Bullet Making (originally owned by Stephen Perry)

Fla mac said:
Anyone,
When you sort your bullets do you use a bullet comparator. How much variation do you get from bullet to bullet? I am getting about +.001 to .0015” on my 112grs. I am using a comparator like the one in the Sinclair catalog page 41. And how much variation can you have before you should not use the bullet. I try to sort my bullets in groups less than .002” difference.
john
Click to expand...

'Morning John. :)

That's one of the most loaded questions out there. :eek: :D

You'll likely be okay as long as you don't mention the term seating depth in any of your queries. The mere mention of the term that must not be spoken...in a discussion of differing base-to-ogive dimensions...can open the flood gates that make Moses' parting of the Red Sea look like childs play. Black helicpoters will circle your home, your neighbors will shutter their windows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse will thunder down on you.

Laffin' here....... -Al
 
Br Bullet making

I checked out one of those sinclair comparators . I haven't used one in years.
They will give you false reading if you don't use them right . at least with the old style one i have.
The harder you close the caliper the shorter the measurement gets.
 
GerryM,
I am using the one with the granite base and the dial indicator. I made an adaptor to go on the bottom of the indicator, and it is flat against the base of the bullet. I put the bullet in the holder and let the adaptor down on the bullet base. I turn my bullet holder around about two times with only the pressure for the spring in the dial indicator. If you turn the holder a couple of times your readings will stay at one reading while you turn it.
Fla mac
 
Br Bullet making

The ones most people use are the ones that look like a nut with holes in them for different sizes. Als right you have just opened a can of worms on this one.
Right now theirs no proof {as i know } that that .001 opr .002 differance will Matter. Just the amount of lube on the cored jacket can change the length, and ogive placement.
If your jumping the bullet I doubt the bullet or rifle knows how far it's away .002 or .0015 id pretty close. If it's seated into the lands then another .002 or point 0015 wont make much differance either.
Im sure if it's seated into the lands it may slip or adjust it's self with moderate neck tensions.
Now we are into something else. Just where your own rifle likes to shoot.
All of the other variables come into play and it's hard to sort them out.
Chamber size, barrel dimentions barrel sizes now with 2 different size bore.s
Basiclly the whole rifle.
In the end A good shooting rifle is just that
Right now any of the benchrest bullet s that are being made on J4 jackets are better then ever before.
I think we all get carried away from time to time measuring things that
may or may not help us.
If you get some results on checking , let us know. Right now i have seen little differance. Thanks for your post too''. I think this has been discussed a lot before.
 
Last edited:
BR Bullet Making

GerryM,
I have a friend that shoot good, and his statment is "if it shoots good then don"t fix it".
Fla mac
 
Do any of you guys sell 30 cal. bullets? Reason I ask is they are very hard to find right now.
 
Odds and Ends

Every bullet maker should have a list of essentials seperate from his presses and dies. These items could be all the tools, cleaning items, and packaging items used.

Tools
These should be dedicated tools that stay on your bullet making bench. Most would could include wrenches, cutting pliers for cutting core wire, screwdrivers, hex head wrenches for die adjustments, c-clamps, etc.

Cleaning Supplies
Items included here should include paper towels, spray cans like brake cleaner and silicone. I use rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, others use TSP and similar dry powders, others use acetone, white gas, and carbon tet for cleaning jackets. Included in your cleaning items are your pots, pans, collanders, spoons, and towels for drying jackets. Also covers for your presses, covers could be as easy as trash bags. Small items like q-tips and toothpicks come in handy. Once in awhile grease your press.

Packaging
After you finish your bullets your going to want package your bullets. Making bullets for myself I find everything I need at the 99 cent store in the housewares section. I buy different sizes of plastic food containers. I have one size that holds 500 6mm bullets just right. Of coarse you could could use the 100 pks you probably saved before you made your own bullets.
Labels can be as fancy as you want. I get roll labels from from my wife that I write down the bullet info. Your info should include date and lot number, bullet diameter, ogive, and bullet weight. In your shop notes you should include lot number of jackets, jacket weights, core weights, and lube notes. Others use computer generated labels which are neat.

In summary bullet making can be a grind for most. This is why a prospective bullet maker needs to start with a Mentor that will encourage a newbie to stay with it. Once you get used to the process you decide where to go from there, I prefer to make bullets only for myself but that's me. You may decide to branch out and have a few customers. Whichever way it turns out for you win some lose some.
Done.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
 
Last edited:
Gerry & Al

You two are so right on using compartors on bullet ogives. I bought one of the Sinclair units a long time ago. When I used it I noticed my measurements were different depending on the amount of pressure applied. The Sinclair would be fine for factory bullets. I put the comparator away and bought a pair of Davidson comparator's, one for 22 and one for 6. Much better repeatable measuremnets.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
 
Last edited:
Bullet Jackets

Has any one heard of there being a problem getting jackets? the 1" in 30 cal
is the one's I am using.

thanks
 
Bullet Coatings

When I first started this Thread I figured somebody would bring up bullet coatings. No one did so I will. I have no experience with any but shoot with those that do. The ones I am familiar with are moly and danzac. I shot with Walt Berger a couple weeks ago and he still shoots moly.

So here it is guys inform the rest of us about bullet coatings.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
 
Br Bullet making

I played with coating for a while. I came to the conclusion that it's a waste of time. Others claim to have had some luck from time to time. I really think it was the quality and or lot of bullets being used. I also tried teflon or ptfe in the boar. That was a waste of time. The rifle shot worse. after it was lapped out it went back to being a good rifle again. Some are playing with still another coating in long range. I really think there will be mixed results with that also. Just my nickels worth''
 
Serious Note

Gerry
I can see an advantage of coating bullets for shooters shooting a long coarse where there is no time for cleaning.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
 
ok I'll jump on that HOG

I coat my bullets with Boron Nitrate, just because it seems that everone shooting 30br is using some kind of coating. I don't know if it helps or hinders accuracy, I do know that I don't have to clean as aggressively or as often between aggs. Some people only clean at the end of an agg., being a group shooter as well as score, it is hard for me to get away from all that cleaning that the PPC shooters do between targets. Does it extend barrel life or not? Does it improve accuracy? I don't think so, I've tried both and have not seen a difference.

Dan Honert
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top