Benchrest bullet making

[holstil]

The point of the tray is to make it easier to put the core in the jacket before you seat the core. It saves quite a bit of time. If it were just the jackets, you wouldn't need the tray.

Got it.
Ive been grabbing a jacket and core at the same time from two bowls going into the press. I’d like to try this setup.

I’m pretty upside down so to speak in this Bullet making thing already.

 

[CubCouper]

Because I had lots 1/2" thick material to work with, I indexed all the boards with a dowel pins to line them up, and made the 'funnel' board and the pass-through board with chamfered edges (basically just deburred) so that I could stack them in various combinations to allow for different jacket lengths or parts of the process. Still, I've only used them for .790 and .825 6mm jackets, so like RG says, I wouldn't expect them to work well for another bullet without a little design effort.

 

[dcali]

Got it.
Ive been grabbing a jacket and core at the same time from two bowls going into the press. I’d like to try this setup.

I’m pretty upside down so to speak in this Bullet making thing already.

I'm not sure there is a right side up.

 

[RGRobinett]

Here’s a series of pics of my original design for the thirty Cal. jacket/core drop trays, made for me by my [late] uncle. I believe that they are pretty self-explanatory, but will make note that, when stacked, they are all “locked into position”, thus very user friendly. Oh, and yes, the jacket drop blocks are height adjustable . . .
As mentioned earlier, the hole spacing and cone depth are optimized for 1.080” long jackets. In the last pic, the jackets are .925” long, and positioned to deliberately show the jacket length:spacing. Of note, to get 100 30 Cal. holes into the desired block size, I staggered the holes - that also, made for better [unplanned] ergonomics . . .


OOOOps - maxed out - will post more below.RG

 

[RGRobinett]

More of the jacket/core drop pics.

 

[RGRobinett]

The last of the boring series . . . Hope they help someone get some done - George, how much would these cost?RG

 

[WillyTP]

Wes, lose the tub and go to a cookie sheet ....

And a fast food server tray works great, if you know the kind of people that can acquire one or four for ya

 

[dcali]

These work well for me. Nice and big. https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-40092-Funnel-King-Drip/dp/B007RXBTI0/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr0_1

 

[dskogman]

I keep hearing all these ideas on how easy this would be to make and it will be cheaper to cnc or laser. but no one is able to come up with there own design. I have seen a bunch try and make them on cnc they are all gone it just doesn't take a 30000 dollar cnc for this. I would like to know how do you laser a blind hole.....

I did a quickie just to see what the cost would be from 3D Hubs. It's very size and volume dependent, details not so much. This one at 5"x11" with 98 holes is $73 for 1 and $36 each for 10 in PLA (standard 3d printing plastic). It is $140 for 1 and $80 each for 10 in Nylon (which is close to Delrin) using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). I have had parts made with the Nylon/SLS printers and they are very nice, almost like machined, the PLA stuff is rougher but may work.


I make case holders on my little 3D printer with PLA. They take a long time to print but you just start it and let it run.

 

[geo.ulrich]

so what would the cost of seven trays with 200 holes each be? Five trays with blind hole and two with thru holes. Also need sliding tray with rails to load jackets and cores..From prices quoted you are at around 640 $

 

[dskogman]

so what would the cost of seven trays with 200 holes each be? Five trays with blind hole and two with thru holes. Also need sliding tray with rails to load jackets and cores..From prices quoted you are at around 640 $

Yup, not very economical unless you did a few thousand.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I've been reading this thread. It is interesting but I can't see myself getting involved with a project like this. First, it appears that it is an expensive operation to start with. If you shoot more than one caliber, you will need to outfit yourself with a lot of equipment for each.

Can you actually make a bullet at home, that is better than those you buy from custom bullet makers, who have accumulated walls of medals and own world records? Well maybe, but my guess is that it will take years of development to get there.

I can say with certainty, that I know nothing of the process. I assume that you buy jackets, but do you cast your own bullets? Can I make bullets with the same consistency as those I purchase for reloading?

Can I actually make a better bullet than Bart"s Bullets, or Berger, Sierra, etc.?

 

[Tim Singleton]

I've been reading this thread. It is interesting but I can't see myself getting involved with a project like this. First, it appears that it is an expensive operation to start with. If you shoot more than one caliber, you will need to outfit yourself with a lot of equipment for each.

Can you actually make a bullet at home, that is better than those you buy from custom bullet makers, who have accumulated walls of medals and own world records? Well maybe, but my guess is that it will take years of development to get there.

I can say with certainty, that I know nothing of the process. I assume that you buy jackets, but do you cast your own bullets? Can I make bullets with the same consistency as those I purchase for reloading?

Can I actually make a better bullet than Bart"s Bullets, or Berger, Sierra, etc.?

Very good observation
The short answer is probly not gonna make a better bullet than @BartsBullets
Even after a few years of trial and error and huge expense
It definitely is not for everyone

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I've been reading this thread. It is interesting but I can't see myself getting involved with a project like this. First, it appears that it is an expensive operation to start with. If you shoot more than one caliber, you will need to outfit yourself with a lot of equipment for each.

Can you actually make a bullet at home, that is better than those you buy from custom bullet makers, who have accumulated walls of medals and own world records? Well maybe, but my guess is that it will take years of development to get there.

I can say with certainty, that I know nothing of the process. I assume that you buy jackets, but do you cast your own bullets? Can I make bullets with the same consistency as those I purchase for reloading?

Can I actually make a better bullet than Bart"s Bullets, or Berger, Sierra, etc.?

and THIS is why most people don't do it. and THIS is why most people won't do it.
But for some of us.... we have a real problem with someone telling me "you cant do this".....
The hard part is getting ready to make bullets. But once I get started..... I get the great passion juices flowing again.... and I get started.....

the problem is... it may take me MONTHS to get in the mood.

I had a shooting friend have an opportunity to get a great bullet making set up …. FOR FREE. He called me one night, and we talked for 2 hours. granted I know about a tenth of the other people replying (I know this for fact as I have called them several time on the phone and they were gracious enough to spend some time with me). And after that conversation, he said, I think I will just continue to call xxxxxx and place my yearly bullet order with him.

That my friend.... was a smart man!!!!

 

[geo.ulrich]

Can you actually make a bullet at home, that is better than those you buy from custom bullet makers, who have accumulated walls of medals and own world records? Well maybe, but my guess is that it will take years of development to get there.
Best to look up results from Super Shoot or Nationals the top 20 list is full of bullet maker " self"

 

[geo.ulrich]

The last of the boring series . . . Hope they help someone get some done - George, how much would these cost?RG
View attachment 1153329 View attachment 1153330 View attachment 1153331 View attachment 1153332

My prices have not really went up on trays I think I started at 280 now they are 300

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

My prices have not really went up on trays I think I started at 280 now they are 300

Worth every penny

 

[holstil]

I've been reading this thread. It is interesting but I can't see myself getting involved with a project like this. First, it appears that it is an expensive operation to start with. If you shoot more than one caliber, you will need to outfit yourself with a lot of equipment for each.

Can you actually make a bullet at home, that is better than those you buy from custom bullet makers, who have accumulated walls of medals and own world records? Well maybe, but my guess is that it will take years of development to get there.

I can say with certainty, that I know nothing of the process. I assume that you buy jackets, but do you cast your own bullets? Can I make bullets with the same consistency as those I purchase for reloading?

Can I actually make a better bullet than Bart"s Bullets, or Berger, Sierra, etc.?

I do it because I wanted to learn about it by doing it. Not sure if I’ll ever make a bullet as good as other great Bullet makers. It’s a risky gamble at best if that is ones only goal.
There is a certain satisfaction that comes with shooting your bullets. Bonus if it nets out a piece of wood. I like to test things for myself. Making bullets helps me confirm or deny quite a few things.

 

[TrxR]

I would love to get into this but the budget doesnt allow it. Maybe one day.

 

[CubCouper]

Early in my BR career I thought that I could have a reliable source of projectiles and possibly support my habit by selling some on the side. At the time the saving$ was about $100/1K box. It only took about 10,000 bullets to figure out that the multitude of custom makers out there earn every penny of the dollars we spend on them. My own bullets seemed to rank up there with Dogtown Rejects, but when a real maker used my dies, the outcome was world-class competitive: told me that it was me or my process and not my equipment. Long and short of it is that I still make some bullets, but I almost always compete with the best I can buy.