BTSniper 308 custom die progress!

[Mountain Prepper]

some more pics of my progress



my 175 5.7x308 next to a Sierra 180 grain prohunter





Cross section of a 175 grain from 5.7 brass next to a 140 grain from 9mm brass!






lined up ready to load!


Hope to get out this weekend and try them out.

I'll keep you all posted.

BTSniper

Any more thoughts or news on the 9mm brass to .308 jackets?

[BT Sniper]

Have not shot any yet. I will need to make a few more first. So many projects.........


BT

[bohica2xo]

BT:

It looks like that 9mm jacket will go to 147 grains.

There are a lot of 308 rifles out there - and a lot of 9mm trash on the ground at most ranges...

Get that one going & you will be really busy!

B.

[rays308]

Deffinately got my interest up.

I started a couple reducers for 223 to 308.
358
328
Gotta do the 312 and 305 yet
Loving the results so far.

BT,

Do you have a 308 swaging die available?

[Armorer]

BT:

It looks like that 9mm jacket will go to 147 grains.

There are a lot of 308 rifles out there - and a lot of 9mm trash on the ground at most ranges...

Get that one going & you will be really busy!

B.

+1 on that. That would definitely be on my "can't live without it" list. It's just too expensive to put too many rounds down range with my LRTAC-20. If I could make my own from old 9mm rounds I'd be in hog heaven.

Armorer

[BT Sniper]

Well OK then, sounds good. I'll put a few together and see what I can come up with for the 9mmx308s. Those things are going to scream out of my 300WM. I'm guessing about 3300-3400fps or more

BT

[BwBrown]

BT,
We talked of this awhile back, just wanted to be sure I'm somewhere on your 9mm-308 list.

Or is there a tubing jacket die set on the horizon?
Bob

[BT Sniper]

With a strong press, such as the Corbin or the CB (we need to name Aneat's press here), sizing the 9mm down should not be a problem in a couple steps. In a standard reloading press it may take up to three passes in sizing dies to get the 9mm down to .302ish.

I also have some 5/16" copper tubing enroute to play with. We shall see about the copper tubing die.

The more I experiment and learn from making dies the more it seems I may want to focus the majority of my efforts to perfecty just a select few to start with and add more calibers later on. The 40 cal and this 308 is obviously two calibers I have had a lot of sucess with. These two calibers will most likly be my first offerings.

I am more then 4 weeks now into the 3-6 week lead time I was qouted from the outfit I have making my custom 40 cal reamer. Based on the sucess of this 40 cal reamer will determin if there needs to be any final adjustments made to the design of the 308 reamer that will surly follow.

Also as my little girls are getting older they will be starting school this fall that will allow me more time to focus on the production of these dies and furthering the succes of this business venture. Till then I spend what free time I can on making dies but i certainly try to enjoy as much time spent with my girls before they get older and off to school.

I'll certainly keep everyone posted on my progress.

Good shooting

BT

[BT Sniper]

I figure for my first 9mm to 308 bullets I'll obvioulsy have them in the 140-150grain range and figure I'll bond the core to the jacket. See if we can retain a bit more weight. Being that the 9mm allready weighs 60 grains and figure if I can retain atleast half of the lead that would be about 120 grain recovered weight???? Well we shall see. I have yet to recover more then 110 grains even from the 180 grain 308s made from 5.7 brass but ofcourse I am lauching them over 3000 FPS. I suspect the 9mm will have a bit more strength in the jacket compared to the 5.7 and ofcourse if they where slowed down to a few of the other 30 cal velocites I bet the bullet will perform even better. We shall see.

BT

[runfiverun]

putting in a mechanical lock like a canellure, or tubing cutter under a canellure roll will help.
as will keeping the velocities down.
if you run a hornady interlock at @ 2800 fps or below it behaves itself.
penetrating better and retaining more weight.

brian:
i am very interested in a 308 die set and would also like one opened to 3115-312.
and a flat point for the 30-30.

[rugerglocker]

Brian, I was wondering if you offer the sizing dies yourself or if you could recommend someone? For now I'm hoping to size 9mm or .223 down to make .357 bullets, and later down the line down to .308s maybe.

I was also wondering if you still soup-up the CH4D dies, as I should have a used set coming in the mail in the next few days.

I tried to PM you, don't know if it went through, you can PM me the answer if you'd like since its slightly off topic. Thanks

[BT Sniper]

Yes I still offer improved interinal components for the CH dies. I don't know of anyone offering the reducing dies yet. I have ideas and just need to track down materials.

The 357s are good for making bullets from the 223 or 9mm. Sizing the 223 down is able to be done with one die. Sizing the 9mm down to .350ish in one step is possible on a standard reloading press but not much fun. Would be better in two steps.

Just let me know what caliber dies you want to imrove and I'll be happy to help.

BT

p.s. yes got the pm. I'm behind again

[BT Sniper]

Just did a little experiment with reshaping commercial bullets in my dies. I was pretty pleased with the results.

Posted pics in another thread but thought I would post them here too.

A standard 175 grain SMK on the left and reswaged in my die showing results on right. Notice the new flat base. Granted I would not normally reshape a quality bullet like a SMK but maybe other cheap bullets that may need a facelift




Swage On!

BTSniper

[lgvenable]

hey bt i left you a pm or 2 can you shoot me a reply?
Larry

[Mountain Prepper]

I figure for my first 9mm to 308 bullets I'll obvioulsy have them in the 140-150grain range and figure I'll bond the core to the jacket. See if we can retain a bit more weight. Being that the 9mm allready weighs 60 grains and figure if I can retain atleast half of the lead that would be about 120 grain recovered weight???? Well we shall see. I have yet to recover more then 110 grains even from the 180 grain 308s made from 5.7 brass but ofcourse I am lauching them over 3000 FPS. I suspect the 9mm will have a bit more strength in the jacket compared to the 5.7 and ofcourse if they where slowed down to a few of the other 30 cal velocites I bet the bullet will perform even better. We shall see.

BT

Two ideas or options.

You offer a service where you take 9mm brass sized to make 308 bullets.

You offer a set of dies that will slowly take 9mm down to 308...

Let us know what you think and if you do offer a product let us know...

You already see the excitement about new die makers here on the boards...

[BT Sniper]

Yes I have considered offering RTS (ready to swage) jackets and may be in the process now. Also looking into sizing dies to offer. Just a matter of time and my lack of it at the moment.

BTSniper

[gew98]

You have my interest as well. I would love to be able to utilize the 9mm brass to make .308 bullets for to feed my .308 calibers. Is there that much 5,7 brass available for the swage process ?. I am aware FN does not recommend reloading for their 5,7 pistols.
I wonder what 7,62x25 brass would do with your process - 220 grain .308's ?. Maybe a pictorial frame by frame and posted here of each die and the product of each one pictured with it at it's step. I remember years ago CH offered the kit to make .223 bullets from 22 rimfire brass. Being able to make .308 , .303 and 8mm bullets would be awesome and save a huge chunk of my wallet.... and nothing wasted !.

[gew98]

Oh on a sidenote I had one of the CH cannelure tools I bought back in the late 80's. It did not do so well as something was offset or out of round as it often caused bullets to climb and or crooked looking cannelures. Have they improved on that or does someone make something better ?.

[gew98]

another thought i had was using 223 brass. alot easier to find that 5.7 and you could trim to legnth for whatever bullet weight you wanted.

SW

What are the thoughts on 7,62x25 and .30 carbine on this process ?.

[truckjohn]

Just did a little experiment with reshaping commercial bullets in my dies. I was pretty pleased with the results.

Posted pics in another thread but thought I would post them here too.

A standard 175 grain SMK on the left and reswaged in my die showing results on right. Notice the new flat base. Granted I would not normally reshape a quality bullet like a SMK but maybe other cheap bullets that may need a facelift




Swage On!

BTSniper

Yep - that's the one I want.... to take a 308 SMK and bump it up to 0.313" or 0.314".....

Thanks