new bullets and projects I've been up to

[BT Sniper]

Been busy latly working on new dies and bullet designs as well as customer orders. Been having a pretty good time and progress is moving along very well I think.

So here is some projects I have in the works all made from my home made dies formed in a RCBS RC or Lee Classic Cast press.


Left to right. 22 LR for compare, 265 grain .338 from 30 carbine brass, 175 grain 308 from 5.7x28 brass (nose got beat up a bit from ejection), 135 grain .264 bullet I made from sacrificed commercial bullet to check the die with, 100 grain .257 lead slug and a 80 grain .257 bullet made from trimmed 17hmr/22 mag brass (think I can get this one even better but looks pretty good so far).





The BIG ones! Got a couple .500 400+ grain bullets allong side a 325 grain .475 made from 45 ACP brass in BTSniper custom dies. Sheared the rim off the 45 ACP but not sure about look of bullet just yet, got some more refining of the rimless bullet yet to do.





Sheared the rim of a 357 mag to use for a .375-.338 jacket for bullets up to 300 grains. Probably use 38 special brass for up to 250 grains and should be cheaper and easier to find then the 357mag brass is.





145 grain .357 bullet from sized down 9mm brass. Made in a Ch die with the nose bored to .250. Should be a good one!


These first few dies are in the mail to heat treat at the moment. I expect them back with 3-5 day turn around. Then it's just a matter of testing some bullets and design of dies then I'm off to the races with first expected BTSniper custom swage dies to offer by end of April is the plan.

Thanks for all your support guys this should be a lot of fun.

BT Sniper

[BT Sniper]

I started big and worked my way small with the dies. Next thing to do is try .243 and .223 maybe even .204 We shall see. If results are up to my standards and work involved is not detrimential to price I may be able to offer up some of these small calibers somday. Can't promise anything till I get an idea of what these bullets and dies are capible of but so far it is looking good.

Thanks

BT Sniper

p.s. got to work my up too from the .338. Like .366, .375, .416 and .458. Anything is possible.

[DDriller]

.338 is looking good!

[BT Sniper]

Yep it's getting there. I think the 38 special may be a great choice for the jacket on this one. Avialble in large quanities for cheap and will not be upsetting the 30 carbine crowd with the limited supply of brass out there. Plus we should be able to achieve all we need to make bullets from the 38 Special brass on a regular press.

Should be able to get up to 250 grains and have great expansion at slower speeds too when needed. I'll keep everyone posted. I plan on shooting a few of these 338s myself ASAP!

BT Sniper

[sargenv]

(really wanting something for 223)

[dragonrider]

Definately interested in .243.

[zuke]

Whole lotta thinking going on there!

[par0thead151]

you know BT, we can all thank you for inflated brass prices when this swagging really takes off!
lol
keep up the good work. and letme know when you get a set of 40 cal to 45 dies in stock

[elk hunter]

Brian;

You really need to look at the old LLF style dies for the small caliber rifle bullets with rim-fire jackets. They're easy to make once you have your reamers and laps. I use A-6 steel for the actual dies as it's easy to heat treat with a single furnace, a toaster oven and stainless foil as it's air quenched.

Here's a picture of the last set I made for .224 diameter bullets from 22 LR cases.

[uncleskippy]

Nice looking set of dies there elk hunter. I wish I had your skill

[hardcase54]

What is LLF ?

[Blind Eye]

Good Job Brain. I hope to get your 38/357 dies here soon. You have made some great dies and your costumer service is top notch.

Doug.

[BT Sniper]

EH,

Think I may actually have a set like that. Not in the small calibers but I'll give it a try see what I come up with.

Thanks,

BT

[Wayne Smith]

I like that 38/357 bullet.

[BT Sniper]

I like that 38/357 bullet.

I got a simple air driven punch press in the works that will make short work of sizing the 9mm brass. Upwards of 20 per minute and better. Should make forming bullets from reduced brass a lot easier and quicker.

Yep this should be one heck of a 357 bullet!

BT Sniper

[elk hunter]

What is LLF ?

Those are the initials of the guy that made the set a friend of mine bought, forty or so years ago. At that time RCBS no longer made bullet dies and this fellow and Ted Smith ( the guy the Corbin brothers learned from) were the ones that filled the niche, at least here in Oregon. It's a shame I don't remember his name. Maybe if I massage my brain with a wee dram of Irish whiskey I'll think of it, it's certainly worth a try.

[gunguychuck]

LLF dies were made by Lou Franssen. He had a die shop in Eugene Oregon. I have a set of his 30 caliber dies.

[hardcase54]

elk hunter, massage the brain, let gunguychuck have one . Thanks

[MakeMineA10mm]

.224" bullets out of 22LR cases is what got me originally excited about swaging back in the 80s. Never bought back then because of the price, and it seems the prices have gone up even more than inflation since then...

If BT could put a reasonably-priced set to do this, I'd be in!

[Wayne Smith]

I got a simple air driven punch press in the works that will make short work of sizing the 9mm brass. Upwards of 20 per minute and better. Should make forming bullets from reduced brass a lot easier and quicker.

Yep this should be one heck of a 357 bullet!

BT Sniper

"Simple air driven punch press"!! Come on, you gotta recognize what's simple to you may not be to others! For me the Rorschach is simple, but then I've only been doing it for 30+ years.