New bullet making Thread
- Thread starter GerryM
- Start date
Dan, I was getting the same little ring at the bottom. I just used more lube and it it seemed to have solved my problem. hopefully it will work for you also. I am new to building bullets also. We are lucky to have these guys give us info to help us out. But what else would you expect from Good Guys like that.
God Bless
God Bless
Dan H
New member
Joe, I too added more lube and did get rid of the shinny rings, thanks for adding you comment. That makes two newbees that came to that conclusion, by adding more lube how much did it change your dimensions? (pressure ring, shank) What cal. bullet are you making?
Dan
B
Boblor
Guest
Has anyone tried Corbin's turned aluminum tips while forming .308 diameter bullets? If so how is it working out?
Bob
Bob
Jim, I've noticed the same thing with different lot #'s of jackets. Changing the lube amount a bit helped on those lots. Experimenting with a home brewed slurry for lube, the marks went away completely and the bullets have a polished look to them when ejected.
Surprisingly, it seems that a lube can be too slippery....as weird as that sounds.
Seems that some amount of drag is needed in the point up process.Not sure how stuff works with carbide dies........... -Al
Your right on the lubes being a tad to slippery. Usually you can see the effects on core seating.
You have a hard time getting the jacket to slightly stick to the walls of the die.
Going to carbide is quite abit different. A good carbide die has a much better finish on the inside.
Too much lube will show up quickly with swage marks on the nose of the bullets.
You have a hard time getting the jacket to slightly stick to the walls of the die.
Going to carbide is quite abit different. A good carbide die has a much better finish on the inside.
Too much lube will show up quickly with swage marks on the nose of the bullets.
One that I use is Bob Simonsons. 7 parts lanolin and 1 part neetsfoot oil or vasoline.
I think thats what george said it is. Very slipery and I use it only core seating . After that you just point up.
Leave the lube on It's just enough. Later i wash the finished bullets in hot soapy water , rinse and towel dry.
The water is very hot so it evaporates very quickly. You can use just lanolin as per the B&A book instructions.
Hydrated lanolin is very stringy . Just melt it in a microwave oven and it will soften up . if you leave it in a tad longer it will melt into a nice little cake of sorts. after it cools you should be good to go. One other thing that works is Caster oil
You can get that at the drug store. Put a tad on a clean rag and wipe your jackets with it. before core seating.
You can also just dip a finger in it and wipe the jacket before you place it in the core seating die.
I think thats what george said it is. Very slipery and I use it only core seating . After that you just point up.
Leave the lube on It's just enough. Later i wash the finished bullets in hot soapy water , rinse and towel dry.
The water is very hot so it evaporates very quickly. You can use just lanolin as per the B&A book instructions.
Hydrated lanolin is very stringy . Just melt it in a microwave oven and it will soften up . if you leave it in a tad longer it will melt into a nice little cake of sorts. after it cools you should be good to go. One other thing that works is Caster oil
You can get that at the drug store. Put a tad on a clean rag and wipe your jackets with it. before core seating.
You can also just dip a finger in it and wipe the jacket before you place it in the core seating die.
Dan H
New member
A question about steel dies, 8 ogive, 118gr, 30cal on one inch J-4 jackets. What should I be looking for in the finished length from base to tip and what variance is acceptable? On some of my bullets the finish at the base is uniform with the rest of the shank, on others there is a shiny ring, these bullets eject a little harder and they are anywhere from .008 to .010" shorter, what am I doing wrong? Also on the bullets with the shiny ring the pressure ring can be as much as .030-.040" wide. Any opinions? I've tried more lube less lube, changing my stroke from fast to slow and back.
Dan
Dan
First I don't know your procedure. Its basic Uniform core weight = uniform seating = uniform points.
I'm guessing core weight variables , that cause core seating variables . Also either too much or not enough lube.
Too much core seating pressure can cause jacket streatching. The cored jacket should have a very slight lead line.
If its really visable you may be streatching the jackets. You need just enough seating pressure to make the jacket stick to the die walls. Hope this helps some. go back and try a few. weigh each jacket and core for same weight.
I'm guessing core weight variables , that cause core seating variables . Also either too much or not enough lube.
Too much core seating pressure can cause jacket streatching. The cored jacket should have a very slight lead line.
If its really visable you may be streatching the jackets. You need just enough seating pressure to make the jacket stick to the die walls. Hope this helps some. go back and try a few. weigh each jacket and core for same weight.
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OK Guys,
How about cleaning all or die's (Detsch carbide,squirt,core,and point up) and keeping them well preserved durning down time. I have also noticed every once in a while my squirt die will get a little more build up in one hole and the lead does not squirt out even. What would be and easy way to remove the lead build up.
Thanks,
Russell
How about cleaning all or die's (Detsch carbide,squirt,core,and point up) and keeping them well preserved durning down time. I have also noticed every once in a while my squirt die will get a little more build up in one hole and the lead does not squirt out even. What would be and easy way to remove the lead build up.
Thanks,
Russell
Russel one thing i do is lube a core really well and run it throught my squirt die. Then i take a common pin and clean out the three holes. Storage? Take them out and squirt them with WD40 and wrap them in some wax paper.
Oil them if your going to store them for a long period of time. Mine aren't ide very long. One set i did buy from a different person was wraped this way. It looked pretty posative.
Oil them if your going to store them for a long period of time. Mine aren't ide very long. One set i did buy from a different person was wraped this way. It looked pretty posative.
Hope not highjack this thread, but I was reading you guys talking about washing, etching and take out the lube of the core.
Well, I was teached by one of the best bullet makers in US to do exactly this to the core: cut, degrease with detergente on very hot water, dry. It comes with a etched light grey color. Then you seat the core. This process looks like a standard with bullet makers.
But, talking with one of the top BR shooters in the world (american), that does make his own bullets (sometimes he uses my "teacher" bullets too), told me that he does not take the lube out of his cores, as he believes that it helps the core seating to be more precise, even and without any air bubbles.
From my point of view, I think that degrease the core and have a light etch is a good thing for the core to adhere better on the jacket. But I really cannot argue with the success that my other friend has with his bullets on real world BR matches.
What do you think about this?
I would like to hear your opinions on this subject, as this theme seems to be around on this thread.
Well, I was teached by one of the best bullet makers in US to do exactly this to the core: cut, degrease with detergente on very hot water, dry. It comes with a etched light grey color. Then you seat the core. This process looks like a standard with bullet makers.
But, talking with one of the top BR shooters in the world (american), that does make his own bullets (sometimes he uses my "teacher" bullets too), told me that he does not take the lube out of his cores, as he believes that it helps the core seating to be more precise, even and without any air bubbles.
From my point of view, I think that degrease the core and have a light etch is a good thing for the core to adhere better on the jacket. But I really cannot argue with the success that my other friend has with his bullets on real world BR matches.
What do you think about this?
I would like to hear your opinions on this subject, as this theme seems to be around on this thread.
LRCampos,
I clean everything, cores, and jackets. I know they say that J4 cleans the jackets before shipping, but I say it does not hurt to clean them again. And cores I clean them and then etch them with TSP and hot water. I let then set for a day before I use them. All the data I have read tells you to do then this way. I don't make my cores I get them from Charlie. I just completed 250, 118's, 30 cal.
I will sort then by length. I have + or - .004" difference.
john
Mims, Fl.
I clean everything, cores, and jackets. I know they say that J4 cleans the jackets before shipping, but I say it does not hurt to clean them again. And cores I clean them and then etch them with TSP and hot water. I let then set for a day before I use them. All the data I have read tells you to do then this way. I don't make my cores I get them from Charlie. I just completed 250, 118's, 30 cal.
I will sort then by length. I have + or - .004" difference.
john
Mims, Fl.
Fla Mac, that is the exact way I was teached by my "teacher"!
He makes 6mm short range BR bullets and I do long .30 bullets. I am just starting on this but thte initial results from my "teacher" method produced some fantastic results, so I will probably continue as I do.
But I was intrigued by my friend BR shooter method, as his results on BR matches are breathless, specially on the last 2 years. May be I will make a few bullets the way he told me and see what happens...
He makes 6mm short range BR bullets and I do long .30 bullets. I am just starting on this but thte initial results from my "teacher" method produced some fantastic results, so I will probably continue as I do.
But I was intrigued by my friend BR shooter method, as his results on BR matches are breathless, specially on the last 2 years. May be I will make a few bullets the way he told me and see what happens...
I think the method of not degreasing the cores will eventually catch up with anyone who does it. All of a suddon ZING the shot goes wild'' It will happen sooner or later. That very mistake happened to me a long time ago.
4 shots in a tiny group and one sailing for no apparent reason. Greasy cores are a no no.
4 shots in a tiny group and one sailing for no apparent reason. Greasy cores are a no no.
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Its agood idea to clean them when they need to be done. Usually when you get an excess build up of lube. Mainly in the point up die. Thats where it shows the most. I use a few cotton swabs if the die in in set up. If it out of the press i just do the same thing. Using just the righ amount of lube is the key. also die temperature .
Too much lube in the core seater wont let the jacket stick to the walls be careful on that. I only lube once with my lube others twice. easy does it just enough.
Too much lube in the core seater wont let the jacket stick to the walls be careful on that. I only lube once with my lube others twice. easy does it just enough.