Making your own bullets from empty brass.

making your own bullets from empty brass

I couldn't think of a better way to ruin a good rifle''''''
 
Making bullets from cases is only about . . .70 years old. How do you think Speer, RCBS, Nosler, Sisk, Hornady, etc, etc got started? And how, exactly, would it ruin a good rifle?

Ray
 
I first ran across this idea many years ago when reading up on how handloaders got around the supply problems and rationing during WW2.

The main problem was in reloading for high intensity small bore centrfire cartridges like the .22 Savage High Power. The Savage .22 HP had already posed problems due to its non standard .228 bullet diameter.

Cast bullets stripped lead into the grooves when high velocity loads were tried. Propellants were a contributing factor, since many handloaders had to settle for salvaged primitive double base powder from .30-40 Krag ammo that had become too old for reliable ignition and sold as scrap to the broken down for components. The other older DB powders, no longer used for US military .30/06 could be found, but was also a very high temp powder that could melt a cast bullet base before it got to the end of the bore even with a gas check.

The .22 savage shooters occasionally used bullets made by swaging jackets from salvaged .22 Rimfire cases, they were able to make the larger .228 bullets this way.

Later on, in the 1960's I ran across an article on making half jacket bullets for a British big game cartridge using .45 ACP cases, bullets of that diameter being very expensive and difficult to find at the time.

I don't think I'd want to leave the rim less base and groove intact, that could invite foreign materials getting trapped in the groove. It would also create a terrific secondary shockwave in super sonic flight. Even a cannelure creates its own secondary wave effect.

I would think that a careful annealing would be in order, and perhaps a dry lube of some sort to ease initial engraving.
 
There was a guy here who was making bullets from .22 WMR cases that he used for high power shooting in his AR-15 at 200 and 300 yards. The longer cases allowed him to make heavier bullets than with .22 LR's.

He only used unplated cases, but it sounded like enough fun to make me want to take up knitting or finger painting. :eek:
 
Today you can still by dies for a bullet maker kit from both Corbin's to make jacketed bullets from .22 rimfire cases. The problem seems to be that the jackets made from .22 rimfire brass is vary thin and will not take vary high velocities. I do not know how these bullets made from .22 rim fires could hurt your rifling?:confused:
 
Accuracy is slightly inferior due to the firing pin indentation left on the case which ends up at the rear of the bullet... the last thing the gases affect when it leaves the barrel.
 
"bullets"

"Handloader" magazine did an article on making bullets from brass cases, (about 2 yrs. ago). "Accuracy" was in the tin can shooting category.
 
A few of my .22 rimfires have left only shallow relatively broad circular indentations, my Single Six does that, but its not an original firing pin.
Shallow indentations might iron out.
I don't have a .22 Centerfire, but had considered getting a .22 Savage HP one day, though I hear the .228 bullets are available now.
 
Dennis , I picked up a couple hundred .224 bullets made from rimfire cases a while back and they have no fireing pin indents at all and the maunufacturer stamp looks holograghic. I have never loaded/fired these bullets I just bought them out of couriosity.The maker/seller said to keep them under 3000fps. His use was in .223 and 22-250. The bullets weigh 55grs. + or - 2grs
 
making your own bullets from empty cases.

That was fine in the 22 when the case were made from copper.
Brass is a different thing.
It sure isn't good for the barrel. Guilding and cupronickel also did a number on barrels.
You will never catch me cheating on bullets and messing up a quaility barrel like a hart shillen kreiger etc. The rig shown had a good barrel on it. I bet you the barrel makers will tell you the same thing/'''''''
A $1000 rifle sans scope and 5 cent bullets'''''''
 
Roger T said:
The maker/seller said to keep them under 3000fps. His use was in .223 and 22-250. The bullets weigh 55grs. + or - 2grs
Click to expand...

That depends upon your twist rate too. Don't bother with a 1/9 or quicker.

These bullets are as harmless to your bore as gilding metal jacketed bullets. Bullet jackets generally aren't pure copper - it fouls to much. Gilding metal has 5% zinc added, while cartridge brass is around 30% zinc.
 
Just so you guys know, I'm not advocating or promoting the use of old cases as jackets. I've made a few in my old days when store bought bullets were beyond my financial resources but I sure wouldn't do it again.

I collect cartridges and old bullets and have several boxes of the old Sisk, Speer, and RCBS bullets made from 22 RF cases. Most of them do show the vestige of the firing pin indent. They certainly were not as accurate as today's bullets but guys back then would do what they had to do in order to shoot. Today's shooters (me included) are spoiled rotten.

Bullets made from brass cases do foul the bore but normally they were used in big caliber cartridges with low velocities. A lot of 44 and 45 caliber pistol bullets were made that way.

Hey Gerry, where can I get some of those 5 cent bullets. ;):cool:

Here's the base of an old Wartime Speer bullet made from a Winch 22LR case.
wartime006.jpg


Ray
 
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Roger T said:
Dennis , I picked up a couple hundred .224 bullets made from rimfire cases a while back and they have no fireing pin indents at all and the maunufacturer stamp looks holograghic. I have never loaded/fired these bullets I just bought them out of couriosity.The maker/seller said to keep them under 3000fps. His use was in .223 and 22-250. The bullets weigh 55grs. + or - 2grs
Click to expand...

Part of the jacket making process in today's bullet making dies is a tool used to iron out the rim and no indent or rim is found on the jacket. I have shot many of the .22 jackets in my .224 barrel at 1in9 and 1in 8 they show no more fowling than any J-4 jackets I have made .224 bullets on. You just can not go with velocities because they are a thin-er jacket and I would not use them on big game. I only use the J-4 bullets on big game if I can insure a head shot at close range with velocity to start around 2400 fps.:D

Where these bullets work real well is on small game and are not a barrel killer.


For the guy that has so much money that none of the advantages of the freedom of making your own has any interest to you, Good for you. I hope you never run out of bullets to shoot.
 
complete boatail rimfire bullet dies for sale

I started on this project some years ago. The plan was to use a 22 short case with boatail projectile for benchrest competition. If you know anything about 22 rimfire you will understand the logic.
I have everything needed to make this a reality. Somebody needs to take this and run with it.
Details available by phone............anybody interested?

Shadowalker
 
making your own bullets from empty brass

5 cent bullet Range pick up case and a slug of lead
Those war time bullets were made from copper.
sisk and speer post war were old 22 jackets.
Corbin can sell anything.
Actualy it started with Ted Smith.
Try some cupronickel and see what happens.
Did you look at that rifle?
Pretty nice rig to shoot stuff like that out of the bore.
maybe i'm lucky i can afford good bullets.
Actually i can even make my own with J4 jackets.
 
Gerry said:
. . . Guilding and cupronickel also did a number on barrels.. . .
Click to expand...

Gilding Metal (GM) is what jackets are made from today. Cupronickel (CN) didn't ruin barrels. It fouled barrels and the bad cleaning techniques ruined them.

Many of todays homogenous and bore-rider bullets are turned from solid brass stock and they seem to work OK.

JMHO

Ray
 
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Cheechako said:
Gilding Metal (GM) is what jackets are made from today. Cupronickel (CN) didn't ruin barrels. It fouled barrels and the bad cleaning techniques ruined them.

Many of todays homogenous and bore-rider bullets are turned from solid brass stock and they seem to work OK.

JMHO

Ray
Click to expand...

True that Cupro-Nickel itself wasn't directly injurious to the bore, but it ruined many thousands of barrels by covering corrosives salts imbedded in microscopic fissues in the bore steel. Cleaning solutions and solvents couldn't reach these salts effectively and when they did the water that was the major component of solutions for neutralizing the salts would not be dried or swabbed away properly. Microscopic openings in the layers of nickel fouling allowed moisture to be drawn out of the air.
A scientist with the Beaureu of mines ran some very through testing on just why CN fouled bores would rust several days after firing and cleaning, but I've read his report and its poorly worded for the layman.
His point was that the CN itself didn't corrode bores, and that a preious theory of corrosive gases of combustion was the cause, he proved those points, but he left the impression that CN wasn't responsible in anyway.
If he'd gone into the residues of the salts he'd have made things easier to understand.

I've mentioned my old Krag before, its bore was a mess due to corrosion under the Cupro-Nickel fouling.

Copper alloy and Gilding metal are both found with modern bullets, and Cupro-Nickel has for some reason made a comeback in Europe, hopefully of an alloy easier to remove at least with modern solvents.
 
old gunner

Get a copy of Hatcher's Notebook and read the chapter on Gun Corrosion and Ammunition Developments. It discusses the old Acid Gas Diffusion theory and the Bureau of Mines research, but they (Bureau of Mines) concluded that gas had nothing to do with the corrosion. Once the real cause (primers) was discovered and proper cleaning techniques and cleaning solutions were developed the old CN bullets were given a pardon. But by then GM bullets had been perfected and there was no reason to go back.

True, there are some bullets made with copper jackets, and even copper solids, but the majority are still GM jacketed.

My main point in all of this is that there is nothing inherently bad in brass jackets or solid brass bullets for that matter.

Ray
 
I've done this and...

have picked up a few do's and dont's: Clean the sorted hulls in an ultrasonic cleaner to remove residue from the inside before de-rimming. Sort by headstamp. Check case wall thickness: some brands are more consistent in case wall thickness than others. You also need a jacket trimmer because the jackets are going to be different enough in length to make for inconsistent length/weight. If you want them to fly faster than 3000 fps use a harder lead core. Anneal before doing any die work, then clean either in an ultrasonic cleaner or tumble in polishing media and degrease. If you leave them the way they came out of the annealing process you'll have problems because of the extra lube required for pointing. Unpolished brass jackets also have tendency to stick in the pointing die. Polish again after pointing and then moly coat.

You are NOT going to get BR grade bullets this way but you can get very good varmint bullets that expand very nicely, ala Hornady SX bullets. They seem to be most effective in cases like 22 Hornet, 223, 223 Ackley and 22-250 if you follow the harder core advice for the faster loads. Moly coating is a must. I have seen pressure signs with uncoated brass jackets that vanished when moly was used.

Brass jacket bullets are great for trying out ideas before committing to the real thing. They're inexpensive and work well enough for chucks in the right cartridges. You can have a lot of fun with them, just don't expect fine accuracy.
 
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