Making Cast Hollow Points

[TC66]

I have been wanting to make hollow points to shoot out of my 45. Don't wanna spend the extra cash on buying hollow point molds. I started playing around on my lathe and made a dye that you insert the loaded bullet into and it has a guide that keeps a drill bit centered on the head of the bullet. The drill bit has a stop on it so you can set the depth of the hole you are making. I can also change the hole diameter very easily by making the guide hole smaller or larger. Seems to have worked out pretty well so far. Getting good accuracy out of my 45 with them.

What are others thoughts on this?

Is there interest in something like this?

I know there are other tools that can do this but they are pretty expensive. If I could make these and sell them pretty cheap ($20 to $25) would others be interested in them? I will post some pictures if it appears I get some good response on this.

http://content.glidesociety.com/image.aspx?id=e99dc5b9-dfb6-4487-a4f3-464026d82f1c

[Buckshot]

...........Your method is one of the 3 ways to do it. Casting, and bump/swage being the other two.

http://www.fototime.com/E353D1C4CCDB2D9/standard.jpg

I made one a couple years ago for a member here. Drilling the HP is a quick, accurate and repeatable means to accomplish hollow pointing.

.............Buckshot

[harley45]

I think that is the tool Buckshot made for me. I've used it quite a bit and it really works well!!

[kir_kenix]

If they could be marketed for $20-$25 I think you could sell some here. I wouldn't mind taking a look at the set up you have got. I would like to HP some of my .30 fp's but i dont want to buy a whole new sets of molds. Post some pics, I'm sure there are quite a few here who would be interested.

[Castnshoot]

I'm sure your potential prospects would like to see how they test out on media.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm unclear. Would your way require that I have a metal lathe?

[Lloyd Smale]

my neighbor came up with a tool for my 500 linebaugh and another for the 4570 that are very simular to yours. He didnt use steel for the body though. He got ahold of a bunch of converor belt rollers that are some kind of synthetic type material and used that. they work great and whats really nice compared to a hp mold is you can adjust the dept of the hp to experiment with expansion and accuracy.
...........Your method is one of the 3 ways to do it. Casting, and bump/swage being the other two.

http://www.fototime.com/E353D1C4CCDB2D9/standard.jpg

I made one a couple years ago for a member here. Drilling the HP is a quick, accurate and repeatable means to accomplish hollow pointing.

.............Buckshot

[TC66]

Damn Buckshot that is real close to the one I made. Your looks much nicer though. Now I am embarrassed to put the picture up. Guess great minds think alike.

The one I have made is out of Aluminum 7075. But my guide is built into the top of the dye. I hook my drill bit onto a dremel tool or a drill press. Works great so far. No lathe is required.

I use a Lee Case trimmer shell holder to hold my shells while drilling the HP.

[yondering]

Forster makes this same type of setup for use with their case trimmer. 2 different size drill bits available for rifle or pistol rounds. Price is about the same as what you're thinking. They are universal, not specific to any caliber. They just guide the drill bit to the center of the boolit nose.
Check on Midway, they have them. Look for "Forster hollow pointer".

[Buckshot]

Damn Buckshot that is real close to the one I made. Your looks much nicer though. Now I am embarrassed to put the picture up. Guess great minds think alike.

The one I have made is out of Aluminum 7075. But my guide is built into the top of the dye. I hook my drill bit onto a dremel tool or a drill press. Works great so far. No lathe is required.

I use a Lee Case trimmer shell holder to hold my shells while drilling the HP.

...............Well, looking nice is ................nice :-) What really matters in the end is how it works. I'd like to see pics of the unit you made.

.................harley45, yup, that'd be the one :-)

...........Buckshot

[Castnshoot]

My question would be, does anybody have pics of expanded bullets and the specs?

[Rick N Bama]

'Nuther question, how is the round held while HPing the boolit? Looks interesting.

Rick

[TC66]

OK OK Here are some pics. Keep in mind it is not as pretty as Buckshot's. But it does work. Set the depth of the cavity however deep you want it and tighten the cap screw to lock the drill bit to the depth you want. Bullet is held in a Lee Shell Holder for a case trimmer. Unfortunately I can not retrieve my bullets at the range I shoot at. I have gotten very good accuracy from them though.

I have made a deal with two individuals on this web site. I am going to make them my HP tool and send it too them. Told them if they like it to put out a good word and pay me for the tool. If they do not like it send it back. That should allow for a fair test from two individuals I have never met and not talked too before yesterday. I am sure they will try it out and give full feedback to the group no matter how it turns out. I have ask that they give their honest opinion no matter what. I will either decide to modify it and try again or proceed with my current design based on their feedback.

Again I am not trying to make a pretty tool. Buckshot's looks absolutely great but I know he spent much more time on his than I did. I am trying to make a functional tool. It would be nice to be pretty too but to be as cost and time effective I think I need to stick to a functional tool.

http://content.glidesociety.com/image.aspx?id=8ffa34f5-eac4-4562-88ce-d2982f9a3fa0
http://content.glidesociety.com/image.aspx?id=1dc6fb80-f9e8-44bd-be5b-00afcd2a1a75

[kir_kenix]

thats a cool set up. I would like to try something like this. keep us posted if you decide to make up a batch of them to sell.

[TC66]

Have one more 45 HP tool if anyone is interested in trying it out. Just send me a private message. Here is the deal, I send it to you. You try it out, if you like it it costs $20 plus your written review in this thread and it is yours to keep. If you don't like it still put your review up and just send it back to me. Don't know how I could be more fair. The two I have cut for people to try out in 45 auto are pretty good HP cavity size. If people testing them like them then I will put several sizes of HP cavity options out and make them to order from then on. Just want a functionality test for right now.

[DLCTEX]

I'd like to try it. DALE PM sent

[TC66]

Sorry Guys both 45 HP tools are spoken for now.

[shotman]

that is a good idea. If you have a power case trimmer like a Lyman or the like you have the shell holder and spinner. put a drill bit in the tool head and you have a HPer, no cost and works. rick

[kir_kenix]

TC66 graciously offered to let me try out his hp'r! I'll try it in several different .45's and revolvers and get a good report written up. I'm looking forward to playing with different hp depths, and reporting how they expand in different mediums.

[Castnshoot]

TC66 graciously offered to let me try out his hp'r! I'll try it in several different .45's and revolvers and get a good report written up. I'm looking forward to playing with different hp depths, and reporting how they expand in different mediums.

That would be awesome.

[TC66]

OK guys had a special request to make one of my HP tools that would screw into a loading press. So here it is. What do you think? This one is for a 500 SW Magnum.

http://content.glidesociety.com/image.aspx?id=67f5fb15-d0ba-4d7b-90d7-34f5ab1c65ac

[32Special]

How do you keep the case from spinning in the shellholder? Nice machine work!

It occurs to me that if you wanted to go this route, you could use a Lee factory crimp die for the die body. You'd fit the drill bit bushing to the top of the die body. The carbide ring in the bottom could grip the base of the case enough to prevent spinning.

By only partially sizing the case when you seat the bullet, you could assure that the carbide ring would fit the bottom of the case securely and prevent spinning.

You could build one sleeve/HP drill holder and move it between Lee factory crimp dies and allow people to HP various calibers with only one HP tool.

[TC66]

Personally I use a Lee shell holder for the Lee case trimmer. Holds it just fine. Working on a locking shell holder now. See if it works or not.

[kir_kenix]

Got the HP tool from TC66 today. I played around with it the bit today, adjusting the depth and playing with different techniques for holding the case (ended up using the lee screw in trim collar). I havn't shot any of them yet, and I might not get a chance for a week or 2....but the tool looks very promising right now.

It works great. I'm going to try and get get some time here, and post some pictures and results when I get some.

[TCLouis]

I have the Forster setup for use with their case trimmer. It is in now in the same class as either of these tools.

I see it is time to get off my duff and make me a set for 30 - 45 boolits. Universal top size and individual dies for each caliber.

Thanks for stirring me to action.

[DLCTEX]

I received the hollowpointer from TC66 this week and used it on about 40 rounds of 45 ACP . I had some with RCBS 255 gr. SWC, some Lee 200 gr. SWC, and Lee 230 gr. RN. It worked on all and centers the hole well, judged by eye. I had to drill about 1/16 th. in. at a time and clear the chips to keep the chips from driving up the flutes into the bit holder. A longer body may allow more depth to be drilled before clearing by giving more space for chips before reaching the bit holder. I did get a couple of holes off center by assuming the ends of the body were the same size, but the much looser fit on the cartridge end allowed the bit to get out of alignment. I think frequent application of oil/lube where the bit holder fits the body will prevent premature wear of those parts. I used a Lee case spinner for the case trimmer to hold the cartridge while using my cordless drill to drive the bit, holding both by hand. This allowed easy retraction of the bit to clear chips. I will make some kind of holder for the case spinner to make holding the case easier. I may just epoxy one to a wooden handle or a screwdriver handle. I haven't had a chance to shoot them yet, but plan to compare for accuracy and expansion. BTW, the RN boolits were no problem to hollowpoint, but did raise a slight rim above the mouth of the hole that peeled off easily with my thumbnail. Merry Christmas to all! DALE

[JIMinPHX]

That looks like a pretty good rig for a guy without a lathe. You might consider taking it one step further & putting a knob on the end of the drill bit. That way you could turn the bit by hand & not need a drill. the biggest problem that I've had drilling lead was having the bit suck into the lead. turning the bit by hand would give you good enough feel to avoid that. Lead drills pretty easily, so I would think that turning the bit by hand would work OK. The other hard part is getting a good grip on the boolit. Some sort of a pinch clamp with semi-circular inserts for different calibers might be another nice thing to add. I would much rather HP the boolit before I loaded it in a cartridge.

[JIMinPHX]

I have the Forster setup for use with their case trimmer. It is in now in the same class as either of these tools.



Is that a typo? Did you mean to say that the Forster is "not" in the same class? I've read some rather derogatory reports on the Forster giving poor concentricity.

[dk17hmr]

Is there any testing going on...I wouldnt mind playing with a 500 S&W HP.

[odoh]

Is that a typo? Did you mean to say that the Forster is "not" in the same class? I've read some rather derogatory reports on the Forster giving poor concentricity.

I used one unsucessfully. Called them and reported that it was an abomination. That was many yrs ago. Surprised its still being considered.

[Bassleg]

TC66 I would love to have one of these for a 45 colt.