308 bullets from 5/16" copper tubing

[BT Sniper]

Thought I would give you all a little peak at what I have been working on. I wanted to wait till I had range results but thought I would let you all in on my progress. So far everything is looking really good. Just a bit of final R&D work to figure what length jacket/tubbing works best for desired weight bullets. Figure I'll make some at my favorite 176 grains and test side by side to my brass jacketed 5.7x308 bullets. I imagine any weight bullet will be possible from 100 grains to possibly 240 grains or more.

These copper jacketed bullets look pretty good with a thick .030 jacket compared to the thinner 5.7 brass jackets. I'll have to be sure and do some wet newspapper testing with them.

The bases formed up nicly and the tip closed up nicly as well. I am using my custom 308 dies with a .093 meplat nose, leaves just a slight HP in the formed bullet. Bullets where formed using a Lee Classic Cast press.






Here is the copper tube with the base formed up in first step next to a 225 grain and 176 grain 308 with a 110 grain copper tubing .257 to compare to.





I hope to get some range results soon. I'll keep you all posted.

Good shooting and Swage On

BT

[Bwana]

Did you perhaps mean to say 5/16s?

[Buddy]

How much do you have invested in copper tubing alone to produce say 100 of those? By the way those do look NICE!

[BT Sniper]

Yep 5/16" darnit Thought that number looked a little funny. I edited the title yet it doesn't show the edit in the thread post. Oh well. 308 bullets from 9/16 tubbing would be a good trick!

Thanks,

Depending on weight of bullet depends on total length of tubing used of course. I need to experiment a bit more but I figure a 1.25 piece of copper tubing should give us good bullets from 150-180 grains. The bullets above where formed with a 1.5" piece of tubing which worked well for the 225 grain but was a bit long for the 176. So doing the math what would that be... about 10 jackets per foot at an average of about $1 a foot for tubing shipped or possibly cheaper if you can find it.

BT

[no34570]

Bt
Man they look good,you da man!

[firefly1957]

Impressive looking bullets.

[Ammosmith]

I think it's very feasible to make a rebated boat tail with the right punches. I ordered the die set from CH4D but I have to wait until next year to get it.

[BT Sniper]

Yeh, I have been experimenting with the rebated BT as well. Got it looking pretty good and will have to see what it does to these copper tube jackets.

The 308 dies set from CH? next year huh? Let me know if you have any questions about that set. I don't know if they plan to change the design at all but it was a bit limited on weight of bullet potential.

BT

[DCM]

Really nice looking!! Please keep us posted on your testing.

[Ammosmith]

BT...I'd be interested in your dies for sure. What is your timeline to fill orders at this point? I was thinking with presses such as the RCBS you can take the reducing collar out and make a fatter die.

[BT Sniper]

Time line is looking to be mid July for potential 308 dies and possible copper tubing dies. I have a few other dies I want to get finished and off to heat treat in the same batch. I'll keep everyone posted. I expect to have 10 sets of 308 dies to offer for the first production run with more production runs to follow just as soon as i can put them together. Hopefully a batch of dies off to heat treat every other month or so.

BT

[Ammosmith]

When I can afford them I'd like to do a video on how they work...would that be OK?

[BT Sniper]

I'll send you a PM when I can about potential videos. It may be a few days but I'll get to it as soon as I can. Got a lot of other PMs to catch up on too.

Thanks

BT

[Southern Son]

BT,
Mate, where those ones made in a standard re-loading press or are they made in a swagging press?

By the way, if they shoot half as good as they look, they will shoot a treat. Very interested in your results on accuracy and penetration.

[BT Sniper]

Standard reloading press. I used a Lee Classic Cast though a RCBS or others would have worked just fine too.

BT

[buck1]

Fine work there BT!!!

[garandsrus]

BT Sniper,

I fixed the title for you... Great job, by the way!

John

[knifemaker]

Correct me if I am wrong, but did not the original Barnes bullets have a .030 copper jacket with lead core. If so those bullets should do very well at high velocity and still get very deep penetration on large game animals as proven by the original Barnes bullets. If they are accurate, you should end up with a premium bullet at a bigger cost savings over standard over the counter bullets for reloading.

[BT Sniper]

BT Sniper,

I fixed the title for you... Great job, by the way!

John

Thanks


As for accuracy..... we'll have to see. The bullets are made in the same die that shot the 5.7 brass into a small .215 three shot group so the profile certainly has potential. With luck I won't have to do a lot of load development but I know what load I am going to start with Same 72.5 grains of RL-22 that shot the 5.7s so well. The copper tubing is a bit softer material though. Don't know how that will effect the accuracy but the thick .030 jacket should help penetration and retition I bet too.

BT

[BT Sniper]

, you should end up with a premium bullet at a bigger cost savings over standard over the counter bullets for reloading.

We have certainly proved that with the pistol caliber bullets. Now we shall have some fun and see what we can do for riffle caliber bullets.