Yesterday I received my 35PB Checkmaker from PatMarlin. This report is considerably different than what I anticipated posting. My first impressions are WOW!
I cut a Hires root beer can into strips. Aluminum cans tend to retain their can shape and are a real pain to cut on the paper cutter. Lith plate and copper sheeting are flat and cut beautiful into strips.
The first disks that I cut were from the lith plate. I stacked three strips up and ran them through the cutter. They cut very well. Please do not try this! The disks stick together and you will spend more time trying to get them apart than if you cut them from a single strip.
I also cut the pop can strips in three layers. For me they cut better win multiple layers than they do in a single layer. They do not stick together when cut in multiple layers.
The checks formed very well using the 0.004” pop can, 0.008” lith plate, and 0.10” copper materials. The fit of the check is not tight for the diameter of boolit I used. They should accommodate a large range of diameters.
I ran the boolits through my Star to seat the gas checks. I was surprised with the effort required to size them. They required much less effort than I was expecting.
This is not an extensive test, but I loaded ten rounds of plain base, pop can check, lith check, and copper check. The checks shot better that the plain base.
Equipment:
RPM Sportsman in .357 magnum with 10 - ¾” barrel & 2x Burris
LBT 357 158 OWC sized to 0.359” over 10.6 grains 2400. A rather mild load.
Testing was done at 50 yards from a bench.
First plain base ~ Second pop can ~ Third .008" lith plate ~ Fourth .010 copper