Best gas check maker

[sixpointfive]

After making a few gas checks and seating them on my lyman 30 cal 170 grain bullet I notice that the gas checks can be easily pulled of.

[pistolman44]

Did you not read my post (#6) that I said using the Freechex II that they had a loose fit on my cast boolits. Only thing I can suggest to you now is to try thicker material. Or run them thru your sizer twice. That helped on some but not on all.

[JeffinNZ]

After making a few gas checks and seating them on my lyman 30 cal 170 grain bullet I notice that the gas checks can be easily pulled of.

Can you please tell us:

1) how thick is the material you are using?
2) the diameter of the gas check shank on the bullet?

[sixpointfive]

.014" the bullet is a lyman 311291

[JeffinNZ]

2) the diameter of the gas check shank on the bullet?

[swheeler]

After making a few gas checks and seating them on my lyman 30 cal 170 grain bullet I notice that the gas checks can be easily pulled of.

Maybe you need to anneal them

[Spector]

Or enlarge the gas check shank part of your boolit mold.........Mike

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

Shot them into sand.

[Moonie]

It is my understanding that the largest complaint with the freechex tools is loose fitting checks. I believe Pat discussed this and why he designed his tool differently and that the checks made with his tool fit tight, with different thickness's of materials.

I have no experience with either of these tools and have no dog in this fight, just what I've read.

[DukeInFlorida]

Here's the trick to making custom gas checks:

Both guys make the cup forming die such that there's a specific limit to the cup wall thickness after it's made. So, even if you muscled .030 thick stock in either tool, it will come out with a lesser thickness to the walls.

You can wet lap the outer diameter by using fine emery cloth, dripping with oil, on a dowel, and hone out the outer diameter a few thousandths.

I did that with two of my FreeChex III tools. Not because Charlie made any mistakes. He didn't. I just wanted larger final diameter installed checks.

AS A CONSEQUENCE of making the outer diameter bigger, I found that the checks I made were really tightly crimping in place when I ran them through my sizing die! Wonderful side benefit to doing the lapping.

So, now I have tools that I can run thicker material through, to suit my guns, and at the same time get tighter fit to my castings.

Having said that, my vote goes to FreeChex III if you wanna buy them, or to Ed's version of the same thing, if you have the machinery to make them.

One stoke forming is the way to go.

If you're making checks out of copper, Blammers prices are just above raw material cost for copper.

[Whistler]

I spent most of last night trying different materials making .35 and .44 checks with the Freechex III's in an arbor press. I concur with Moonie and DukeInMaine on this one, no matter what thickness you use, you still have loose fitting checks, even after running them through the sizer.

With the tools, I received a sheet of 0.008 that said "Max for .35" and some 0.014 that just said "For .44". The 0.008 seems to work good for the .35, but the 0.014 just falls off two different .44 boolit designs (the Lee 310 and the RCBS 240-SIL).

I tried some 0.011 aluminum folded double for the .44 and even that can be pulled off with my finger nail. The only difference is that the thicker the material, the higher the cup walls of the check become. When using the same 0.011 material for .35 checks the cup buckles and deforms at the base - however, it can still be pried off with my fingernail.

I am not a tool shop machinist. Trying to lap the tools would probably just ruin them...

[Whistler]

Some (small) progress.
I have tried putting .008" and .011" aluminum in layers using the .44 FreeChex III.
This gives a slightly extruded gas check that seems very much like the Hornady copper gas checks, which incidently measures .019" with my micrometer... They have pretty much the same fit that I have with the commercial checks, though the walls of the aluminum checks are somewhat higher. It is also a time consuming process as it binds up the tool at every downstroke, but it will probably work for me until I open up my mold shanks somewhat and cast new boolits. Unfortunately I have about 2000 unsized/unchecked boolits waiting...

[Whistler]

Layering seems to be a question of preparation. If you layer your sheets before you cut them, the cut edge will make the layers fit together and prevent binding when using them in your Freechex III tool. Today I layered some .011" aluminum with great success. I also believe you have to use a distinct and fast pull of the handle on your arbor press as this also reduces the risk of the tool binding compared to gentler and slower pulls.

The layered .022" (.011 + .011) gas checks fit OK on my .44 boolits with .397 shank. They also have an overall feeling more like the Hornady copper checks; they are somewhat heavier and more durable when handling.

[Doug Humbarger]

How do I get Ed's plans?

[tjones]

These posts are ancient , reading contemporary ones seems things have really changed. tj

[notagain15]

I looked at both gas check systems. My question has to do with the FreechexIII system. Does that one only work with the Arber press or can it work with a hammer?

Pat's Gas check system may be 2 steps but it works in the press I already own and do not have to go and purchase.

Anyway are there any other systems out there that I should be looking at?

[hockeynick39]

Pat's works for me. I make PB gas checks from 6.5mm to .458 cal out of soda/ beer can aluminum. Most of these are pistol and straight walled rifle, but am starting to get into bottlenecked rifle cartridges and PB cast bullets with pretty good results from .30 cal so far. The 6.5mm is a different animal and will take a little while to sort out.

Making 6.5mm checks on a cold and rainy day:


.45 cal checkmaker and checkeb boolits:


Lubing and checking at the same time:

[PatMarlin]

The best gas check dies are the ones you use to make your gas checks and then go shoot.

[SniderBoomer]

For plinkers and because I am busy, I buy checks that are made by others using a Freechex.

They work well and are great value.

For my own use in target competitions, I use Pat Marlin checks I make myself. I have had wins with PM checks

When you find the right thickness of Copper or Alu, they stay on well and match the Hornady, which are now priced away from my pocket.

[DukeInFlorida]

FreeChex III !!!!!

Now, when you place the order, don't be shy about calling in the order, and having conversation with Charlie Darnall. He's eager to please, and can walk you through what material to use.
Some rolled aluminum is cold worked, fine for roofing repairs, but work hardened aluminum tends to spring back, making for looser fitting checks, even it using the right thickness aluminum.

To repeat what I have posted elsewhere:
For 22 caliber FreeChex III, I use .008"-.011" aluminum, softer is always better.
For 9mm - 30 caliber FreeChex III, I use .015" aluminum, ditto softer is better. Currently ONLY using Yonky's material, it;s been properly stress relieved.
For 44 cal, 45 cal FreeChex III, I also use .015" aluminum, ditto same as 9mm to 30 cal
For 50 cal, I use .020 to .025 material. I have changeable inserts from Charlie which allow me to make gas checks for BOTH my S&W 500 Magnum, as well as gas checks for 50 BMG in the same tool. Try doing that with the competitor's tools.....

I've had great success with Charlie's FreeChex III tools. Be aware that he's now also making FreeChex IV tools for some of the smaller sizes. That refinement of the tool set makes for even higher production quantities, and is virtually trouble free.