas check for snake loads is a bit much in 2021, but times are changing! Yesterday my local gun shop finally got in 100-round trays of CCI .22 long rifle ammo for $14.90 a pop! I have a few "bricks" of 500 rounds that were $14.00 each, back in the day. Until 2024, NOTHING will ever cost less. Go gas up and see my point.

A nickel, per each, gas check is a BARGAIN at this point in time! Trust me on this.

Be Well.
Adam

[Mk42gunner]

How do you sharpen?

You can do it with the burring tool or a large diameter countersink. It has been so long since I did it that way I don't remember if putting the bevel on the outside or inside of the case worked better.

Also you can drill out the primer pocket and use a small bolt and nut to make a powered cutter with your electric drill.

Robert

[tayous1]

That's good that you can spend $60 on copper! When there is a lot of free aluminum out there!

Guess I'm the type they would much rather do a little work than spend hard-earned money!

Gas is up everything is up thanks to who is in the office! It was not like this a year ago except with ammo and reloading items!

Why spend good hard-earned money on something that you can make with a little time and effort? Guess that's the self-sufficient person in me trying to not rely on someone else to do a job I can do for free or for 1/8 of the price. I don't have all the money in the world I can dream of owning 60 acres of land. All I have is 10 acres that have never been worked.

I have fences to build areas to till and boulders to move so I can set up an orchard for trees. Have to fence off all the property that has not been taken care of since 1995 have to cut several trees down to make room for the fence as I work a regular job 40 hours a week and worse I work evenings!

$60 might not be much to you but a guy who has to fence his land by hand has other obligations and jobs that's have to be done!

So $60 is a lot for something I could make for free or about free!

I live in a house that was built in 1940 the well has never has had a water softener that I installed last year. So all my pipes are rusted, the home has two old water heaters I can't even both electric that sucks up money each day. I need to buy two propane instant water heaters. Also, have to replace my microwave/stove that is electric with propane for the oven and just make it a double oven!

Have to update my stovetop as it has not been cleaned properly so I need to get a new burner.

Last for this my home since in South West Texas did not come with a heater! All the propane heaters were taken out because they are not up to standards! My family suffered last winter as our power went out for 5 days! No power no water even though we have a well but no Power!

Have a generator to buy! So my wife can do her job at home that makes a lot more then I do I'm talking a lot $$$!

So $60 is a lot to me! I'm not talk even about what needs to be fixed inside.

[GhostHawk]

I have not made many snake loads, not much need for them up here in the Frozen North.
But I have punched several hundred overshot cards from white plastic milk carton.

I use the 3 liter lactaid jugs as that is what my wife and I have on hand.

Set of harbor freight punches, a rubber mallet and a chunk of 4x4.

Even those might need to be sharpened a little. Dremel with a sanding disk or stone.

I have also sharpened many cartridge cases. Chamfering tool works fine, do most of the work on the outside.
Those styrofoam trays they sell meat on cut real easy. They are a bit thicker. A drop of glue or a dab of hot wax will hold it in place.

Mine I punched the primer out, then slid a blowgun dart into the cartridge. Roll the far end or glue a piece of branch on the sharp point. Cut 3 or 4, give it a push and out they come. I have one made from a .444marlin brass that has cut a lot of plugs.

Its all about finding the right size brass for the application. Then sit down and use your head. Good luck!

[Adam Helmer]

tayous1,

Yessir, all your points were well taken. To answer your question: One way to sharpen an empty cartridge case very sharp to a knife edge is with a chamfer and deburring tool.
Hope this helps.

Adam

[scattershot]

Sharpen the neck of the appropriate cartridge case and punch your own.

A 45 degree countersink bit will work, or some kind of deburring tool.

[Alferd Packer]

should say over powder or overshot wads and then the gauge.12 gauge, 16 ga.etc.
Auto parts store sells both cheap gasket punch or arch punch.
Also big black powder catalogue sells punches.
Name escapes me?


what i use not use of gc is cards i cut out with gasket punches from snap on , what they sell it cover all the ones i shotshell and also for over shot cards for all my shotguns. I load 10, 12, 20, 410 . There is a hole punch that cover them in what they sell beside for 32 cals, 38 , 44 cal, and you need to check the rest and what i do is put 2 cards over the powder press in by hand one at a time then put shot the then 1 card over the shot and glue in place , but i see some posted that they crimp them i need to try that out the next time i make some. I use cracker box to cut my cards .

dixie gunworks catalogue.

[Alferd Packer]

DIxie Gunworks Catalogue
Price 5.00
Shipping 15.00

[Bwana John]

Harbor Frieght 9 piece hollow punch set, $10.

Bleach bottle punch outs for overshot wad.

357 mag seating die for crimping mouth on 45 acp ss

Nail polish for sealant.

But upside down .375” gas checks do work well for 45 ss

[tew45]

I used a 3 inch section of 1/2 inch steel tube with 1/16 steel wall, drilled a 29/64 hole in the end approximately 1/3 inch deep then sharpened around the outside edge with a file. This made a nice card over powder wad for 45 colt snake loads. Hit the punch on a suitable thickness card stock backed up with the edge of a 2x4. The end only. Just push one side of the card in and pull it out with tweezers. A hand punch is slow but a lot faster than you might think. I use 7 grains of AA#5 an over the shot wad and 160 grains #8 shot then close with a 200 grain semi wadcutter bullet or a 200 grain Lee tumble lube. This way I can do in any snake or anything else that can hurt me! #12 shot would be better but I had #8 and a sack of #12 is costly.

[BLAHUT]

watch what type of card stock you use. the white glossy card stock is coated with a white clay> milk carton, paper plates, solid bleach is clay free> black powder catalog sells punches sized for what you need.

[jmorris]

I use one of these and punch a plastic “card” from an old shot shell, cut open, laid flat, on top of a piece of hardwood and smack with a hammer.

https://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12169518939&campaignid=12169518939&utm_content=114845717657&adsetid=114845717657&product=3838&store=746&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3eeXBhD7ARIsAHjssr8TXs8q4Kpc__TNpGQl oXNBOc8MOsHkXIM132S9z3tGYppWOCKqbeYaAtsBEALw_wcB

[uscra112]

How many .44 shot loads will you actually shoot in a year? Does the cost of the gas checks really matter?

[David2011]

My thoughts exactly. A thousand is a long term supply. Another material I’ve used is the thick black foam meat trays. They’re almost 1/8” thick and it’s easy to cut them with a sharpened cartridge.

[uscra112]

Styrofoam would melt or burn before the shot load has left the barrel, so not much good for over-powder wad.

[Boogieman]

In 41mag and 45apc I use a 410 ga. wad trimmed flush and a top wad punched from primer box.

[450 Fuller]

Since I took up paper patching I have not had to buy a gas check. That's been about 10 years now and I haven't missed them yet.

Well spoken. Either in my Sharps or an original 1887/Model 1885 High Wall SS in 45-60/70 400-535 gr bullets are unstoppable
on most anything above ground. Decided to research this site in the interest of medical science. Elmer Keith was right.

** Might as well start off with a bang: if a gas check falls off from the base of a cast boolit onto the powder below, in a
bottle -neck rifle cartridge, you will have a pressure excursion, and it may be exciting for you and your rifle. It DOES happen
and this writer has seen it. GCs are like rattlesnakes with anything but straight wall cases: leave em under the rock or in the box they
came in. ** OR, harden / temper yo bullets so they's not necessary.

[uscra112]

[smilie=s: O.P. was talking about using them in shot loads for pistols.