Min thickness of aluminum for gas checks

[ghh3rd]

I was wondering whether ordinary soda/beer cans would be thick enough to make gas checks from, or if something heavier would be required.

Thanks,


Randy

[farshooter]

Randy, I use aluminum flashing. It's 0.010 inches thick. I highly recommend this. I wouldn't fuss with cans. I've shot loads side by side using Lyman, Hornady and my aluminum gas checks that I made. I see no difference. The aluminum gas check for me is ideal. I shoot them in my 03-A3. 170 gr. 311291 with 20 grains 2400 @ estimated 1,750 fps and a plinker with 8.5 grains of Unique. No leading. I've shot thousands of them.

It takes a lot of time to make them, but what's time to a hog?

Doc B

[SciFiJim]

Randy, you can get the (roof) flashing at Lowe's or Home Depot. Look in the roofing supplies area or ask a store employee to ask someone else where it is. Sometimes its faster to just wander around until you find it.

Take your micrometer or caliper with you to measure the flashing and watch the employee's eyes spin in bewilderment.

[Boerrancher]

Here is a simple formula that you can calculate the thickness of aluminum you will need to properly seal the bore.

BD - SD/2 = T

BD= boolit diameter
SD= shank diameter
T = thickness of material needed

I have been shooting aluminum gas checks now for about 2 years and have literally sent thousands of them down range. I haven't seen any adverse effects from shooting them, and I shoot 30 cals 2000 to 2500 fps. I have a bit over 500 rounds apiece out of my 30-30 and my 03A3 30-06. Neither of them have had a brush or a patch down them yet. My alloy is 50% range scrap(mostly jacketed cores) which is nearly pure lead, and 50% Wheel weights. I don't add tin, I just turn up the heat if I have problems with fill out. My gas check material is 16 thousandths soft aluminum. If you do a search using my handle you will find several threads with pictures of shot groups, tools and reloading data. Hope this helps.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[shotman]

that .016 is what the coil stock that the siding guys use. stop any place where they are doing a siding job and they will give you scrap. NOT GUTTER stuff.

[JeffinNZ]

Here is a simple formula that you can calculate the thickness of aluminum you will need to properly seal the bore.

BD - SD/2 = T

BD= boolit diameter
SD= shank diameter
T = thickness of material needed

Joe

Not to nit pick Joe but that is :

(BD-SD)/2 = T.

I have had little joy with 4 and 5 thou material on .22 checks. Found 8 thou to be a minimum on them.

[waynzwld]

I've been away for a while, is there someone making/selling the tools to make
aluminum gas checks?

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I get mine at the local newspaper. The sheets are the size of a full page.

Rich

[dogbert41]

I haven't cast anything yet, so forgive this uneducated question: why doesn't aluminum foil work?

[SciFiJim]

aluminum foil won't work because it is not thick enough to have enough structural strength. Even multiple layers won't work because the layers could peel off individually. If you had someway to laminate the foil layers together to get an adequate thickness it might work.

[Tom W.]

I was sent a sample of 0.014 and it worked great! the 0.009 was too thin and would stay in my lubrisizer....

[JIMinPHX]

Proper gas check thickness varies with caliber. .22s are a lot thinner than .30 cal. I can't remember the thickness of the .22s right now off the top of my head, but I've had good luck with .016" aluminum in .30 cal. Aluminum roof flashing from Lowes or aluminum beer BOTTLES (not cans) have both worked well for me.

[rbuck351]

I'm using three different thickness of aluminum for checks. Pop cans at about.005 work great for putting checks on plain base bullets. .010 roof flashing is working good on my 22, 25 and 35cal bullets. I just got a lee 309 120grgc mold and couldn't make the checks stay on. Back to Home Depot and found a roll of .016 14" x 25 feet for $25. It works good with the lee mold and should make a lot of checks. I would say min thickness would be about .003 maybe .004 for plain base but different thickness will be needed for different gc molds as some have different size gc shanks than others.

[JIMinPHX]

Pop cans at about.005 work great for putting checks on plain base bullets.

I was thinking about trying that with some cans I have that measure about .004"

[mdi]

I've tried my Freechex (44 cal.) with soda/beer/tea cans. The thickness varies ( .004" to .006")with I think Bud Light aluminum "bottles" are thickest (.009"), but not thick enough to make checks that will stay on my Lyman 429244 boolits. I've even tried "doubling up" but still not quite enough for the checks to stay on the boolit with normal handling. I'm waiting for delivery of some .015 " brass shim stock and I'll try again. Good idea about checks on plain based boolits, I'll try it on my Lyman 429421.

[JIMinPHX]

I've measured Bud aluminum bottles at 0.016" thick. I've had good luck using them for .30 cal checks.

[mdi]

Thnx Jim, Somehow I got my measurements mixed up. Now I'll just have to get someone to drink some Bud Light for me.:drinks:

[rbuck351]

mdi I haven't used the freechex tool as I made my own, but I find I have to use a different size hole in the check forming die so that it doesn't draw out the sides of the check and make the sides too thin. When using a thicker material, I also use a die with a larger hole. Let your lube/ sizer squish it down for a tight fit on the shank and proper finish size.
The freechex tool is designed for the pop can thickness of .004/.005. Buck

[JeffinNZ]

The freechex tool is designed for the pop can thickness of .004/.005. Buck

Actually that is not quite correct. Some of the .22 sets are speced for soda can wall material but for the most part the FC and FCII sets are set up for 0.010-0.014 material.

[rbuck351]

I wasn't aware that the freechex tool was still being made. Thanks for the info

[shotman]

Is there any interest in .024 aluminum.? It seems to be a little harder than regular Al will have some if anyone wants it.