Bullet notching on the cheap?

[uncleskippy]

Thanks for the images. It gave me a better concept.

[andyt53]

You're welcome

[guywitha3006]

I actually ordered one of the ponsen warren crimpers but then I came across the Hornady version and thought I wouldn't have to mess with it. I will try to post pictures when I get around using it. I saw the "progressive core seating" thread and was trying to plan ahead. If you search, optics planet almost always has a 10% off coupon somewhere. I got one and so it was closer to $60.

Yeah I wasn't going to shell out $80 for it at the time. This was more of a pretty low cost temporary solution. And it works well in my opinion.

Post some pictures of your end product using the Hornady die. I may end up ordering one if it works better that the one Im using.

[Forrest r]

All of these were made using a hornady notch die. It's super easy to setup and use.

Some 380acp cases with the cores set in them and some notched. These 147gr hp's will be used in 38spl's/357's (.357) or in a 9mm (.356) by simply sizing them after the bullet is swaged. I swage these to .357 to use for the 38spl's/357's and run them thru a lee push thru sizer to make them into 147gr hp's for the 9mm's.

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The finished bullets, put a heavy canalure in these for playing around with full house loads in a 357 revolver that has a muzzle break.

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Some 44mag bullets made with the hornady notch die.

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A close-up of those 265gr 44cal bullets, put a small notch on the bullet/jacket to aid in how the bullet expands. Small pleats (like pictured above) ='s smaller diameter of the hp/slower expansion/better weight retention. Larger/longer pleats ='s larger diameter hp/opens faster/more shattering & fragging of the bullet.

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A close-up of some 45acp bullets (225gr) that have a large deep hp and long pleats. That's what I like about the hornady blank die, it's sssssooooooooo easy to adjust to make different hp's to test/use.

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Unlike the 44cal hp's, these 225gr 45acp bullets were meant/designed to explode/max carnage.

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Those 45acp bullets were recovered from this bundle of tightly rapped newspaper that had a 24 hour soak. That was the test target that was used, 3 single shots and a double tap. The 3 single shots were found at the 7 1/2" mark in the wet paper and the double tap blew out the back of the bundle and were found on the table behind the bundle. The double tap went thru 9" of wet paper, they exited in the blue square pictured below.

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Anyway, it's hard to beat the hornady blank die when it's used as a notching die.

[andyt53]

Looks good! I think if I were to get the Hornady die, I would go a little lighter on the notching. It might fold the notches tighter when point forming. But I would also be using it on projectiles with no exposed lead past the jacket.

[ncbearman]

Forrest, if your getting the same results and expansion on your .45acp as you are the .44's then thats awesome. Great looking bullets, accurate and functional.
Link for the Hornady notch die?

[guywitha3006]

Forrest, if your getting the same results and expansion on your .45acp as you are the .44's then thats awesome. Great looking bullets, accurate and functional.
Link for the Hornady notch die?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/113...aliber-handgun cheaper if you look around though.