using shot for a core

[lunicy]

Is there any drawback?
I am starting to swage .223 soon.
I have no core mold yet.
I was going to make a simple one when it struck me.
I make my own shot.
Just pour the approximate amount of shot then let the die bleed the excess off.

What say you experts?

[shaggist]

In a bullet that small, you run the risk of a void or pocket between one or more pellets causing an imbalance when the bullet is rotating in flight. That's not good for accuracy. Best to use lead wire cut to the proper weight, if you can.

[Mountain Prepper]

an alternative could be cutting your core into smaller pieces and then swaging the pieces into a single core with a squirt die - no voids and it will not stay together after the jacket is peeled back.

You can also pour shot into a squirt die and turn it into a temporary core - it is hard to work with and breaks apart easily.

The smaller the shot the better it works.

[lunicy]

Thanks for the info.
Was just trying to weasel out of making a core mold.
Oh well, If I were afraid of work, I'd have bought bullets:smile:

[DDriller]

You can anneal your brass with the shot in it to make your core with no voids.

[Mountain Prepper]

Thanks for the info.
Was just trying to weasel out of making a core mold.
Oh well, If I were afraid of work, I'd have bought bullets:smile:

As posted above, using even junk lead of the correct weight and then melting it while inside the jacket would give you a solid core without voids, you can even use some flux and then have the benefit of a bonded core.

Of course if you do that then you lose the bullet as a frangible, but that may not have been your intention in the first place.

Frangible bullets are great fun for varmints...

[MightyThor]

If you take an old bullet mold, (I use cheap Round ball molds) and turn it over you can drill your core mold in the bottom, also drill a hole and tap for the sprue plate. Now you have a core mold, fits your handles and you can adjust weight by how far you drill. If you want another weight, drill another cheap block. If you want to cast some balls, turn the thing over and put the plate back on top. For the amount of time and effort you would spend on the other processes, you could do this once and be done.

[NoZombies]

I've used shot as cores for handgun bullets, and seen no negative impact on accuracy out to 25 yards (haven't tested further) but in longer, thinner bullets traveling at higher velocity, shot made my groups open up considerably compared to solid cores at 100 yards.

[lunicy]

If you take an old bullet mold, (I use cheap Round ball molds) and turn it over you can drill your core mold in the bottom, also drill a hole and tap for the sprue plate. Now you have a core mold, fits your handles and you can adjust weight by how far you drill. If you want another weight, drill another cheap block. If you want to cast some balls, turn the thing over and put the plate back on top. For the amount of time and effort you would spend on the other processes, you could do this once and be done.

This was my intention anyway, until I made a proper mold.
I was just thinking UN-conventionally.
(Why bother with a mold if you dont have to...)

[alfloyd]

"I make my own shot."

You make your own shot then, make the core with shot that is not coated with grafite and they will stay togeather better.

Lafaun

[Swageocast]

Hey Everyone,,,

I used to use #9 shot for the frangibles,,,worked pretty good ,,,would swage like a solid then come all untogether upon impact.

It helped to add alittle swage lube to the shot to be swaged ,,,just a pinch.

:-)

[firefly1957]

I do that for .223 it works well and I was getting about 1 1/2" 100 yd groups . My process is to weigh shot and case(jacket) for weight I want. Then I put case/jacket in a .225 bored peice of metal add 2/3 of the shot use a punch to hammer shot to solid then do the rest of shot and drive out of die and form point. I load thes 55gr bullets to around 3300 out of a 23 inch barrel and have found that #9 shot is great for possums and coons BUT WILL NOT ANCHOR A COYOTE! so I found that 9 # 2 shot works better for larger animal (this weighs 55grs. with jacket) . The cores formed with #2 shot separate well and penetrate deeply enough for coyote sized animals. The single coyote I hit at 70 yds with a core of compressed #9 shot had a large crater appear at impact sight (last rib broadside shot) and while I am sure it was fatal I did not recover it and it traveled over 400 yards after being shot.

[Mountain Prepper]

I do that for .223 it works well and I was getting about 1 1/2" 100 yd groups . My process is to weigh shot and case(jacket) for weight I want. Then I put case/jacket in a .225 bored peice of metal add 2/3 of the shot use a punch to hammer shot to solid then do the rest of shot and drive out of die and form point. I load thes 55gr bullets to around 3300 out of a 23 inch barrel and have found that #9 shot is great for possums and coons BUT WILL NOT ANCHOR A COYOTE! so I found that 9 # 2 shot works better for larger animal (this weighs 55grs. with jacket) . The cores formed with #2 shot separate well and penetrate deeply enough for coyote sized animals. The single coyote I hit at 70 yds with a core of compressed #9 shot had a large crater appear at impact sight (last rib broadside shot) and while I am sure it was fatal I did not recover it and it traveled over 400 yards after being shot.

With the smaller projectiles like the .223, .243 I could see the lack of weight causing this problem.

With the frangible I make for .308 with shot that is actually smaller than 12 (called “sand” shot) - not only will it park a coyote it makes recovering pelt almost useless at the angle where it will exit on an open flat side (big holes in the sides do not create a good pelt).

The wound looks like someone put a 12 gauge against one side and blew out the other, in this area a shot is almost always 75 yards or less (the short range is contributing).

[firefly1957]

I have noticed that even a 6mm 75 gr Hornady H.P. @ 3400f/s will send bone fragments though the pelt even when the bullet does not exit.

[algunjunkie]

I have made 224 bullets from shot many times. The key is to use shot that has not had any graphite and it will adhere nicley when formed in the core swage die and drive deep. You can use shot that has graphite on it, just expect it blow apart on contact or just after contact

[firefly1957]

That is what I want something that would come apart at impact the use of #2 shot gave the results I need for a larger animal. When I start making larger bullets 6mm &.25 I will try all core methods again. I have done a couple .452 bullets for 45 ACP but results were not good yet 40 ga. copper was a bit thin for the jacket.

[Mountain Prepper]

I have noticed that even a 6mm 75 gr Hornady H.P. @ 3400f/s will send bone fragments though the pelt even when the bullet does not exit.

I don’t mind shooting coyote for “pest control” but in the winter here the pelts are quite nice, never hurts to pay for the ammo with a bit of cash (if you can).

I don’t know who buys them but prime pelts (ours are reddish in winter) do have some value and there are at least three national buyers I know.

(sad but our state makes us buy a special license if you sell the pelts, gotta check the budget this year)

[frank martinez]

Say Lunicy, What method or machine are you using for your shot?
I am looking. Shoot me a pm if your would.
Thanks
Frank