Improved BT Sniper universial notch punch/jacket expander die

[BT Sniper]

I redesigned and improved my universial notch punch. This die works even better then my original offer and I am able to offer it at a reduced price as well!

The internial punches now drop fit from the top of the die. I also have a perfected expanding mandrel that rounds any dings in the case and expands it perfectly to allow a cast boolit core to perfectly drop into place. No more over belling of the mouth of the case that could cause the jacket to bump into die and fold over. No more core grabbing at the jacket in formation of the bullet causing uneven exposed lead at top of bullet.

This mandrel set up simply WORKS! With the case in the shell holder of your press simply expand the case then drop in a core. This mandrle will double as a simple solution to push the core into the bottom of the case with a secound bump into the press. Very little pressure is needed and resullts are very good and come very fast. I found it to be a big help in speeding up production and at the same time reducing flaws and frustration. The mandrel is perfectly sized to allow the core to fit and at the same time allow the jacket to remian under final bullet diameter for propper grip of jacket to core.

With the core pushed down into the case it perfectly preps the case and core for bullet formation or for those of you wishing to make the XTP copy you are ready to perfectly notch the jacket. Simply remove the mandrel and drop in the notch punch and you are good to go! Better results are obtained with the notch punch when the core is seated below the top of the case and this die/mandrel/notch punch set up is a perfect, simple set up to make XTP look a like bullets for any calliber bullet you shoot.



http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/notchdie019-1.jpg
New simplified and improved version with expanding madrels showing how they fit in die. The notch punch is allready in the die.




http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/notchdie018.jpg
Avarage dinged up case rounded and expanded at the same time using custom mandrel with the core showning the perfect fit in the case.




http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/notchdie014.jpg
Notice the difference between belling the mouth vs. using a perectly sized mandrel that allows the core to perfectly drop into case.




http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/notchdie021.jpg
Notch punch at work. Notice the core is seated below the top of the case to allow better formation of the notches with out the core getting in the way.


I will be accepting orders via the Vendor Sponser Sales forums and PMs. This will allow me to better keep track of my offered products for sale on the vendor forums vs. my personal swaging projects and progress that I post here.

Here is the link to the Vendor Sponser Sales forum. I will be posting a LOT of my products there for potential future orders.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65


Good shooting and swage on!

BT Sniper


Here are some pics of what is possible with this die.

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/41cals001-1.jpg

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/23045cal004.jpg

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/blanksandbirdshot005.jpg

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/xmasandnotches001.jpg

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/xmasandnotches002.jpg

[no34570]

BT
Do you need any other dies with this to start making bullets for the 44 mag and 444Marlin?
Which case do you suggest to use to make bullets for these?

I'm really interested:guntootsmiley:
TIA

[zuke]

and the process continue's....

[ReloaderFred]

no34570,

Today I'm making 230 grain .44 Magnum bullets and I'm using BT's first notching die. I've made approximately 1,500 of them so far, and this batch will bring the total up to roughly 2,300, which should keep me going for awhile.

I'm using .40 S&W cases which have been annealed with soft (6 bhn) 158 gr. SWC bullets for cores. When I annealed the brass, I just dropped a bullet into each case and when the annealing was done, they were melted down into the cases. This was done in a kiln designed for doing ceramics, and makes it really easy. I wash them in a citric acid bath for about half an hour to take off the discoloration from the annealing off.

I'm now in the process of seating the cores, then I'll run them through the notching die and then the final swaging. After I tumble them to bring back the shine, then I'll add the cannelure and they'll be ready to load.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[no34570]

no34570,

Today I'm making 230 grain .44 Magnum bullets and I'm using BT's first notching die. I've made approximately 1,500 of them so far, and this batch will bring the total up to roughly 2,300, which should keep me going for awhile.

I'm using .40 S&W cases which have been annealed with soft (6 bhn) 158 gr. SWC bullets for cores. When I annealed the brass, I just dropped a bullet into each case and when the annealing was done, they were melted down into the cases. This was done in a kiln designed for doing ceramics, and makes it really easy. I wash them in a citric acid bath for about half an hour to take off the discoloration from the annealing off.

I'm now in the process of seating the cores, then I'll run them through the notching die and then the final swaging. After I tumble them to bring back the shine, then I'll add the cannelure and they'll be ready to load.

Hope this helps.

Fred
Fred
I take it,you do need another die,not just the notch die to make the bullets?,sounds cool though.
I'm going to have to get some,only trouble is 40S&W cases are hard to find,might have to buy new ones?:groner:

Thanks for the reply;)

[BT Sniper]

What caliber brass is easy for you to find? I've made some good looking 220 grain 44 cal from 9mm!

Great bullets can be made in one step with the swage die and many are doing just that.

With the notch die you can make then look like the XTPs

With a core seat die you maybe able to make the notches even deeper.

Melting a lead core in the case is also a good way to get a great fit of core to jacket. With one drop of core bonding againt you would have bonded cores too.

Glad the die is working well for you Fred

Swage ON!

BTSniper

[ReloaderFred]

I love the die, Brian! It just gives the finished bullet the right touch.

no34570,

Yes, I have the C-H Swaging dies, which consist of a core seat die and a HP swaging die. I tried making them without using the core seat die, but the jackets came out wrinkled. The use of the core seat die solved that problem.

We have a plethora of .40 S&W brass here. I took a couple hundred pounds of it to the recycler a couple of months ago. I had tried selling it, but it just wasn't moving and what little bit I did sell wasn't really worth the extra effort involved in packaging and mailing it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[no34570]

What caliber brass is easy for you to find? I've made some good looking 220 grain 44 cal from 9mm!

Great bullets can be made in one step with the swage die and many are doing just that.

With the notch die you can make then look like the XTPs

With a core seat die you maybe able to make the notches even deeper.

Melting a lead core in the case is also a good way to get a great fit of core to jacket. With one drop of core bonding againt you would have bonded cores too.

Glad the die is working well for you Fred

Swage ON!

BTSniper
BT
9mm is pretty common,45acp,I have from my pistol days,as well as 38 special & 357 Mag,40 S&W,I might be able to get once fired,but I don't know,might have to buy new stuff.

I want to get some of these very soon,you are making me envious of you all,bugger!

[no34570]

I love the die, Brian! It just gives the finished bullet the right touch.

no34570,

Yes, I have the C-H Swaging dies, which consist of a core seat die and a HP swaging die. I tried making them without using the core seat die, but the jackets came out wrinkled. The use of the core seat die solved that problem.

We have a plethora of .40 S&W brass here. I took a couple hundred pounds of it to the recycler a couple of months ago. I had tried selling it, but it just wasn't moving and what little bit I did sell wasn't really worth the extra effort involved in packaging and mailing it.

Hope this helps.

Fred
Fred
I wish you where living in Australia,so I could get some of those 40 S&W cases,again,Bugger!:groner:

[no34570]

With one drop of core bonding againt you would have bonded cores too.

Ummm.......Whats that?

[BT Sniper]

Like a flux I suppose to solder the core to the jacket. Corbins core bond works well. Basicly making a bonded core bullet!

BT

[ReloaderFred]

I just anneal them with the core in the case because it's easier for me, since I've got the kiln. With the setup I've got, I can anneal about 800 at a time with cores. If I just want to anneal cases for jackets, I could probably do about 1,500 at a time.

I could probably bond them, but they're only killing paper, so there's really no need. I may experiment with the next batch, though.............

Fred

[BT Sniper]

Awesome set up Fred. I would do the same thing! If I had a kiln :)

[gjemba]

I just got my 2 die set for my 44 mag along with the universal notching die. Very nicely machined. They look like they were made in a factory with all the latest and greatest equipment.

Nice job Brian and thanks.

Gary

[BT Sniper]

Your welcome. Let me know if you have any questions as to their use. I still need to post or make a set of instructions and would probably be better off making a video.

Yes I have spent a good deal of time perfecting these tools and certainly have outfitted them with very good quality hardened steel made with the right machines for the job to tight tollerances.

Swage on!

BT Sniper

[mold maker]

We would appreciate a video, or at least instructions with pictures. You can name my copy, "Swaging for Dummies", by BT Sniper.
Folks have a hard time visualizing what you intended. I'll bet it would increase your orders.

[BT Sniper]

We would appreciate a video, or at least instructions with pictures. You can name my copy, "Swaging for Dummies", by BT Sniper.
Folks have a hard time visualizing what you intended. I'll bet it would increase your orders.

Yep! I know. So much to do so little time. I'll get on it. See if I can hire the wife to help me out with her fast computer and digital camera. My video downloads on this computer takes me like 30 miuntes per minute of footage to upload.

I'll certianly see what I can put together.

BT

[b2riesel]

Got my Notch Die in the mail today. WOO HOO!!! Brian shipped very quickly and had a tracking number so I was watching the status of shipped....in transit to my local...at local....on the truck...and bam...up walks the mail man...I had already set out 2000 9mm brass and a big BIG bowl of 124gr truncated cone lead cores.

I ripped the box open and instead of the usual dies thrown hapzardly into a box...I was surprised to see that Brian has gone all fancy and has his BT Sniper name on a professional looking die holder box. I purchased the Notch Die and 3 sets of mandrels and Brian already had the 9mm mandrel installed in the die. I was about to get ready to start and noticed the examples and extras.

Brian thoughtfully added some samples of what a finished product will look like once you use this die and then a swage die. A picture can say a 1000 words but a working model in the hand removes all doubt. Also, examples of what each piece should look like along the evolutionary chain that gives rise of a mere useless piece of brass to the vaulted glory that is a completed bullet that you created.

In 3 hours...I completed each step for doing 2000 semi-bullets that are awaiting the final step of the swage die. I highly recommend this product. Thanks Brian!

[no34570]

Got my Notch Die in the mail today. WOO HOO!!! Brian shipped very quickly and had a tracking number so I was watching the status of shipped....in transit to my local...at local....on the truck...and bam...up walks the mail man...I had already set out 2000 9mm brass and a big BIG bowl of 124gr truncated cone lead cores.

I ripped the box open and instead of the usual dies thrown hapzardly into a box...I was surprised to see that Brian has gone all fancy and has his BT Sniper name on a professional looking die holder box. I purchased the Notch Die and 3 sets of mandrels and Brian already had the 9mm mandrel installed in the die. I was about to get ready to start and noticed the examples and extras.

Brian thoughtfully added some samples of what a finished product will look like once you use this die and then a swage die. A picture can say a 1000 words but a working model in the hand removes all doubt. Also, examples of what each piece should look like along the evolutionary chain that gives rise of a mere useless piece of brass to the vaulted glory that is a completed bullet that you created.

In 3 hours...I completed each step for doing 2000 semi-bullets that are awaiting the final step of the swage die. I highly recommend this product. Thanks Brian!


I'm green with envy............:mrgreen:

[bohica2xo]

The really nice feature of expanding the case all the way down for the core is the elimination of trapped air.

This type of tool is perfect for bonding cores - no risk of trapped air under the core launching something hot across the shop.

A first class tool BT

B.

[MIBULLETS]

You bond before you seat the core right?

[bohica2xo]

You bond before you seat the core right?

Yep. Otherwise you may have a core sealed to the jacket with an air pocket at the bottom. Even if the core does not pop out, that air will be coming up when the lead melts...

With a design like BT's, the case is expanded close to full size already. For making bonded pistol bullets you should be able to skip the core seat & go straight to the point form - BT's "one step" operation.

Core seating is more important to good fill out if you are not bonding. Obviously bonding gets you to 100% contact in the core / jacket fit without any force applied.

B.

[ReloaderFred]

In making 230 grain .429 bullets from .40 S&W brass, I found that if I didn't seat the cores prior to swaging, I got lots of wrinkled jackets. I do melt the cores into the jackets when annealing in the kiln, but not really bonding, per se. Once I started seating the cores, the wrinkled jacket problem went away.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[mold maker]

Now I have 2 sets of BTs swage dies. (9/41, 40/44, and universal notch) It's like a kid at Christmas. This Tues. well over a gal. ea. of 9mm, and .40 brass, got annealed.

Casting several quarts of diff. weight cores for each took most of Thurs. and now, I have boxes of the best looking .41 and .44 cal. boolits, in JHP, JRN, and XTP look alikes.

Today, at the C&E Show, there were only 2 boxes of 210 gr. .41 cal J RFN, (REM) that SOLD at $63.95/50, or 8 boxes of $24.95/20 JHP. (if ya could find any)
With BTs dies, I'm making them for the price of powder and primers. You can making any weight, and nose shape you want from FREE range lead/brass.
Who says you can't save money rolling your own????
Thanks BT. You da man.

[bohica2xo]

In making 230 grain .429 bullets from .40 S&W brass, I found that if I didn't seat the cores prior to swaging, I got lots of wrinkled jackets. I do melt the cores into the jackets when annealing in the kiln, but not really bonding, per se. Once I started seating the cores, the wrinkled jacket problem went away.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Fred:

I edited my post for clarity. If you are expanding the cases first & bonding (or at least melting) the cores into place then you will have the same result as the core seating operation. Should not be prone to wrinkles.

If you are melting the cores, it is so simple to add some flux. Ruby Fluid, Corbin's stuff - or tumble the cores in powdered rosin. if you clean the cases first in citric acid, they bond with very little flux.

B.

[ReloaderFred]

Bohica2xo,

The last batch I did in the kiln was about 980 cases and cores. I'm only killing paper, rocks and dirt clods with mine, so I'm not worried about bonding the cores. I am going to change my procedure for the next batch, though. For the last several batches I just dropped the cores (158 gr. unlubed bullets) into the .40 S&W brass (all the same headstamp, FC 08) and then ran them up to 1,200* in the kiln and let them cool off before removing them. This may be too warm, but it seems to work ok. The only problem is some of the them don't melt into a flat surface inside the cases and one side will be a little higher than the other. They may have tilted in the pan, but I pack them in pretty tight and run three layers of pans at the same time.

I've been weighing them prior to core seating and adding shot as necessary to get my desired weight. Usually it only takes one #2 shot to get me within +/- 1 gr. of my desired 230 grains. It still takes time and I have to juggle the shot onto the core seater, which is flat.

The next batch will be weighed prior to annealing, which will make the core seating go much faster. I know it's kind of like daylight savings time, taking time off one end and adding it to the other, but I think it will go smoother that way.

I run the cases through the citric acid bath after annealing, and before core seating. I just let them set in cardboard boxes on towels for several days to ensure they're completely dry inside and out. Then after they're dry, I put them in gallon plastic ziploc bags and spray them with case lube and work them around to ensure good coverage. After core seating, then I notch them with BT's Notching Die mounted in my Rockchucker and then swage to final JHP configuration on my big Hollywood Sr. press. They're then run through the tumblers for a couple of hours to bring back the shine and remove the lube. Afterwards, they're cannelured and boxed up, ready to load.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[b2riesel]

After I get a few more parts that I ordered from Brian, I'm going to post pics and maybe a video of a neat process I've come up with. Today, while I was waiting...I annealed ~1000 cases, gave them a citric acid bath and now they dry for a day or so.

In a related note...I found a guy on AR15.com that sells a LOT of brass. His regular customers have asked if he could cull out the A-Merc .40 S&W brass because it is generally accepted as useless for reloading. I purchased 2,000 for $20 plus $14 shipping to try out as jackets for some .45's. If it works out...and I don't see why it wouldn't...I've agreed to pay market price for scrap brass for all the A-Merc he can get...which he hopes isn't much..and I hope will be tens of thousands.

[ReloaderFred]

I've used some A-Merc 9mm and .380 brass for jackets for both .41 and .357 calibers. It does make good jackets, but is thicker in the base than most of the others. That's the only use I've found for A-Merc brass, other than filling the scrap bucket.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[b2riesel]

how much lead you putting into those .380 brass for .357? I have about 400 that aren't doing anything atm but sitting in a bin.

[ReloaderFred]

I've got a Magma mold for a 105 gr. TCFP bullet that drops at an average of 107 gr. with my alloy. I've been using those to make 160 gr. bullets for the .357. Sometimes I have to add a couple of shot to get them within the +/- 1 grain that I've set as my target weight. With that bullet for a core, there's no trimming required, but you do have to bell the brass to get them started.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[BT Sniper]

I'll have 10 of these dies avialble by the end of next week. Cost is still only $125. Let me know if anyone is interested. Send me a Pm to arrange payment.

Thanks

BT

[frank martinez]

Great stuff Brian, I have a couple sets of dies now and will contact you soon for a couple of items you are offering.
Here are a couple of photos of rifle bullets which were made early on in the development of bullets made and sold by STAR Bullets. These were made developed from the 70's and 80's and were sold mostly for the Africa Trade until about 2002. The owner has been helping me understand what I need to do to swage my own but I learn more on this site every time I sign in.
These were fired at extreme velocities into a variety of media to test the limits of bonding. I have been swaging some for my odd rifle calibers using Corbins new core bond solution and believe I will do the same for my pistols. I believe the liquid lead eliminates any air bubbles or uneven spots within the cylinder. My friend Bill also follows with the core seat die after bonding. He uses both a propane torch and a small kiln.
Frank


I believe these were .338, .416 and .458's

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/frankmartinez/Damascus10-20-10011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/frankmartinez/Damascus10-20-10009.jpg