Custom bullet Forming

adamsgt

adamsgt

Jerry Adams
Bought some custom bullets and am surprised and disappointed in what I received. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't like what I see. The tip of the bullets have a "flare" to them rather than coming to a point. The bases have a sharp edge that I can catch with my fingernail. This doesn't sound right to me. Any opinions?
 
Probably intentional by maker..

adamsgt said:
Bought some custom bullets and am surprised and disappointed in what I received. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't like what I see. The tip of the bullets have a "flare" to them rather than coming to a point. The bases have a sharp edge that I can catch with my fingernail. This doesn't sound right to me. Any opinions?
Click to expand...

Jerry.....

Looks mean............ Well, you know.... Not a thing, typically..
The "flare" you mention at the point or meplat, could be VERY intentional by the maker.. A point-up "tulip" as many call it.
Kinda depends on the jackets... Lot to lot they vary a tad here and there... I have settled from time to time for a little tulip to get the ogive and point-up resistence what I want. In the field, they shoot as I expect.. It's cosmetic...
The bullet heal being "sharp edged"... Well, that's typically a bullet being core seated pretty "stiffly" and or Pointed-up with minimal
lube with plenty arm power to point the bullet... This typically removes most if not ALL the original radius of the jackets heal..

Check the ogive consistency... This is not the end all to top notch custom bullets..... But they should be VERY consistent in this area.

Finally .... Shoot'em, how do they stack-up to other pills that YOU know SHOOT.

cale
 
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Well, this is my first venture into the 30BR world so I don't have any previous experience to go by. I was not aware that these characteristics could be normal and expected. I know zilch about bullet making and custom bullets that I have from Barts, Gentner, Bruno and Euber do not have these characteristics but they are 6mm and not .30. Well, that's why I posed the question as I am quite ignorant in this arena. I just got home from Raton today and the bullets were waiting for me and didn't look like any bullets I've had up till now. The rifle I bought doesn't have a scope yet and I've got to play musical scopes as soon as my NF Competition arrives. I may move a Leupold from my HV gun to the 30 BR early so I can shoot these bullets, see that they perform beautifully and then extend my apologies to the maker.

Tulip, who'd a thunk it. Well, I guess I'll keep them as I have gained some education in this. I love a day when I learn something new. Thanks a bunch.


caroby said:
Jerry.....

Looks mean............ Well, you know.... Not a thing, typically..
The "flare" you mention at the point or meplat, could be VERY intentional by the maker.. A point-up "tulip" as many call it.
Kinda depends on the jackets... Lot to lot they vary a tad here and there... I have settled from time to time for a little tulip to get the ogive and point-up resistence what I want. In the field, they shoot as I expect.. It's cosmetic...
The bullet heal being "sharp edged"... Well, that's typically a bullet being core seated pretty "stiffly" and or Pointed-up with minimal
lube with plenty arm power to point the bullet... This typically removes most if not ALL the original radius of the jackets heal..

Check the ogive consistency... This is not the end all to top notch custom bullets..... But they should be VERY consistent in this area.

Finally .... Shoot'em, how do they stack-up to other pills that YOU know SHOOT.

cale
Click to expand...
 
Others said to shoot them and I agree. That said, if you really don't want to - don't. You have to shoot them as if you believe they'll shoot better. If you think you can't do that return them if possible.
 
Sometimes you might see the folds of the point.
Sometimes the hole is bigger. sometimes smaller.
Sometimes the the jackets are dark or discolored. Sometimes real shinny. Sometimes slippery. Sometimes dry....
If you don't want them there are a lot of shooters that will take em. .30's are hard to come by.

Remember if they shoot good. Don't expect to get the same on your next order. Once they are gone they are gone.
Your bullet maker might have got those jackets a couple weeks ago. And the jacket maker prolly sold all of that lot.....just saying'
 
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Wilbur said:
Others said to shoot them and I agree. That said, if you really don't want to - don't. You have to shoot them as if you believe they'll shoot better. If you think you can't do that return them if possible.
Click to expand...

Yep,

There is good news in two ways....

The 30BR is typically so UN-FINICKY... Great barrels VERY typically... Hell, I got Speer 125gr TNT's shoot'n .1900 Aggs in practice.... With a 4000 rd 17 twist Krieger.... I'll bet these pills will "Do The Hole Thing".....!

The other, I'll bet for whatever reason Jerry.... >IF< you wanted to send any quantity of those back to the maker... The guy would honor them and work with ya in every way.... The Standard in Benchrest, Quality and Honor fit most fellers that make and sell bullets in BR land.

Little tid bit...... DON'T be afraid to set the bullets to a jump off the lands.... .010 or so Thous..... :)
cale
 
caroby said:
Yep,

There is good news in two ways....

The 30BR is typically so UN-FINICKY... Great barrels VERY typically... Hell, I got Speer 125gr TNT's shoot'n .1900 Aggs in practice.... With a 4000 rd 17 twist Krieger.... I'll bet these pills will "Do The Hole Thing".....!

The other, I'll bet for whatever reason Jerry.... >IF< you wanted to send any quantity of those back to the maker... The guy would honor them and work with ya in every way.... The Standard in Benchrest, Quality and Honor fit most fellers that make and sell bullets in BR land.

Little tid bit...... DON'T be afraid to set the bullets to a jump off the lands.... .010 or so Thous..... :)
cale
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Talked to the maker today on the phone. We're cool and I'm good.

You're right about the people in the benchrest game. 99.9 % are good people. At last weekends match at Raton Todd Tyler helped with my bench set up, especially my rear bag. My third target in the LV 100 was a .096. I wouldn't have come near that without his help.
 
Catfish!

At last weekends match at Raton Todd Tyler helped with my bench set up, especially my rear bag. My third target in the LV 100 was a .096. I wouldn't have come near that without his help.
Click to expand...


Mr. Catfish...! Yep, Todd is a GEM of a guy..! Excellent representative of our sport.
cale
 
caroby said:
Jerry.....



Check the ogive consistency... This is not the end all to top notch custom bullets..... But they should be VERY consistent in this area.

Finally .... Shoot'em, how do they stack-up to other pills that YOU know SHOOT.

cale
Click to expand...


What is an acceptable amount of variation in a custom bullets base to ogive measurement?
 
There's really no need to know that measurement. If they shoot...they shoot. If they don't...they don't.

It's really that simple - really.
 
The proof will be on the target as mentioned previously.


"Tulip" sounds more romantic than the 'stove piping' I get when a long jacket runs up into the ejection pin, if I understand your description correctly?


Regardless of the finished features you need to be looking for consistency within the batch. If the shape (within limits) of the meplat is consistent, then it should not prevent the bullet from spinning concentrically. Again with the finish of the base, your are looking for consistency. A minimally radiused corner to the base/shank junction though is almost counter to the use of boat-tails in BR from my understanding. This might call for increased attention to your case prep and bullet seating processes?


Variation in base-to-ogive measurements have shown up at long range (1000y) with boat-tail projectiles. This is the post I like to keep coming back to http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3785908.0 . Verifying this at shorter ranges is different again obviously. I'm only measuring boat-tail-to-ogive length but I'm looking for samples from each batch measuring a maximum of +/-0.003". I have had samples measure less than +/-0.0005" given the needle stopped moving on my Sinclair Bullet Sorting Stand.
 
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