Opinion on using 309 SS for gaschecks

[theperfessor]

I don't use too many gaschecks - mostly I shoot handguns with loads at moderate velocities and PB boolits work fine - so I don't have a lot of experience with them.

I am working on another project which needs a gascheck-like seal to operate and I was going to try and use some 0.002" thick 309 stainless steel "high temperature tool wrap" that I have. The seal will not move so friction/wear from velocity is not a problem in this application.

Made me wonder if there is any use for this material as a gas check for cast boolits. I'm principally concerned about barrel wear. The material is an austenitic grade of SS with 22-24% Cr, 12% Ni and C<.2%. It can be annealed at 1800 to 2000F and I have access to a furnace that can reach those temps.

Main attraction is cost. Bought a 50 ft x 20 inch roll from Enco for less than $150 - enough to make 24,00 .45 caliber gcs at a cost of $0.00625 per gc.

Anybody have any opinions/experience with this stuff?

[docone31]

My experience with tool wrap, I make Mokume'Gane, is it gets brittle real fast.
I might consider copper flashing. If you have access to a furnace for annealing, you could roll it out, anneal it, and make a gazillion checks.
I found tool wrap got quite brittle with pressure. I used it with charcoal inside the wrap bag to absorb O2 during diffusion welding of semi precious alloys.
Just my thought. I might consider avoiding stainless steel for a check.

[Ben]

If your metal is .002 thick. I think that is going to be far too thin to work with the standard gas check shanks on cast bullets made by Lyman, RCBS, etc.

Many people complain about AL soft drink can metal being far too thin at .004 - .005

I think a Hornday gas check is .016 ? ?
Pat Marlin is making his g/c's out of .012 copper I think.

I don't see how a proper gas seal can be made with a gas check that is only .002 ? Seems that you'd also have big problems with it staying on the bullet during flight down range.

Maybe other people can offer their ideas also.

I'm no metallurgist, so I really don't know much of anything about metal hardness of SS , etc.

Ben