Time to make the donuts....

[JoeDuke]

This is what George was talking about. This was my winter project, have tested and it works but not actually made a lot of bullets yet

Nice job!

 

[brcman]

Thanks- was not real difficult with a drill press and some hillbilly engineering!

 

[21PHX]

Does anyone lube cores prior to the core seating operation? It was a definite no-no back when I was making my own bullets.

 

[AlNyhus]

Very nicely done, Wayne. -Al

 

[jackieschmidt]

Does anyone lube cores prior to the core seating operation? It was a definite no-no back when I was making my own bullets.

That is a good question.
Considering all of the pains we go to in order to make sure our cores a squeaky clean, I suspect that is still the norm.
If the bullet making God’s suddenly decided that lubed cores made better bullets, that would open up an entire new venue of sorcery and voodoo to the bullet making procedures. How much, what kind, how to apply it.

I hope to heck someone doesn’t decide to try greasing up cores, then go out and shoot some phenomenal aggs. I have enough to keep up with as it goes

 

[21PHX]

That is a good question.
Considering all of the pains we go to in order to make sure our cores a squeaky clean, I suspect that is still the norm.
If the bullet making God’s suddenly decided that lubed cores made better bullets, that would open up an entire new venue of sorcery and voodoo to the bullet making procedures. How much, what kind, how to apply it.

I hope to heck someone doesn’t decide to try greasing up cores, then go out and shoot some phenomenal aggs. I have enough to keep up with as it goes

Jackie, last weekend at a match in NC I had two shooters tell me that they are lubing the cores to make BT bullets. I didn’t know if they were serious or pulling my leg.

 

[AlNyhus]

I tested lubed cores in the past and didn't see any difference one way or another. My bullets are all flat based. There are some different approaches used to apply lube if intentionally lubing prior to seating, from simple to complex.

 

[David Conder]

I think there are pulling your leg Jim

 

[D Coots]

If I recall correctly lubing cores made the finished bullet a bit longer and fatter at the bt.

 

[RGRobinett]

Many years ago now, for a good customer, I made bullets using different dies (his dies and mine), AND following his instructions (supposedly provided to him directly from the bullet making GODS), both traditional "dry" cores and "wet" cores - THOUSANDS of each type . . . he invested a LOT of time in The Beggs tunnel, shooting rail guns, bag guns, various barrels, "timed"muzzles, tuners, etc. - in the end, he went with dry cores. BTW, he was not too shabby at group shootin', which, obviously was a passion.

But the "wet" cored bullets didn't shoot horribly - all were FB 68 Gr. 6mm, based upon 0.825" long J4 jackets. His testing must have been exhausting - he was tolerant of my idiosyncrasies and heretical beliefs, and bought/shot a LOT of bullets - for yours truly, a GREAT learning experience and confirmation that most of the "old school" concepts of single cavity swaging-up bullet making, as dreamed up by Icelander, Jonas Halgresom (sp?), about 1947, give/take a year, or so, remain sound. And, The GOLD STANDARD for precision shooting. RG

 

[AlNyhus]

Randy's credit to Jonas Hallgrimson is part of the excellent bullet making history article in the January 1985 issue of Precision Shooting Magazine. For anyone interested in making their own bullets, that article is day 1 of 'Bullet Making 101' class. From the article:

"Editors note: Jonas Hallgrimson was a vital part of the evolution of thought and logic that lead to the development of the Biehler And Astles dies. The B&A bullet making dies were a great breakthrough in the development of accuracy; they were the forerunner of todays dies....all of which trace their lineage to B&A....their development was one of the landmarks of the sport".

Here's a copy I made of the B&A catalog page from that article:

 

[AlNyhus]

If I recall correctly lubing cores made the finished bullet a bit longer and fatter at the bt.

Later on today I'll get my notes out and see what I jotted down. I remember picking up .0001 on the shank????? -Al

 

[Fuj]

Later on today I'll get my notes out and see what I jotted down. I remember picking up .0001 on the shank????? -Al

No matter what, there has to be some type of hydraulic effect
with the lube between jacket and core. Would be interesting
to note if it took more ram pressure for a lube verses non lube
internally, on top of the external forming lube ??

 

[David Conder]

Amen

 

[Leon Noel]

Later on today I'll get my notes out and see what I jotted down. I remember picking up .0001 on the shank????? -Al

Al,
I would be very interested in your findings. My mentors had me firmly established in the degrease and/or etch camp for core preparation. Any lube on the cores was akin to garlic and Dracula. I use an acetone wash and dry for my cores and never did venture down the etching route as a regular part of my process though. Lube on the cores was something I avoided.
Curious to hear what you have found.

 

[brcman]

When Guy Chism started making bullets he found that if the cores were not completely clean they would slip forward just a little and actually a band would form at the pressure ring that was similar to a belted magnum cartridge case. I am aware that about 20 years ago some bullet makers were lubing the cores but they were putting a drop or two of oil in a quart or so of solvent and dipping the cores in that, which of course would really be very little lube on the core. I think I remember someone telling me that this was to get a more even flow of lead as it was moving forward during point up.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Since you cannot compress a liquid, I would think that even a very small amount of lube captured between the core and the base, it would be imperative to keep any lube at a minimum least there be a void.
That’s probably why for best bullet consistency, completely clean and dry is the best bet.

It seems I read some where that Sierra did include a core lube before seating cores.

 

[geo.ulrich]

Randy's credit to Jonas Hallgrimson is part of the excellent bullet making history article in the January 1985 issue of Precision Shooting Magazine. For anyone interested in making their own bullets, that article is day 1 of 'Bullet Making 101' class. From the article:

"Editors note: Jonas Hallgrimson was a vital part of the evolution of thought and logic that lead to the development of the Biehler And Astles dies. The B&A bullet making dies were a great breakthrough in the development of accuracy; they were the forerunner of todays dies....all of which trace their lineage to B&A....their development was one of the landmarks of the sport".

Here's a copy I made of the B&A catalog page from that article:

Al, Here are the originals that I have they actually came as a pamphlet

 

[geo.ulrich]

and more

 

[geo.ulrich]

Also I forgot yes Sierra lubes the core wire cuts squirts and then straight into jackets to coreseat and pointup