Aluminum gas checks??? opinions

[Dand]

I see aluminum gas checks are now available.  What do folks think?  I recall some folks expressing concern that aluminum oxide is very abrasive.  But has anybody tried them and have an opinion?


Especially for plinking loads.


thanks

[mdi]

A couple years ago I bought a gas check making tool. Kinda labor intensive, and beer/soda cans are too thin to stay on the bullets. I bought some alum shim material .014" to make some that would crimp on the bullet, but again, kinda labor intensive. I could see no differences in accuracy, nor have I noticed any undo wear on my S&W 629, Ruger SBH, Dan Wesson 44H, or Puma '92...

In my normal way of thinking, KISS, I dropped most gascheck bullets and mostly cast flat based bullets

[Dand]

thanks - I see premade aluminum gas checks readily available and wondered about trying them.  I'm not too eager make them.  I have a few molds that make a gas check bullet and while I prefer the KISS too, it would be nice to keep shooting some of those GC bullets.


Anybody else tried the aluminum checks?

[Tom W.]

It's been a while since anyone has posted here, but I make aluminum checks for one of my
.45 cal bullets, and can use the same check with the .44 cal bullets if I'm careful. I use folded over Pepsi cans to make them with and they work just fine, altho I mostly cast plain based bullets now.....

[Lloyd Smale]

I bought a 1000 30 cals just to try them. They don't save you much. I think it was like 2 or 3 bucks a 1000 cheaper. Wont buy them again because while shooting one of my 300 bo this summer I walked up to check the target and groups were about double what they usually are and on my way back to the bench saw gas checks in on the ground before the target so they were falling off. Guess a guy could put a drop of super glue on them but for a couple bucks more ill stick to copper.

[GroovyMike]

I've used them and have no objection to using more of them. I bought mine super cheap and have several thousand left that I'm happy to use up in plinker loads.

[orerancher]

The only Copper Checks I use, are the Sizes Sage doesn't make in Aluminum....

His "Plain Base" Checks work real well for Me on some Bevel Base Lee Bullets...

[Land_Owner]

'course, we're working a thread that was started almost 7 years ago, but wth...I use someone else's "homemade" AL gas checks on 30-30 and 223 Bator bullets (iirc) - the kind with rough knuckled edging (early experimentation in AL gas checking I think) that gets folded down and into the cast boolit base through the sizing die.  No problem experienced with them.

[geezerbiker]

Hasn't powder coating made gas checks obsolete?

Tony

[Land_Owner]

Some would say so.  With nearly 4,000 on hand in each of several calibers, for my own satisfaction I am going to continue to shoot mine.  They are already paid for, work well, and I am certain that they will continue to do the job.

[JustaShooter]

Hasn't powder coating made gas checks obsolete?

I'd say for anyone getting into the craft today, they'd be better off going the PC route, but many have moulds cut for gas checks so to keep using those and the loads they've worked up for them, gas checks are the better option in my opinion.

[Land_Owner]

Gas checks (GC) are the faster ammo production method.  Just GC, size, lube, and load.  No coating, no separating, no heating, no cooling, no resizing.  GC's eliminate of a lot of handling that is necessary with PC.

However, if you are looking for speed, PC.

[orerancher]

Gas checks (GC) are the faster ammo production method.  Just GC, size, lube, and load.  No coating, no separating, no heating, no cooling, no resizing.  GC's eliminate of a lot of handling that is necessary with PC.

However, if you are looking for speed, PC.

PC and GC!

The Point of the Gas Check is to Act as a Piston Ring,  Stop the Gas from getting past the Base of the Bullet...

[Dee]

Gas checks (GC) are the faster ammo production method.  Just GC, size, lube, and load.  No coating, no separating, no heating, no cooling, no resizing.  GC's eliminate of a lot of handling that is necessary with PC.

However, if you are looking for speed, PC.

PC and GC!

The Point of the Gas Check is to Act as a Piston Ring,  Stop the Gas from getting past the Base of the Bullet...

TRUE!
ALSO, it reduces bullet base melting leading, and velocities can be increased as the thick "copper" gas check does not strip out of the lands & grooves of the rifling.

Don't know anything about aluminum gas checks, but I loaded 3030, and 3006 with gas checked lead bullets for decades.