Drill to hollow point bullets ?

[Willyp]

Ever try to do this to make hollow point bullets ?
If so,any tips on how to do it !

[Boolseye]

The Forster hollow point tool is how I’ve done it.
I own the larger diameter (pistol) version, comes with instructions.
It does what you’re asking, after the bullet has been loaded in the case.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I don't know the Forster tool, but I doubt if anything that maintains the necessary concentricity can be cheap. If I was making up a tool, for a reasonably malleable bullet alloy, I think you could get just as good results by pressing in the hollow, which seldom needs to be as big as may people think.

213047

It would be used with a vice or mallet. Since I did this drawing though, I decided that I would make the punches with flanges so that they would always be driven in to the same distance. Or a collar and set-screw or cross-pin on one of them, if bullets of different length were to be hollow-pointed.

[kungfustyle]

+1 on the Forster. It works and doesn't change the fight of the boolit. Only problem with it is the lead that it reams out of the bullet needs a place to go so clean it out often.

[kungfustyle]

I don't know the Forster tool, but I doubt if anything that maintains the necessary concentricity can be cheap. If I was making up a tool, for a reasonably malleable bullet alloy, I think you could get just as good results by pressing in the hollow, which seldom needs to be as big as may people think.

213047

It would be used with a vice or mallet. Since I did this drawing though, I decided that I would make the punches with flanges so that they would always be driven in to the same distance. Or a collar and set-screw or cross-pin on one of them, if bullets of different length were to be hollow-pointed.

Cool idea. Get some working would like to try it.

[reloader28]

I dont think I would like that swaging in a HP design. Seems to me it would mash and deform the boolit to much.

Drilling does work pretty good though. Make sure you put a drop of oil on the drill bit to lube it a little. Mine binds up if I dont. It dont seem to make a big difference if it is perfectly dead center. Get it as close as you can and try it. I've had good results with it. If you need a little bidder opening you can use a countersink bit to flare it more

[500Linebaughbuck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsTD8CJzAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InSJuNvai54

[country gent]

For revolvers that simple swage die should work okay. Rifles and semi auto pistols the in supported nose may expand to much with the forming or the hollow point. A puch cut to match the nose and the pin set in it then when formed the nose will grow in length but not in dia as much. Threaded 7/8 14 and a pusher ram similar to lees with s threaded insert in top for the form punch and nose support it could be ran in a heavy reloading press. The HP form would need to be shouldered and sliding to work as the ejector also.

The drills of this size for lead are a lot of times a spade type drill. These can be made buy turning the form desired on the end and grinding or milling half away. Harden and then back off relief by hand. One could be made for lead from steel turned and fluted or cut in half and backed off with out hardening and would run a long time in soft lead.

[Grmps]

You can also build a quick jig and do this on a drill press.
clamp 2 boards on a drill press table with the bit centered on a 1/16 in space between the boards (1 board "permanently" clamped the other easily removable)
leaving the spacer in (or on both sides of the hole) use a brad point bit and drill a hole the size of the boolit the depth of the bearing surface
loosen non-permanent side, remove the spacer, set boolit in the hole and secure non-permanent board (I use vise grip "C" clamp) (you could affix the permanent board to the non moving side of a drillpres vise and clamp that to the drill press table).
select desired HP diameter/drill bit size, set desire depth - enjoy [ of the hole isn't perfectly centered, loosen and adjust.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I don't know the Forster tool, but I doubt if anything that maintains the necessary concentricity can be cheap. If I was making up a tool, for a reasonably malleable bullet alloy, I think you could get just as good results by pressing in the hollow, which seldom needs to be as big as may people think.

213047

It would be used with a vice or mallet. Since I did this drawing though, I decided that I would make the punches with flanges so that they would always be driven in to the same distance. Or a collar and set-screw or cross-pin on one of them, if bullets of different length were to be hollow-pointed.

https://youtu.be/oGYdWocegR4

You mean like this?

[reloader28]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsTD8CJzAg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InSJuNvai54



Good God did anyone read the comments after these videos. Got to be the stupidest people on youtube. Everyone of them an "expert" and its extremely obvious that not a one has done any testing in their lives outside of playstation

[nicholst55]

Good God did anyone read the comments after these videos. Got to be the stupidest people on youtube. Everyone of them an "expert" and its extremely obvious that not a one has done any testing in their lives outside of playstation

I often see replies like that. After one documentary that I watched, someone responded about how the video was fake - he KNEW, because he is an accomplished World of Warcraft player. Puh-leese!

[500Linebaughbuck]

Good God did anyone read the comments after these videos. Got to be the stupidest people on youtube. Everyone of them an "expert" and its extremely obvious that not a one has done any testing in their lives outside of playstation

i don't read the comments. i use drilled hp that are for my SAECO #018-TG (405gr fn 45-70). they are off centered, but the deer don't seem to mind.

[poppy42]

I was going to suggest a case trimmer, but I see someone though of it and posted a video

[Larry Gibson]

I've a 1/8" Forster that I’ve used extensively for years. It is made to work with the Forster case trimmer but some have adapted it to others as mentioned. It is easy to use and works very well once you get the hang of it (not too hard to do). There is a device with an inner cone the centers over the nose of the bullet and guides/keeps the drill centered and straight.
I use the electric drill/screw driver attachment so mine drill easily and quickly. I do flick the lead out of the flutes that the cone device doesn't knock off before HPing the next bullet. Of course softer alloys should be used for HPs and they drill easily. I've also found that best cast bullet HP expansion is when the HP is 3/16” deep and the alloy is malleable. For larger or deeper HPs a longer drill can be used to deepen the HP. A 1/8” counter sink bit also can be very effective in opening up the HP.

My technique is;

1. Leave the collet slightly loose and hold the case head bottomed out in it.

2. With the right hand (holding the screw driver) slide the drill with the cone device on it against the tip of the bullet. The index and thumb of the left hand pull and hold the cone device over the bullet nose. This centers drill hole and drill over the bullet nose. The right hand pushes the drill against the nose of the bullet which pushes the case head against the bottom of the collet holding it in place. The left hand then releases the cartridge and tightens the collet.

3. Left hand then holds the cone device while the screw driver is turned on and the HP is drilled.

4. When the HP is drilled to depth (depth is preset by the stop collar) the screw driver is backed out while still running. Most often the lead drillings come off the drill when the cone device is slid off. If not they are easily flicked off with a finger nail or a small pointy tool. I leave the cone device on the drill for the next cartridge.

5. The collet is loosened and the HP'd cartridge removed and a new cartridge is then put in and the process repeated.

As always, it sound a lot more complicated and harder than it really is. I've HP'd many bullets over the years with complete satisfaction. The nice thing is you can use a regular mould with multiple cavities and cast lots of bullets for general use and practice. Then with the very same bullet but cast of a softer alloy you can HP it and use it for hunting. If you want to shoot a lot of HP bullets for practice, plinking, etc then get a HP mould because it probably will be faster. When used for hunting the Forster HP'd bullets are entirely satisfactory.

I use the 1/8" HP on .30, .31, 8mm and .35 cal rifle bullets for hunting at velocities of 1800 - 2200+ fps. In handguns the Forster 1/8" HP is perfect for .32 H&R, .380 ACP, .38 Special and .357 Magnum with very soft alloyed bullets. For the few .41, .44 and .45 HP bullets (both rifle and handgun) I use a tapered drill (Michael's for rear sling swivel stud holes) to taper/cone shape the HP or the 1/8” counter sink as previously mentioned. I only use HP cast bullets for serious hunting so the Forster tool works very well for me.

Photo shows some .30 carbine 313631s HP'd (deadly on coyote's when calling them in close - not bad for home defense either) and the RCBS 35-200-FN HP'd for deer hunting.

Larry Gibson

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[Grmps]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdbAvgMxlEw

[500Linebaughbuck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdbAvgMxlEw

that one i like!!!!

[JBinMN]

that one i like!!!!

+2 on that....

[wistlepig1]

WOW, " accomplished World of Warcraft player" a place I get All my bullit info

[gwpercle]

Midway sells the hollow pointing tools as made by Forester . It hollow points by drilling a cavity , very safe . they have been around for decades. And they do work.
Gary

[mdi]

N/a oops!

[KCSO]

I use a centering jig and a drill press, set the stop and use a center drill. You can cut any depth you want and experiment with the openings to your hearts content. If you want fancy I have a collet set up on my mill and I put the bullet in the collet and use any drill without a jig.

[MDC]

213212
213214
213215
I have taken the bit out of my flash hole deburring tool and chucked it in my Forster trimmer to HP 311419 and RCBS 32-98 for my 32mag.

[nicholst55]

Someone here on this forum used to offer custom-made boolit holders made for just this purpose. You specified the diameter of boolits that you wanted to HP, the drill bit diameter you intended to use, and he whipped them up out of aluminum. Can't remember who it was, but I have one of his jigs made for .458" cast boolits, although I have never used it. They were quite inexpensive, but there must not have been much of a demand for them.