making your own gas checks

[Dezynco]

Are any of you folks out there making your own gas checks using one of the die sets like the Freecheck or the PatMarlins Checkmaker?  I am interested in buying one or the other, but wondered how well they work and which one works the best.

Any input is appreciated!

[Tom W.]

Pat Marlin's sets up on your press, The freechex II is hammer operated ( unless you get an arbor press.). The Freechex III looks even easier.....

I have a freechex II for .45 cal bullets, buy can also safely and successfully use the same checks for my .44 bullets, also.

I'm sure there's someone out there who will say that it's not worth the time or effort, but I enjoy making my own, and buying primers and powder rather than gas checks in the red box.

[D Crockett]

I have PatMarlins dies and they work great and are easy to use I have made a little over 11 k from his dies. I used aluminum printing plates to make the gas checks with.  a friend did a test for me and they work just as good as hornady gc he tested 25 of each in a 30/30 marlin and both targets looked pretty much the same that good enough for me D Crockett

[Dezynco]

I decided to order the PatMarlins dies in 30 caliber.  I noticed a few complaints that the new FreeChex III tends to leave a little "dome" in the bottom of the gas check.  I don't suppose that is any real problem, but I had to break the tie some way....thay are both within a few dollars of costing the same.

I'll report back later when I get the dies and make a few.  I figgure that over time the dies will more than pay for themselves since gas checks are sneaking up on $40/K now.  Won't take too long to pay for them at those prices since the dies are only  about $80.00!

[Dezynco]

I got my Checkmaker die set a day or so ago.  Works Great!  I punched out a few with some scrap aluminum flashing and seated them on a few RCBS-30-180's.  I wouldn't swear to it, but I believe the aluminum checked bullets are more accurate than the factory made checks of copper!  I managed to shoot a very nice 2", 9-shot group @ 100 yards with my 30-30 Contender pistol.  It's sporting only a 4x scope, and I forgot my glasses!  Not too shabby!

The gas checks look a little like miniature bottle caps when they come out of the die, but they smooth out nicely when I crimp them onto the bullets.  I would say that the dies are an excellent investment!