Solid copper turned bullets

[gmitchell]

Has anybody made your own solid turned bullets? Is it possible to get them to shoot good enough to shoot(and win) at a 600/1000 yard BR match? There are alot of precision machinist that shoot. How come you guys don't make your own bullets? I know you would have to do it in a temperature controlled environment and have good equipment and you must be very good at what you do. And I know it would take time. Just wondering how many have tried turning own bullets and what kind of results you may have had. I am not a machinist, but I have a friend that is.

Gordy

 

[fdshuster]

Gordy: Why don't you & your friend get together, make a few, and do a test? Many of us do not have access to a lathe.

Your results would be most interesting.

 

[Toolbreaker]

I haven't, but I don't see why it couldn't be done as a project using a manual lathe and a small, well built press (for a qualifying die). The devil would be in producing "X" quantity of bullets identically, with an identical nose profile, and being able to adjust that profile minutely for testing of the bullets' BC. If your friend has a radius turner (ball turner) for his lathe, that would help greatly in this. Also, finding a good balance point on bearing length/pressure rings(?)/boattail length/ogive length might get "interesting" from a manufacturing standpoint. Just a couple thoughts off the top of my head...

 

[CatShooter]

There are companies that make bullets like you are describing... don't invnt the wheel aall over - just buy them.

And if you do decide to make them, there is no need to make then in a temperature controled room.

Try Googling "Solid Bronze Bullets".

 

[savagedasher]

I don't believe copper or bronze bullets will have enough weight for the length without added weight in the rear. Larry

 

[gmitchell]

Gordy: Why don't you & your friend get together, make a few, and do a test? Many of us do not have access to a lathe.

Your results would be most interesting.

I knew someone would say that. We just might do that some day. Looking for someone with some experience.

Gordy

 

[Webster]

I think I read somewhere that they put tungsten in the brass/bronze to get the weight up. This should not be abrasive, it's tungsten not tungsten carbide. They are probably to expensive for most of us. Does anyone think they will totally ban lead bullets in the future to protect the environment. Hunting and target shooting. I think lead bullets are already banned in CA for hunting?
I googled non lead machined bullets. Many hits I won't list them. There are several companies making them. Looks like they are intended for hunting. We will have to wait for someone to post data on machined bullets in an accurate varmint rifle and a full race bench gun.

 

[mr45man]

Seems like copper would be kinda soft to machine.
Here is a link to some brass bullets,
some of the hunting bullets look interesting.

http://www.lehighbullets.com/products.asp?cat=31
John H.

 

[gmitchell]

I'm really not interested in hunting bullets mostly due to the volume I use hunting vs the volume I use for 600/1000 yard Benchrest. Most Benchrest shooters buy a minimum of a 1000 of any certain type simply because if your gun like what you bought you will want large quantity's of the same lot. If your gun don't like them put em on the shelf or list them for sale. I am looking for somebody with experience making large volumes of match grade bullets. Mostly due to the shortage of components.

Gordy

 

[Area Man]

Does anyone think they will totally ban lead bullets in the future to protect the environment.

Yes.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/21/end-line-for-lead-bullet-regulations-bans-force-switch-to-green-ammo/

 

[spclark]

I don't believe copper or bronze bullets will have enough weight for the length without added weight in the rear. Larry

Yep, hard to beat lead when it comes to density + suitability (cost, availability, ease of shaping) when it comes to making bullets.

So-called monolithic or 'solid' bullets machined from other metals suffer from a weight vs. length ratio that makes them more troublesome compared to the copper-jacketed lead projectiles we've been fortunate to have for our sport for what, 80+ years?

Adding a core of denser metal is possible of course (tungsten, depleted uranium, etc.) at added expense of course, among other environmental & legal concerns.

Many ranges outright ban monolithic bullets too due to their tendency NOT to deform upon contact with the impact berm. They can keep going & going....

 

[spclark]

Does anyone think they will totally ban lead bullets in the future to protect the environment.

Yes.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/21/end-line-for-lead-bullet-regulations-bans-force-switch-to-green-ammo/

Nuts. This is a propaganda piece.

That smelter produces metallic lead from mined ore, not metal the bullet manufacturers use for making bullets. 99.8% of their raw material comes from recycled lead batteries & those sources are pretty stable considering the prevalence of batteries in vehicles around the world.

 

[Area Man]

That smelter produces metallic lead from mined ore, not metal the bullet manufacturers use for making bullets. 99.8% of their raw material comes from recycled lead batteries & those sources are pretty stable considering the prevalence of batteries in vehicles around the world.

Agree that the smelter is not the issue, but the environmental whacko threat is real. There are too many people that are willing to remove "contaminants" from the environment at any cost.

Have you seen what the Navy does to a ship now before they scuttle it in the ocean? They strip it of all lead based paint and put the paint in a landfill. Absolutely stupid, but it makes some people happy.

 

[CatShooter]

That smelter produces metallic lead from mined ore, not metal the bullet manufacturers use for making bullets. 99.8% of their raw material comes from recycled lead batteries & those sources are pretty stable considering the prevalence of batteries in vehicles around the world.

Agree that the smelter is not the issue, but the environmental whacko threat is real. There are too many people that are willing to remove "contaminants" from the environment at any cost.

Have you seen what the Navy does to a ship now before they scuttle it in the ocean? They strip it of all lead based paint and put the paint in a landfill. Absolutely stupid, but it makes some people happy.

Lemme see... they put in a land fill, and the rain leaches it into the ground water, which goes into the aquifer, which goes to...

... my faucet.

Hmmmm

 

[Area Man]

Lemme see... they put in a land fill, and the rain leaches it into the ground water, which goes into the aquifer, which goes to...

... my faucet.

Hmmmm

And if you dumped all the lead from all the LBP in the world in the ocean, it wouldn't change the lead concentration in the sea water one bit.

They also remove all the asbestos. The only health hazard from asbestos is from air-borne particles of it. So let's try to imagine an exposure scenario. Fish eats asbestos from sunken ship, fish is caught, fish is cleaned dried and pulverized where the asbestos fibers become airborne for us to breathe. Happens all the time.

 

[Toolbreaker]

Seems like copper would be kinda soft to machine.
Here is a link to some brass bullets,
some of the hunting bullets look interesting.

http://www.lehighbullets.com/products.asp?cat=31
John H.

Machining copper is a pain, but doable. It takes high rake, high relief turning tools that are beyond sharp, not blunt like most carbide inserts available for steel. HSS tools work fine as long as they're touched up fairly often.

 

[CatShooter]

Lemme see... they put in a land fill, and the rain leaches it into the ground water, which goes into the aquifer, which goes to...

... my faucet.

Hmmmm

And if you dumped all the lead from all the LBP in the world in the ocean, it wouldn't change the lead concentration in the sea water one bit.

They also remove all the asbestos. The only health hazard from asbestos is from air-borne particles of it. So let's try to imagine an exposure scenario. Fish eats asbestos from sunken ship, fish is caught, fish is cleaned dried and pulverized where the asbestos fibers become airborne for us to breathe. Happens all the time.

Yup... every day. Why, I can see them pilling up a bunch of fish outside on my street right now, to make an asbestos spewing bonfire!!

 

[hogpatrol]

One would need to get a rod of the proper chemical makeup of bullet jacket copper. A CNC lathe would be almost a must for turning ogives. Can it be done? Yes. Is it worth your time, money and effort? From my perspective, no. I'd rather spend my time pulling the trigger. ;D

 

[jfseaman]

Seems like copper would be kinda soft to machine.
Here is a link to some brass bullets,
some of the hunting bullets look interesting.

http://www.lehighbullets.com/products.asp?cat=31
John H.

I like what I see on their web site.
Price is good.
Caliber availability... I don't know their volume but if they can ramp up more calibers I'm sure there will be buyers.

 

[akajun]

You dont need a CNC, you could do this on a manual lathe with a tailstock and compound turret, or on a second op lathe like a Hardinge hlv. A lot of fifty cal shooters make their own bullets out of brass or even leaded steel like 12l14 on automatic screw machines, but knowing how to set up and run one of those takes some skill.