gas check maker
- Thread starter yomomma
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BattleRife
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The Metals Supermarket south side Edmonton has rolls of several different coppers and brasses.
I have checked their on line stuff. Most of it is .020 and greater.
I am looking at getting something around .014-.016, which seems to be the norm for the bullets i plan on using and adjusting material thickness to make the checks fit tighter or looser on the bullet
Length doesnt matter, thickness does
I am looking at getting something around .014-.016, which seems to be the norm for the bullets i plan on using and adjusting material thickness to make the checks fit tighter or looser on the bullet
Length doesnt matter, thickness does
A few months ago, I got a small sample pack (free) from a place in the States (Basic Copper). They sent me small pieces of .005", .008", .010" and .016." I ended up using .008" aluminum offset printing plates for my checks, but the copper sample(s) they sent are dead soft and form beautiful checks. They sell sheets, rolls, strips, etc.
If you're stuck on copper I can't help much. What I can do is suggest that you look into a place like Ackland's and check out their rolls of brass or copper shim stock Usually around a meter long and 13cm wide. That stuff is available from .0005in al the way on up in .001in increments.
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As mentioned, ACKLANDS has or can usually get you what you need. Personally, I have found that by using a proper bullet mixture for your lead bullets, and keeping your velocities under the 2000 fps mark, leading is not a problem. This includes a lot of older calibres, and even things like the 30-30, etc.
I did make my own gas checks, but found the time and effort to do so was just not productive (for myself.) Now I simply buy the ones I need or decide to use. I do like the Hornady Crimp On ones. I find many of them at Gun Shows at reasonable prices, and I do a LOT of shooting with various calibres.
The other thing I use, especially for higher velocities, is paper patched bullets. (Paper Jacketed bullets.) They are easy to use once you learn the basics, and I have successfully driven lead bullets at 2700 fps out of a .30 calibre rifle, with NO leading showing up in the barrel. Paper patched bullets are simple to use, do not take much more effort than casting, lubricating and loading regular lead bullets, and are very effective and accurate.
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As mentioned, ACKLANDS has or can usually get you what you need. Personally, I have found that by using a proper bullet mixture for your lead bullets, and keeping your velocities under the 2000 fps mark, leading is not a problem. This includes a lot of older calibres, and even things like the 30-30, etc.
I did make my own gas checks, but found the time and effort to do so was just not productive (for myself.) Now I simply buy the ones I need or decide to use. I do like the Hornady Crimp On ones. I find many of them at Gun Shows at reasonable prices, and I do a LOT of shooting with various calibres.
The other thing I use, especially for higher velocities, is paper patched bullets. (Paper Jacketed bullets.) They are easy to use once you learn the basics, and I have successfully driven lead bullets at 2700 fps out of a .30 calibre rifle, with NO leading showing up in the barrel. Paper patched bullets are simple to use, do not take much more effort than casting, lubricating and loading regular lead bullets, and are very effective and accurate.
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http://store.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/copper-foil.html
http://www.mcmaster.com/#shim-stock/=swjyh3
These are the ones I found but went the aluminum route. Think it would be cheaper to buy copper from horandy if you can find your calibres.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#shim-stock/=swjyh3
These are the ones I found but went the aluminum route. Think it would be cheaper to buy copper from horandy if you can find your calibres.
Generally the gas checks are cheap....but an extra ten bucks for shipping is ridiculous.
I'm going to buy bulk copper and get a few like minded individual to chip in. Cheap gc's for everyone.
Plus I can make a few until I figure out the thickness that works best.
I'm going to buy bulk copper and get a few like minded individual to chip in. Cheap gc's for everyone.
Plus I can make a few until I figure out the thickness that works best.
I've pretty well switched to aluminum checks. My admittedly limited experimentation failed to see any difference in performance between aluminum and copper.
Building siding was my source for materials when i made my own checks but like Buffdog said - it's a lot of work for little gain. I buy aluminum checks for $25-$30/1000 and I can't make them for that price if i have to buy the raw materials.
Building siding was my source for materials when i made my own checks but like Buffdog said - it's a lot of work for little gain. I buy aluminum checks for $25-$30/1000 and I can't make them for that price if i have to buy the raw materials.
Maybe they don't know how to use a cleaning rod??
Of course you can damage a barrel just as easily by misusing a brass rod as you can an aluminum rod. Which really doesn't mean much when ity comes to gas checks.
Yeah I've heard people say that and it's beyond silly. Cleaning rods are not made of aluminum oxide. The same guy who says aluminum rods are hard on barrels has no issue using a stainless steel rod, which is much harder and more likely to damage the bore. Go figure.
The biggest problem with aluminum rods is that they aren't as strong as brass or steel so they are more prone to bowing if you are pushing REALLY hard, like when you are beating an obstruction out of the bore. The bowed portion of the rod can contact the rifling and might do damage. Regardless of the material it's made from, the rod isn't supposed to make contact with the bore. Most damage caused by rods is in the crown and first 1/4" of muzzle. A muzzle guide is a good piece of kit.
I have shot thousands of aluminum gas checks through my 308win.
no issues what so ever.
Some people worry too much, then feel obligated to infect others with their paranoia!
Don't worry about it, just shoot them.
I have done a "fair" bit, not huge, of comparisons with different gas check materials.
I have tested Aluminum, Brass, And copper.
I was testing to see which material would perform the best at higher pressures/velocities.
I kept all the Load components the same, except for the gas checks.
As I increased the relative pressures, I found that the loads with the Aluminum gas checks started to fall apart (accuracy wise) , first.
The Brass and copper gas checks both performed just fine up to the pressure limits of the cartridge.
I did not find any significant difference in accuracy between the two (with the components I used).
I managed to achieve accuracy around 3/4" to 1-1/4" at 100 yards, Consistantly. (Lyman 200 grain, #311299) Velocity was 2345fps at this point. This load has maintained surprising accuracy out past 600 yards! YES, I SAID 600 YARDS. Needless to say I used this load for hunting as well.
I was able to reach 2425fps with a 200 grain, Lyman #311299, without leading. At this velocity the accuracy was just starting to open up.(1-1/2" to 2"ish).
Here is some pictures of a Mulie doe I shot at 235 yards with a Brass gas check (.015" thick shim stock).
The bullet tracked extremely straight and true. I dialled in the drop for the distance with "I-snipe", and the cast bullet did its job. I was very pleased with its performance! The deer ran maybe 15 yards and fell. The bullet impact was very audible! A solid, hollow,THUMP!
Just for you information, the aluminum cladding that insulating companies use for industrial process piping, and oilfield pipe line cladding is Ideal. I managed to get a dozen or so brand new sheets of it from a contractor who had some left over from a job. It is 0.016" thick and forms/sizes perfectly for cast bullet gas checks!
Hope this info helps!
no issues what so ever.
Some people worry too much, then feel obligated to infect others with their paranoia!
Don't worry about it, just shoot them.
I have done a "fair" bit, not huge, of comparisons with different gas check materials.
I have tested Aluminum, Brass, And copper.
I was testing to see which material would perform the best at higher pressures/velocities.
I kept all the Load components the same, except for the gas checks.
As I increased the relative pressures, I found that the loads with the Aluminum gas checks started to fall apart (accuracy wise) , first.
The Brass and copper gas checks both performed just fine up to the pressure limits of the cartridge.
I did not find any significant difference in accuracy between the two (with the components I used).
I managed to achieve accuracy around 3/4" to 1-1/4" at 100 yards, Consistantly. (Lyman 200 grain, #311299) Velocity was 2345fps at this point. This load has maintained surprising accuracy out past 600 yards! YES, I SAID 600 YARDS. Needless to say I used this load for hunting as well.
I was able to reach 2425fps with a 200 grain, Lyman #311299, without leading. At this velocity the accuracy was just starting to open up.(1-1/2" to 2"ish).
Here is some pictures of a Mulie doe I shot at 235 yards with a Brass gas check (.015" thick shim stock).
The bullet tracked extremely straight and true. I dialled in the drop for the distance with "I-snipe", and the cast bullet did its job. I was very pleased with its performance! The deer ran maybe 15 yards and fell. The bullet impact was very audible! A solid, hollow,THUMP!
Just for you information, the aluminum cladding that insulating companies use for industrial process piping, and oilfield pipe line cladding is Ideal. I managed to get a dozen or so brand new sheets of it from a contractor who had some left over from a job. It is 0.016" thick and forms/sizes perfectly for cast bullet gas checks!
Hope this info helps!
