Making a jacketed .357 bullet.

[Bavarianbrit]

I just happened to notice the dimensional diameter similarity of the case of a .223 case to the bore of a .357 pistol barrel, being nosey I took my Contender barrel 8 inch barrel and took a worn out .223 from the scrap box and tapped it lightly shoulder first into the muzzle of the .357 barrel the picture shows the lands indentation so the slight taper of the .223 case has no real effect. So the idea is to cut off the neck at the base where the shoulder starts & cut off the case further back down the case to suit whatever grain it needs to be and you have a jacket for a .357 bullet. Put it on a hot plate and drip scrap lead (old airgun pellets?) into the open neck until filled it will not leak out of the bottom, you could even add flux inside the case to get a bonded effect.
I know it is a faff but the preppers/recyclers among us might be interested in it as a hobby/past time.

 

[jthyttin]

I wouldn't tap anything into muzzle of my firearms, especially not metal object and "not so lightly" judging by the marks...

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I forgot to add it makes a cone point bullet for use held in a sabot as the lead would otherwise get blown through the front opening unless a base gas check is added.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I wouldn't tap anything into muzzle of my firearms, especially not metal object and "not so lightly" judging by the marks...

I checked afterward with a magnifying glass and there was no visible marking to the steel barrel brass being much softer than steel otherwise I would not have contemplated doing it.
It was a one off just to prove a theory out. The 8 inch Contender barrel never gets used anymore anyway as I am not hunting in the USA anymore.

 

[KimE]

Weld a 8" flash hider so you get a 16" barrel and add a stock so you have a rifle.

 

[palmer_mike]

If I was minded to be a ‘prepper’ (I am not) I’d only really consider cast lead bullets……

In a Post apocalyptic scenario it would be fairly easy to source lead from flashings and cast more bullets over a fire……

Otherwise I’d probably just buy jacketed bullets.

 

[KimE]

A greased 158gr .357 bullet costs 0.2€ if I cast 50/hour I would get 10€ and have to pay for gas and scrap lead.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Weld a 8" flash hider so you get a 16" barrel and add a stock so you have a rifle.

I have a 14 inch .357 Rem Maximum barrel as well.
I will not hunt there anymore as 1. it is too expensive & 2. I am now 75 and with DT on the throne for 3.75 more years its not for me.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

A greased 158gr .357 bullet costs 0.2€ if I cast 50/hour I would get 10€ and have to pay for gas and scrap lead.

Its only to see if it can be done and nothing to do with economics. I cannot get the engineer mentality exorcised from my brain.

 

[KimE]

Its only to see if it can be done and nothing to do with economics. I cannot get the engineer mentality exorcised from my brain.

Hornady started with making bullets of 22lr brass.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Hornady started with making bullets of 22lr brass.

I know Joyce was his christian name was it not?
Sadly he died in a small plane crash on January 15th 1981 the aircraft, with Hornady at the controls was flying in heavy fog and crashed into Lake Pontchartrain while on the final approach to Lakefront Airport.

 

[MarinePMI]

Hmmmm...I wonder if a 5.7FN piece of brass could be expanded to .357 more easily? It'd be a rebated boat tailed bullet, but it would have the right diameter. IIRC, it's .313 OD, and some guys were sizing them down to use in .303 Enfields. Apparently it worked quite well at moderate distances (100-150yds).

 

[Smellydog]

I wouldn't tap anything into muzzle of my firearms, especially not metal object and "not so lightly" judging by the marks...

What do you think is happening at the other end when you shoot?
Bullets come with all sorts of jackets including soft steel!

 

[jthyttin]

The other end is purposefully designed to align and ease the bullet into rifling. And it's the first not last part that bullet has contact with when leaving the gun.

Yes and some of the most expensive / renowned brands have those steel jackets, like Kynoch, RWS and Woodleigh.

If your gun suddenly loses accuracy, what would be the first part to check after sights and action bolts? Barrels can be ruined by cleaning from the muzzle end, let alone forcefully and asymmetrically hammering a piece of metal in.

 

[njc110381]

I've seen bullets made from swaged 9mm pistol brass. If you leave the primer in and use the case head as the bullet base you can have a huge hollow point in the lead without it blowing the core out. They need to be squeezed down a little bit, but not much.

 

[Smellydog]

The other end is purposefully designed to align and ease the bullet into rifling. And it's the first not last part that bullet has contact with when leaving the gun.

Yes and some of the most expensive / renowned brands have those steel jackets, like Kynoch, RWS and Woodleigh.

If your gun suddenly loses accuracy, what would be the first part to check after sights and action bolts? Barrels can be ruined by cleaning from the muzzle end, let alone forcefully and asymmetrically hammering a piece of metal in.

Cleaning from the muzzle with a steel rod and no guide yes, not because it's cleaned from the muzzle.
The breech end suffers far more than any muzzle that has a soft metal tapped into it.
Immense heat and pressure.
Tap a piece of steel with a brass case and note no impression on the steel.

 

[kenbro]

Weld a 8" flash hider so you get a 16" barrel and add a stock so you have a rifle.

Just an action missing then.

 

[KimE]

Just an action missing then.

TC contender break action can have both rifle barrels , pistol barrels or even shotgun , with rifle stocks or pistol.

 

[kenbro]

TC contender break action can have both rifle barrels , pistol barrels or even shotgun , with rifle stocks or pistol.

I’ve had several, including Encores.
This one came with an extra folding stock and pistol stocks.

You said if he added a flash hider and a stock to his barrel he would have a rifle! Not so.
Ken.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I’ve had several, including Encores.
This one came with an extra folding stock and pistol stocks.

You said if he added a flash hider and a stock to his barrel he would have a rifle! Not so.
Ken.

But it would satisfy the US laws ref barrel length which concerns me not at all.
This 8 incher was last shot by me in Buenos Aires back in 1996 and as it only cost me $40 at a US gun show it would have been no loss if it had been damaged through the test.