1. What makes a bullet benchrest quality?

The quality of a bullet is a function of the quality of the bullet dies used in manufacturing. The next item would be the individual person making the bullets. A bullet maker must continuously maintain exact consistency within the manufacturing processes to ensure a high-quality product. On the other hand, I have always said that the window is wide regarding size and shape of the benchrest quality bullet.

If the bullet dies are made correctly, meaning that the center line of the base of the bullet is aligned with the center line of the point, the ogive is between 7 and 8, and the bullet is of course round, the maker is well on his way to having a quality product.

However, regardless of the dies used, at this point it is the responsibility of the bullet maker to learn how to make the bullets correctly using the proper equipment. Most of us bullet makers are constantly learning. Various components involved in the manufacture of bullets, including jacket sizes and shapes and also metallurgical composition, have changed over the years. We must always be aware of these changes, and I say as I have said many times, we all learn from our mistakes and make better bullets because of them.

2. What equipment is needed to make benchrest quality bullets and where can I get the equipment?

Niemi Engineering has been in the bullet die making business for 20 years. The combined experience of this father and son team, built upon their own expertise and from listening closely over the years to hundreds of knowledgeable bullet makers, has allowed them to manufacture the finest equipment with which we can make bullets.

Niemi Engineering can supply all of the components to make benchrest quality bullets, dies, punches, presses and everything needed to get you started in the benchrest bullet making business, either as hobby or small business.

3. What are the essential techniques for producing benchrest quality bullets?

The most important operation in making bullets is maintaining core to jacket bonding. This bonding can only be ensured with the correct preparation of the lead cores. Proper preparation includes swaging the cores, and then both cleaning and oxidizing (editor’s note – see Gary Ocock’s oxidizing procedure below). Although this two stage process is more time consuming, it is absolutely necessary to the extent that if not done, the next step, the pointing operation, will result in a poor quality bullet.

Don

Picture (stolen from) compliments of J.C. Braconi and Precision Shooting Magazine