Author Topic: Paco Kelly's Freechec tool (Read 2567 times)

R J Talley · « **on:** August 02, 2004, 07:14:55 AM »

Veral, I am considering buying a freechec tool. The idea behind it sounds good. What are your thoughts on the tool? For the amount it would cost me, I can buy a new mold from you that is already set for gas checks. However, that creates another problem for me albeit a minor one.

I shoot a lot of black powder metallic cartridge, esp. 45-90 and 45-70. I use your 500 gr, bullet for the smokeless loads and a Lyman Postel for the BP. I use a 1-20 alloy almost exclusively as it tends to work best in my Sharps. However, if I step up beyond the 1300 fps threshold, I gradually get increasingly severe leading. Below that I'm OK. The freechec tool seems to be a solution that would allow me to continue to cast just one alloy and hence one type of bullet but still allow me to kick things up a notch for really long range shooting without the leading problem.

Again, thanks for an excellent product. I also appreciate your willingness to share your experience with me.

Sincerely,

R J Talley

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** August 20, 2004, 05:54:48 PM »

I believe you might be misunderstanding what the Freechec tool is or does. It merely makes gas checks from alumimum cans. You still must have a bullet mold made to use gas checks. It merely makes cheap gas checks of aluminum rather than buying them made of brass.

Veral · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2004, 05:40:00 PM »

I'm not up to speed with what Paco is selling now, but have experimented with freechecs when the tools first came out, at that time for use on plainbase bullets.

They work extreemly well in my experiance if the alloy isn't over about 16 bhn. If harder, I had problems with the bullets punching through the checks on sizing them on.

On the down side, they were very time consuming to make with the original tooling with required hammering them thru a couple of dies, and maximum velocity potential is less than with thicker checks. in my experiance.

If you have more time than money and aren't concerned about maximum rifle velocities, I'd reccomend free checks. More personal input with good results makes cast bullets more fun and rewarding.

Apocalypse · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2004, 12:38:57 PM »

G'day,

Are these tools still available for sale? The site referenced as the selling point for them seems to no longer exist. Anyone have any information? A used one they're willing to sell?

Ken

Veral · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2004, 11:31:42 AM »

Go to Leverguns, the kind people who host my catalog. You'll get them if you click on the LBT adds.

I'm sorry but I should have informed you up front that they took over the Hanned line. Also that they are definately the source of accurate information about what they offer now. The testing I did was over 15 years ago, and I've heard that some things change with time!!!!

I've noticed a lot of visits on this one and the other gas check questions in a very short time. If you happen to have any questions about gas checks which are unaswered, by all means ask. Also, if you order a freecheck tool, and want to purchase a mold from LBT, send a couple sample checks and I'll cut the band it fits enough undersize so it sizes on tightly but will not be cut when sizing, no matter how hard the bullets you have. There is no extra charge. I cannot open the shank area on used gas check molds so only one freecheck will work correctly, and of coarse plainbase bullets cannot be made smaller on the base.