Bwana
01-31-2010, 12:45 PM
The attached pictures are of gas checks I came up with about 24 years ago. They are made from soda cans. There are those using soda cans to make gas checks for gas check bullets; but, these are for plain based bullets.
The first picture shows five bullets with DCs attached. The first three are: a 255gr Lee 44, a 295gr modified 255 Lee (lenghtened with .406 bit), a 340gr modified 255 Lee (lenghtened with a .406 endmill bit). The last two are #1 & 3 using brass.
The DCs are .625" in dia. I will try to include the pictures of the tools. The two on the left are ones I made and the third is what I ended up with. Mine would dull more quickly than I liked so I went looking for something better. I called around and found these hardened punch cutters avialable in various sizes.
As you can see I set up a 5/16 bolt with a nut and washer for a stop and masking tape (high tech) as filler to make the bolt a snug fit inside the punch. I used a high density poly board to cut on and because the bevel is on the inside the DCs fall out or require only a slight tap to do so.
I primarily used them on my 44s but have made them for 357 and 45acp to see if they would work; they did.
Because the OD is .625" they fit and center in the Lyman lubrisizer retaining nut. The top punch centers the bullet on the DC and then size and lube as normal and out pops the bullet with DC attached. The edge of the DC crimps into the bottom lube groove.
For the smaller DCs a plastic disc or washer (OD .625") with the proper inside diameter hole is placed inside the retaining nut on top the size die to center those DCs.
They shoot very well and the DC is retained on the bullets to impact and after in most cases.
Pictures mentioned above: http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=74398
The first picture shows five bullets with DCs attached. The first three are: a 255gr Lee 44, a 295gr modified 255 Lee (lenghtened with .406 bit), a 340gr modified 255 Lee (lenghtened with a .406 endmill bit). The last two are #1 & 3 using brass.
The DCs are .625" in dia. I will try to include the pictures of the tools. The two on the left are ones I made and the third is what I ended up with. Mine would dull more quickly than I liked so I went looking for something better. I called around and found these hardened punch cutters avialable in various sizes.
As you can see I set up a 5/16 bolt with a nut and washer for a stop and masking tape (high tech) as filler to make the bolt a snug fit inside the punch. I used a high density poly board to cut on and because the bevel is on the inside the DCs fall out or require only a slight tap to do so.
I primarily used them on my 44s but have made them for 357 and 45acp to see if they would work; they did.
Because the OD is .625" they fit and center in the Lyman lubrisizer retaining nut. The top punch centers the bullet on the DC and then size and lube as normal and out pops the bullet with DC attached. The edge of the DC crimps into the bottom lube groove.
For the smaller DCs a plastic disc or washer (OD .625") with the proper inside diameter hole is placed inside the retaining nut on top the size die to center those DCs.
They shoot very well and the DC is retained on the bullets to impact and after in most cases.
Pictures mentioned above: http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=74398