DIY Bullet making

[User00040]

As per title, this is something that really interests me, so I wanted to ask if anyone on here is doing it.

Seen a few attempts online, mostly US based but there was one guy on here who even went as far as making his own dies.

Most popular method is 'swaging', usually for a .224 or .243 diameter bullet, which involves making a jacket from a fired .22RF case.

Basically, pushing the rim outwards and then working a lead core (made from lead wire or smelted weights) into it, then finishing the bullet through a series of pressing operations/point forming with dies.

Multiple design types are possible, open tip, soft point, hollow point, boat tail, flat base, even a partition by the clever use of a fired primer in the jacket etc.

Then of course you can lathe turn a copper bullet but this is expensive, so is acquiring the specialised press and dies for lead 'cup and core' versions.

Unless you are a machinist/toolmaker with all the skills and time to make them, the gear is so expensive that you could probably buy a lifetime supply of commercial bullets first.

However, it seems that a lot of benchrest shooters devote their time to this, and the idea alone is intriguing (if a little infeasible).

Manual on it here: http://www.swage.com/ebooks/hb-8.pdf

 

[takbok]

That would be a labour of love! I think it would a real challenge to beat the consistency of the likes of Sierra, Hornady, Speer etc though.

I think casting is as far as it goes for me. I've found out how to make a D reamer recently so though I would try and make a nice bullet mould for the 6mm using a blank Lee mould when time allows.

When my ship comes in and I can get hold of a CNC lathe I'd love to make some copper bullets!

 

[dropmdead]

My local RFD had the full kit for sale a few years ago.
There were dies for making each part of the bullet and calibre, lubricants, 1,000's of jackets, hydraulic press, and stand.
It was used by a chap who made bullets for the discerning shooter

The whole thing really caught my attention, but we just couldn't agree on a price.

 

[User00040]

That would be a labour of love! I think it would a real challenge to beat the consistency of the likes of Sierra, Hornady, Speer etc though.

I think casting is as far as it goes for me. I've found out how to make a D reamer recently so though I would try and make a nice bullet mould for the 6mm using a blank Lee mould when time allows.

When my ship comes in and I can get hold of a CNC lathe I'd love to make some copper bullets!

Yep, casting is certainly the only one that is accessible for me (but not at the moment).

Seen some of your powder coated bullets, does that reduce fouling a little compared to raw lead?

My local RFD had the full kit for sale a few years ago.
There were dies for making each part of the bullet and calibre, lubricants, 1,000's of jackets, hydraulic press, and stand.
It was used by a chap who made bullets for the discerning shooter

The whole thing really caught my attention, but we just couldn't agree on a price.

Guessing it ran into the thousands?

Someone in Scotland I presume?

 

[dropmdead]

Yep, casting is certainly the only one that is accessible for me (but not at the moment).

Seen some of your powder coated bullets, does that reduce fouling a little compared to raw lead?



Guessing it ran into the thousands?

Someone in Scotland I presume?

Yes, it did run in to the thousands but it financially added up cheaper than buying "boxed" bullets if you didn't mind the initial outlay.

A chap was making bespoke bullets for estates for use in their collections (rifles we can only dream about...)

 

[cjm1066]

RCBS - Rick Chuck Bullet Swage, it used to very popular, now bench rest shooters use small batch manufacturers.

 

[takbok]

@caberslash powder coating just enabled me to size .257 bullets down to .244 easily. I don't get any fouling with it, even up to 2600 fps I've tested. I don't have a lubrisizer either so pc and alox tumble lube it is.

 

[GGG]

My local RFD had the full kit for sale a few years ago.
There were dies for making each part of the bullet and calibre, lubricants, 1,000's of jackets, hydraulic press, and stand.
It was used by a chap who made bullets for the discerning shooter

The whole thing really caught my attention, but we just couldn't agree on a price.

My 1st lockdown challenge was to refurbish this.

It has dies to make several different sizes of pure lead bullets like these.

It also has dies to make .224 bullets with the jacket made from a .22LR case.

The process is very interesting, but in fairness It’s quite involved and not for everyone.

 

[User00040]

@GGG

Amazing to see!

Could you share more? Finished 224 bullets?

 

[Ronin]

I looked in to buying a Corbin Hydraulic press in the early 2000’s but dies were the issue - Corbin dies may have come in some since but they were basic back then

So researched some Nieme swaging dies that were I recall £5 k per bullet for the swaging die set

Factor in multi calibre s and it’s a huge investment

Bullet making is a labour of love - very time consuming and easy to get wrong

J 4 jackets from Berger were and are expensive

My interest then was making heavy for calibre bullets along the lines of a rebated boatail design that Wildcat Bullets in Canada make

I was particularly interested in having an Allen Magnum back then

Long story short it never happened and neither did the Corbin press

Now we have copper lathe turned solids I’m glad the investment wasn’t made

 

[User00040]

@Ronin would you say that the lower sectional density of copper vs. lead is not a problem with long target bullets?

 

[Ronin]

I have found that solids used for target application can only be used in pretty specific applications

For instance whilst they would be perfect for F Class or Benchrest shooting - you cannot use solids on many ranges where these disciplines are shot (in the UK)

For Precision Rifle Shooting (PRS) comps you could use them on steel plates (they won’t behave like a shaped charge despite rumour to the contrary ) but you would need to allow for magazine length seating as the projectile will likely (will be ) longer whixh is great if like me you use a long action rifle

A good example of these are the Warner Flatline or GS custom SP bullets that excel aerodynamically

I’ve used solids from a UK supplier and Lutz Moeller when shooting a 338 LM I built for myself way back on field firing ranges - they were single feed but worked superbly out to 1600 plus meters could almost guarantee hits on SaPu falling electronic fig 11

In the right application they work just fine

The caveat being they have to be used in fast twist to stabilise - especially with larger bore projectiles

 

[GGG]

@GGG

Amazing to see!

Could you share more? Finished 224 bullets?

Sorry, didnt take any pictures, but you can see them here. Corbin Rimfire Jacket-Maker Die Set RFJM-22
Theres also the bits to make them with a rebated tail. Corbin Rebated Boattail Dies
Heres a picture of me making .45 bullets when I was first trying it out. Note, you can see where the lead is swaged out of the die vent holes.

 

[dropmdead]

My 1st lockdown challenge was to refurbish this.
View attachment 181674
It has dies to make several different sizes of pure lead bullets like these.
View attachment 181670View attachment 181671
It also has dies to make .224 bullets with the jacket made from a .22LR case.
View attachment 181672
The process is very interesting, but in fairness It’s quite involved and not for everyone.

Did you buy it from an rfd in central Scotland?

 

[GGG]

Did you buy it from an rfd in central Scotland?

No, had it in my garage for years, was given to me by a sadly departed friend, who had owned it for a long time but had given up on ever getting it working.
I saw it as a bit of a challenge, and to be fair it was pain in the arse to refurbish, but i eventually managed it and got it working earlier this year. I even designed a custom stand mounted on a trolley for it, so it could be moved around the garage. To be fair, now that its working, I’d pretty much forgotten about it.
Like I mentioned earlier, it’s a specialist bit of kit, but needs to be owned by somebody committed enough to use it properly.

 

[User00040]

No, had it in my garage for years, was given to me by a sadly departed friend, who had owned it for a long time but had given up on ever getting it working.
I saw it as a bit of a challenge, and to be fair it was pain in the arse to refurbish, but i eventually managed it and got it working earlier this year. I even designed a custom stand mounted on a trolley for it, so it could be moved around the garage. To be fair, now that its working, I’d pretty much forgotten about it.
Like I mentioned earlier, it’s a specialist bit of kit, but needs to be owned by somebody committed enough to use it properly.

If you ever want to shift it, let me know.

Good on you for getting it going!