Bullet Making

I

Ian_Owen

Member
Several years ago there were some very good threads on Bullet making, one of them stretched to several pages and was started by Stephen Perry with some very relevant information.
The thread met a disastrous end and Wilbur managed to save most of it, I have attached what Wilbur saved

Wilbur also had an article on Benchrest Central where he reached out to a number of bullet makers and got replies from several
This disappeared so I've attached what I had saved

Perhaps others have bullet making information and will contribute to the thread
 

Attachments

  • BR Bullet Making.pdf
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  • BRC Bullet Making.pdf
    160.9 KB · Views: 11
Prior to Charlie Hood (Hood Custom Products) making finished cores, I had been approached by several potential suppliers, and advised by them that they could/would supply cores within +/- 0.03 Gr., or a range of 0.06 Gr. - that, "was in their dreams", as all had the decimal misplaced by one, or more places!!:eek: Thus, my stated dislike of outsourced cores in Wilbur's questionnaire (BRC Bullet Making.pdf).

When, about 17-18 years ago already, Bart Sauter advised me to check with Charlie Hood, I was, due to past experience, skeptical of "outsourcing" cores. However, within BR circles, Charlie was (and remains) synonymous with QUALITY. I contacted Charlie and discussed having him make a run of thirty caliber cores, but he didn't have a thirty Cal. squirt die!:oops: Intrepidly, Charlie asked if I'd be willing to supply a die for the test run . . . I had three [Niemi] core-form dies, so, why not - one was mailed to Hood Custom Products and into Charlie's care.

Following a brief interval, Charlie called - there was a "problem": the Niemi die(s) produce convex/arched ends, which were/are not compatible with Charlie's machinery (I believe an ejection issue) - GAAaarn!:oops: Proactively, Charlie asked if I'd consider allowing him to alter the punches (including the internal reciprocating stop/ejection punch!) by grinding the ends to completely remove the concave faces - to render them FLAT!!o_O

That was yours truly's introduction to a innovative GREAT MIND: a problem solver - not a whiner, hand wringer . . . my response was prompt and positive: "do it". That was the beginning of a long and, I hope, mutually beneficial relationship . . . not to mention: that initial lot, and to this day, every lot, of cores supplied by Charlie have displayed a range of <0.1 Gr.:D You'll play hell matching/beating that!;) RG
 
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Randy/ Ian

Isn't there less chance of trapped air if the core has a convex surface, matching the profile of the bottom of the jacket?

Just wondering, I have a lot to learn
 
***As a separate subject, does anyone know of a manufacturer of 224 jackets with 1 inch or more? Just now that I managed to find a carbide die ogive 11 for heavier bullets, J4 stopped supplying them in the longer lengths...😞
 
Liseo said:
Randy/ Ian

Isn't there less chance of trapped air if the core has a convex surface, matching the profile of the bottom of the jacket?

Just wondering, I have a lot to learn
Click to expand...
Liseo, I do not believe so.

My experience/opinion is that domed cores present better flow dynamics, accommodating a "tighter" punch/jacket/die fit, allowing evacuation of air, while minimizing the volume of lead flowing around the core-seat punch prior to achieving peak pressure: the lead must flow outward to equal/exceed the punch diameter, as opposed to being nearly equal before pressure is applied. This, I believe greatly reduces, and usually eliminates lead being pinched off and accumulating on the punch, which can become tiresome.:(

With flat-faced cores, it's better to go with a punch diameter small enough to prevent the core-flaking and eventual build-up on the punch: we're
only talking 0.0005 to 0.001", so, the thickness of the bleed-by would be only 1/2 that and still, should be, relative to the axis, very shallow. Presuming a "proper" amount of lubrication, the annoyance of cored-jackets sticking on the punch during ejection, is indicative that a smaller diameter punch is needed -"wanted".

One key to punch fit and bleed-by is to have the bleed be of uniform thickness and depth/height: a peak on one side is not be desirable - that indicates uneven flow - I do not tolerate that. Then, having said that, I doubt that with a "ball-park" punch fit, blind testing via rail-gun, in a tunnel, we could measure the difference due to the bleed-by mass. This latter, based upon having been fortunate enough to have enjoyed many discussions/lessons with [the late] Allan Bench and his rail-gun experience - a good deal of our anal phobic considerations are, as my departed Dad used to admonish,"lost-in-the-noise"! o_O;)

Still, being anal cannot be over rated - nothing can be too perfect. :D RG
 
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R.G. Robinett said:
Hunter, resurrecting this thread - especially Wilbur's appropriately timed astute comments - is terrific! The pics bring the comments to life and
bolster the axiom: "picture is worth a thousand words". Thank you!!:D

It appears that the linked thread is still, "HOT" - I am tempted to go back and LIKE all of Wilbur's & George Ulrich's posts. RG
Click to expand...
RG, thank you for your kind words, and I say, GO FOR IT regarding the LIKE{s} — Wilbur & George posted good stuff on the forum.
 
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Hunter, thanks for posting the link to that thread it was/is a good thread to read, full of information, for a beginning bullet maker. A number of those that posted in that thread are no longer with us to share any more information.

Randy, you mentored the person I bought my dies from.
 
R.G. Robinett said:
Prior to Charlie Hood (Hood Custom Products) making finished cores, I had been approached by several potential suppliers, and advised by them that they could/would supply cores within +/- 0.03 Gr., or a range of 0.06 Gr. - that, "was in their dreams", as all had the decimal misplaced by one, or more places!!:eek: Thus, my stated dislike of outsourced cores in Wilbur's questionnaire (BRC Bullet Making.pdf).

When, about 17-18 years ago already, Bart Sauter advised me to check with Charlie Hood, I was, due to past experience, skeptical of "outsourcing" cores. However, within BR circles, Charlie was (and remains) synonymous with QUALITY. I contacted Charlie and discussed having him make a run of thirty caliber cores, but he didn't have a thirty Cal. squirt die!:oops: Intrepidly, Charlie asked if I'd be willing to supply a die for the test run . . . I had three [Niemi] core-form dies, so, why not - one was mailed to Hood Custom Products and into Charlie's care.

Following a brief interval, Charlie called - there was a "problem": the Niemi die(s) produce convex/arched ends, which were/are not compatible with Charlie's machinery (I believe an ejection issue) - GAAaarn!:oops: Proactively, Charlie asked if I'd consider allowing him to alter the punches (including the internal reciprocating stop/ejection punch!) by grinding the ends to completely remove the concave faces - to render them FLAT!!o_O

That was yours truly's introduction to a innovative GREAT MIND: a problem solver - not a whiner, hand wringer . . . my response was prompt and positive: "do it". That was the beginning of a long and, I hope, mutually beneficial relationship . . . not to mention: that initial lot, and to this day, every lot, of cores supplied by Charlie have displayed a range of <0.1 Gr.:D You'll play hell matching/beating that!;) RG
Click to expand...
Randy, fabulous information thank you for sharing.
I've never met Charlie but he did come up with, and produced, some very good high quality Benchrest equipment, the Hood press, cleaning cradle and the Hood bullet puller. I've owned them all and the press is still sought after today.
I have to admit I did plagiarize the cleaning cradle idea and built a double cradle to hold my wife's and my rifles.
 
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