| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 02:42 AM |
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miestro_jerry
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I first saw the idea of making your own gas checks about 25 years ago, by Paco Kelly. Over on eBay.com is a guy who is selling FreeChex, gas check making tool.
There are many pros and cons about making gas checks out of aluminum cans, most I don't take that seriously. I will probably one for my 452 cal and 357 cal bullets.
You do not need to have bullets with a gas check rings to use FreeChex.
Here is a 20 second videos about these gas check makers:
http://home.earthlink.net/~codarnall/files/freechex2.mov
If you can get by an arts and crafts store, they do sell copper foil that could be used in this process.
Just I thought would share this idea with all of you, could save you some money or enhance your bullets or both.
Jerry
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 03:12 AM |
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fryboy
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i cant see the vid ( i have quik time disabled ) i think i seen the spiel for them before tho i dont see why they wouldnt work altho i wonder about the pure copper ...i know most gas checks are made of guilding metal the wikki list guilding metal as follows
"Gilding metal is a copper alloy, comprising 95% copper and 5% zinc. Technically, it is a brass."
brass is a lil stronger than copper,i am curious how they work out tho ( i keep hopin' someone will try that tap-o-cap as it uses aluminum as well cept i learned to never volunteer :P) so let us know how it goes amigo !
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 06:20 AM |
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miestro_jerry
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There aybe others who have tried this device with copper. So let wait to hear from them.
Jerry
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 06:26 AM |
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miestro_jerry
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This maybe another route to the same video:
http://home.earthlink.net/~codarnall
Jerru
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 07:16 AM |
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fryboy
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copper should work just i'd imagine it's softer than the guilding metal is all ( perhaps mite add a lil copper fouling is possible ) nickel sheets should work as well if the punch will handle it ,i also imagine that they would be stronger than the pop can or copper ( but again not cheaper)that is perhaps also why i am too chicken to test the tap-o-cap,while a percussion cap mite be fine i find that i doubt their strength for hi power cartridges ( i've seen spiels for both btw )
speaking of working the new link did indeed work for me altho if i recall correctly the video i saw before they was making smaller ( 30 cal ? ) checks and was longer, i also checked out a few of the other vidz on that link,the only bad part of that link was he didnt really show the check just the process and 3-5 chex laying on the table and i admit like u i'm curious as to people we know's results ( i use hornady's btw )perhaps a extra step than the lymans but shouldnt fall down in the case and cheaper than the lyman's as well
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 12:37 PM |
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Charley
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On cast boolits there is still some controversy over freechex, some like 'em, some don't. Gripes about having to anneal the checks, not fitting tightly enough, fitting too loosely, and so on. I've got enough going on without taking on another project. I'll just buy gas checks as long as I can.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 05:17 PM |
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fryboy
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umm now that u added the words beer can i know cans are easy to get but i rarely drink beer ( prefer bottle when i do ) and i never drink soda anymore ,i just woke up one day and quit ,to me that is amazing because i used to live on mt.dew fact is one guy i worked for called it liquid meth ( perhaps thaz what made me subconsciously quit? )he'd say at the end of the day when i opened that plastic bottle he could see the change in my tired worn out uh huh ,that was 5 years ago and i went from drinkin 2-3 cases a week to zero ,my stomach never did like cola's and as much as i liked root beer it was the same problem with cola and mt.dew has one of the highest doses of caffiene available
back to the topic and charley's comment ...i know u can buy shim stock in different thickness aluminum as well as brass,nickel etc etc perhaps at the moment they cost alot more than soda cans but in a worse case scenario it mite be more valid ,the nickel perhaps would have to be annealed more so than the others,i suppose even tin or tin cans would work but would take a lil bigger hammer blow ,experimenting with various thickness would be possible with the shim stock tho ( just more food for thought )
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13th, 2009 09:25 PM |
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miestro_jerry
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I have found thin sheet Brass at the same place I get my roles of thin copper from, so that may be another metal to use, they also have aluminum in the same form.
Yes there is a controversy concerning FreeChex on other forums, I ahve read them, but I would like to hear from our folks.
Jerry
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14th, 2009 02:07 AM |
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72coupe
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I have a friend that shoots a Swiss K31 in highpower matches with cast bullets. He has one of the Freechecks on order.
I'll get a report from him. I have a 1000 308s and 2000 224s so it will be a while before I need to make my own.
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14th, 2009 02:15 AM |
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jjb2
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i had never seen beer can gas checks before but i do make my own plastic wads out of margarine bowl lids.................................... i have some "special" loads i do with them...............
LIFE IS SHORT..... JJB
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| Posted: Wed Apr 22nd, 2009 03:40 PM |
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Oldrockchucker
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jjb2 wrote: ... but i do make my own plastic wads out of margarine bowl lids.................................... i have some "special" loads i do with them...............
LIFE IS SHORT..... JJB
I'd be interested in hearing about how you make wads from margarine lids.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30th, 2009 09:39 PM |
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Old Fart
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I have one of the pop can gc makers. I picked it up primarily for my 303 claibers. I use it with the Lee resizer. It seems to do a better job of forcing it on. I've heard some people have had problems with this stage through other resizers. For the most part the bullets and gc's I've been able to recover have been in contact. Every now and then you'll see one come off.
A little up front cost but like most of this stuff it pays dividends down the road.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 30th, 2009 10:10 PM |
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miestro_jerry
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I make wads out of Sill Seal and Matt Mounting Boards(card board) with a leather punch. I mostly use them in my 45-70 loads. I am looking for more punches to make other sizes, some of the one on the market are not hardened and dull up fast, so I am looking for some decent ones. I may have to surface harden or heat treat some of the cheaper punches if I can' find a well made punch.
If this beer can gas check makers works, then use them. It's a cheap source and works on non GC shanked bullets.
Jerry
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Ruger45
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The only problem I can see using the freechex is the thickness of the aluminum or copper. If it is not thick enough it won't do much good. The way to fix it is to measure the crimp where the gas check goes on then devide by 2. That will give you the thickness of the aluminum or copper that you need. Once it is crimped on it should be the same size as your bullet. Measure the bullet dia. then the crimp for the gas check take away bullet dia from the crimp dia and devide by 2 and there you go. That should give you the info you need for the proper gas check thickness.
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miestro_jerry
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The thing that makes this gas check method desirable is the fact that beer and pop cans are so plentiful. That is what Paco Kelly intended as the metal for his Free Check system that was back about 20 or more years ago.
Jerry
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Ruger45
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That maybe so but I was just pointing out the potential problem as I saw it. If it's possible to use two beer can checks on one bullet that may take care of it. I'm not cutting anyone down for coming up with an idea to help people make things better, merely pointing out a possible problem and how it might be fixed.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 18th, 2009 01:55 AM |
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bigwhiterubicon
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"you might be a redneck if" you make your own gaschecks out of beer cans
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| Posted: Fri Sep 18th, 2009 02:39 PM |
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fishin_bum
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I purchaced a Foster Tap-O-Cap a few years ago from midsouth I love it as long as you use american made caps or two or three china ones. I had far more duds with No.11s than with my homemade ones. I have been thinking of buying the gas check maker off ebay in .223 I'll post how it works.
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miestro_jerry
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Fishin,
I would be interested in your results, I have heard on other forums by the "brain boys" why these GCs are no good, but I think it's a great idea.
No one I know has tried the 223 size one. I shoot a lot of CBs in Contenders and bolt guns, so I have three places where this could be of some use for me.
Thanks,
Jerry
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