FREECHEX Gas Check tool

[rbuck351]

After seeing the freechex about a year ago I made some of my own and they work as well as factory checks. I use aluminum sheeting for use on roof valleys It's about .010" and comes in a roll about 16"x 10' for around $10. Should make tens of thousands of checks. And the thinner soda cans work on plain base boolits. I'm done with commercial checks.

[Charlie Sometimes]

You betcha! I am awaiting their arrival any day.
There is a gun show this weekend, so I won't get to try them out right away (stress!)
But as the opportunity presents itself.......

[Charlie Sometimes]

I've finally got around to fooling with the Freechex makers.
I haven't had the time, or need, until now.
I started with the 22 Freechex I- using the lithe plate I got from JKH.
That stuff works pretty good!
The lithe plate makes for a very uniform check when completed.
I turned the print side out- slight contrast to the bullet, and since it's coated, might prevent oxidization in long term storage- if they oxidize.
The other side has a faint reddish blue shimmer to it- maybe from an annealing process?

If the disc doesn't center properly, you can punch through it, and get a malformed GC. There is some metal sheared and it sticks around the punch but it is easily removed for the next disc. I used a Cook 120 lead hammer to cut the discs and work the punch. A light dead blow hammer would be probably be better. A rawhide mallet was reccommended, I think. I tred a heavy rubber mallet, and a heavy nylon mallet, too. The nylon was better, but I like the lead hammer better.

Also, I used the end grain of several pine 2x6's nailed together to punch the discs out on. I nailed them together and then cut them square on all sides for a secure surface. A lead ingot worked good, too.

Using the Freechex I is a little slower than the II's, since you have to punch out the discs in a separate operation, but works okay.
It will be a long process, but winter is coming, and I have lots of material to work!

[Tom W.]

I got mine in .45 cal, but needed to get a different mandrel, as all of my checks stayed in my lubrisizer. When Charlie sent me a different mandrel, he also sent me a bit of aluminum flashing that was 0.014, and it worked just great. Of course, that thickness is all but nonexistent in my area so far, but I'll keep looking.

I bought a half-ton arbor press from Harbor Freight to punch my checks out, and it beats the hammer method hands down..

[JeffinNZ]

I got mine in .45 cal, but needed to get a different mandrel, as all of my checks stayed in my lubrisizer. When Charlie sent me a different mandrel, he also sent me a bit of aluminum flashing that was 0.014, and it worked just great. Of course, that thickness is all but nonexistent in my area so far, but I'll keep looking.

I bought a half-ton arbor press from Harbor Freight to punch my checks out, and it beats the hammer method hands down..

Tom, have you considered using two layers of thinner material? I make .303 Brit GC's on a FC II using a layer of 0.0118 litho printing plate on the outside and a layer of 0.0042 soda can on the inside. Net result - 0.016 material. Works great.

[twocool4u]

I have a freechex II in .30 caliber. I can not say enough good things about it and the seller. I bought it one day and received it only three days later. Talk about fast shipping!

I used the piece of aluminum that was sent with it to make a few checks, then I used two different types of aluminum cans, then I bought my own copper. I experimented with three different thicknesses of copper and about five different thicknesses of aluminum before deciding on the thickness that worked best for me.

Now I can make my own copper checks and the one's I make do not have the "bottle cap effect" that I have seen on other homemade checks. To me, the checks that look like bottle caps are a sign of an unrefined check making tool. The checks I used to buy were clean, smooth, and uniform, I want the checks I make to be the same, and using Freechex II they are.

The only downside I have found is that now I have to buy Freechex II in two more calibers.

[kelbro]

My FreechexII in 44 works great. I'm anxious to try one of Pat's for comparison's sake after I get through this last 1K of 30cal Hornadys.

[RoyRogers]

Is the freechex tool still available? Did ebay cut off their sale?

[XWrench3]

what about the "crimp ridge" on the hornady gas checks that is supposed to crimp lock the check into the boolit? i do not think that the freechex tool has this capability. or is the "crimp ring" just a gimmic? i would be very curious as how these actually work out, not just the stamping of the chex, but how well they stay on, and shoot as well. i am no fan of paying big $ for checks. if the freechex tool makes good checks, that stay put, and shoot well, i may have to look into one. when the snow flies here, i am pretty much done, and hibernate until the spring thaw, so making 20,000 or so gas chex would give me something to do! LOL! well, maybe not 20,000, but definitly a years worth!

[1Shirt]

:Have both 30 and 44, and am reasonably satisfied with them. Have just accepted the fact that I must use super glue on the base of the blts befor I size and lube them. Extra step, pain in the tail, but they work. In my 444 they work very very well. Am not as concerned about having one come off inside the case with straight walled cases like 444 or 45-70, but sure don't want one coming off inside a bottle neck case.
1Shirt!

[jbc]

Is the freechex tool still available? Did ebay cut off their sale?

They are still for sale - he just had a few .30's and .44's on evilbay last week but they are all gone I think he puts them up as he finishes them and lately the quantitys haven't been real high so you just have to keep an eye out for more to show up on there

[Dollar Bill]

They are still for sale - he just had a few .30's and .44's on evilbay last week but they are all gone I think he puts them up as he finishes them and lately the quantitys haven't been real high so you just have to keep an eye out for more to show up on there

I had emailed him about buying one, and that's the answer I got. As he makes them, up on Evil Bay they go. You just have to keep an eye out.

[Charlie Sometimes]

what about the "crimp ridge" on the hornady gas checks that is supposed to crimp lock the check into the boolit? i do not think that the freechex tool has this capability. or is the "crimp ring" just a gimmic? i would be very curious as how these actually work out, not just the stamping of the chex, but how well they stay on, and shoot as well. i am no fan of paying big $ for checks. if the freechex tool makes good checks, that stay put, and shoot well, i may have to look into one. when the snow flies here, i am pretty much done, and hibernate until the spring thaw, so making 20,000 or so gas chex would give me something to do! LOL! well, maybe not 20,000, but definitly a years worth!

The Freechex are more like the Lyman or Ideal in that they do not have the gimmick burr to crimp into the boolit when seated in a sizer die. I like that too, and I do not know how they get that to remain throughout the manufacturing process. Obviously, the burr is a result of the initial punch out, and looks like the product of a slightly worn or oversized punch die, and then not fully cup-shaped.
The Freechex go on snug, and I would say that also depends on the base of your boolit, too. I have had to pull boolits that had Lyman checks on their bases and had them come off, remaining in the neck of the cartridge, and then had to be fired to remove the check. Wasted my primer & powder. I would not load many if you think that you would have to remove the boolit in any fashion other than firing. I would venture to say that would be the same issue with the Freechex as well. Of, course, the Hornady type would not be totally immune either.
I agree that the thickness of material seems to relate to the quallity appearance of the Freechex. In the 22 Freechex I, the lithe plate makes for a very nice check, without the "bottle lid" appearance. It won't stand for a double thickness of material either.
I haven't tried this stuff to any great length in the 30 and 45 Freechex II's yet. They are lined up waiting, though.

I have tried some brass stock that I have. I think it needs annealed- it is real springy. It doesn't seem to form as easily. I am going to place it into my toaster oven that I use for heat treating boolits, and see how that works.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Here's what they look like installed on a couple of boolits. The checks are just pressed on, and boolits are unsized. The thickness of the material makes the difference between a bottle cap and smooth appearance.


LEE C452-300-RF with Aluminum lithe plate check (double thickness)


LEE C452-300-RF with a Brass check (double thickness)


Lyman 225438 with a Copper check (single thickness)


The 45 caliber Freechex II set

[Chunky Monkey]

Look good Charlie!!

[Charlie Sometimes]

By the way- the double aluminum checks weighed 2.5 gr., and the double brass were 7.5 gr. each!

In the picture with the aluminum check, the "print" side is out.
I'll put some up tomorrow of silver side out and a "bottle cap" check.

I like the way the lithe plate works in these check makers.

Don't skimp and get your holes/ discs to close together when punching out- leave a little betwen punches. If the edges are not round, the check will be a little deformed or stretch more in that spot, depending. Look at the bottom edge of the aluminum check photo- that's what happend on that one.

[Tom W.]

Charlie, Re: your photo... My Freechex II the piece that you have in the middle.. well, mine is a metal tube like thing surrounded by a vary hard plastic sleeve substance, where yours is metal and engraved or knurled. I don't suppose that it makes any difference.

[Charlie Sometimes]

Charlie, Re: your photo... My Freechex II the piece that you have in the middle.. well, mine is a metal tube like thing surrounded by a vary hard plastic sleeve substance, where yours is metal and engraved or knurled. I don't suppose that it makes any difference.

My 30 caliber has the nylon shock absorber.
The one in the picture is my 45 caliber- it has an o-ring shock absorber, and seems to work pretty good.
He explained to me that was to keep it from tearing itself apart from repeated impacts.
The brass that I use needs a bit more of a whack to cut through (haven't tried the annealing process yet), and it seems to be able to take the extra abuse.

I'll ad pictures of the 22 Freechex I and the 30 caliber Freechex II today, too.

[Dale53]

I was not interested in a gas check tool as I could envision taking forever to make a couple of gas checks. I am retired but my time is worth SOMETHING.

However (notice how often there is a "however") as a direct result of this discussion, I was curious. I went to Ebay and looked at the Free Chex II (for .44 it is now $41.95 + $4.95 shipping. Then I saw a link to "YouTube" with a video on making checks using one of those small arbor presses sold at Harbor Freight and other places for a relatively small amount of money. NOW, this thing makes absolute sense. I already have a small arbor press and the gentleman on the "YouTube" video has a high enough production rate that it makes really good sense. He states he can do about 400 per hour (that is less time than it takes to cast, lube, and size bullets for most of us).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GNCVcD4DmE

Ok, I'm sold and I ordered one. I am NOT going to be a great user of these but I AM very interested in the process and right now gas check prices from commercial sources are RIDICULOUS. This will be my "Tea Party" protest against these high costs. Plus, with the arbor press it is now PRACTICAL for me...

Recently, I purchased a very nice four cavity mould (Lyman 431244) for a good price and now this.... I have been a confirmed plain base bullet user (Keith's forever!) but, who knows...

FWIW
Dale53

[Charlie Sometimes]

The injector and foot valve blew out in my well this morning!
Needless to say, I did not get around to the pictures as early as I thought I would.
That project went fairly "well" , so I didn't stay po'd very long today.
I finally got around to taking the pic's, so look below.

Making the 22 checks is a real lesson in patience- I'll give you that.
My big ol' fingers has a hard time separating and picking them itty bitty discs up!
It's llike trying to pick up a penney with a handfull of Vienna Sausages!

With these sets, you can make gas checks anywhere, anytime, at least.
I intend to get an arbor press and try that eventually- that's got to wait now that I threw some of my stimulus money down the well!

As promised, here they are-