5/16 copper tubing???

[phishroy]

ok, well it seems like sizes for making copper jackets between 6.5mmm and up to 375 is 5/16 .
ive called several places and metal shops and it is not as easy to find as i would hope.

have you guys had any luck other than corbin? who sells copper tubbing in 5/16 these day?

[nicholst55]

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=18330&step=4&showunits=inches&id=1288&top_cat=87

[nhrifle]

http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi?str_s=5%2F16+brass+tubing&submit=Search&cat_s=RDA&mfg_s=

[Zymurgy50]

Check refrigeration/hvac supply houses. you might have to get 3/8" and draw it down.

[orangezuk]

I have 5/16, OD Copper tubing by the 25' roll here at my shop
can get you the details, if ya need

[midnight]

I got my last couple 100ft rolls from "copper tubing sales". I just looked and it's priced at $78.66 per 100 ft. With shipping, it was $97 or $98. Google them and look under refrigeration tubing.

Bob

[rbt50]

I got my last couple 100ft rolls from "copper tubing sales". I just looked and it's priced at $78.66 per 100 ft. With shipping, it was $97 or $98. Google them and look under refrigeration tubing.

Bob

I get mine from McMaster-carr

[phishroy]

Check refrigeration/hvac supply houses. you might have to get 3/8" and draw it down.
i found a refrigerator repair place that sells 5/16 but it comes in a coil.

i was told that the tolerance on plumping pipe and hardware store stuff is sloppy. something like +/- 4 so jacket can potentially be 0.39 on one side and the other side can be 0.31. is this true or a myth.
do you find inconstancy in tube wall thickens due to the fact that the tube is coiled?

[midnight]

I just went down to the mancave and measured wall thickness on a halt dozen 5/16 blanks I have cut while I await the jacket maker and draw dies from BT. I used a ball micrometer and the most mine varied was from 0.034 to 0.035. These are perfectly acceptable to me. I am not attempting to make benchrest jackets here. I just want to be able to make good bullets when they are not available anywhere at any price. It is very satisfying to dig free lead from the berm, extrude it into wire, and seat that lead into a jacket you made yourself.

Bob

[JSnover]

I don't sewage but I am curious about wall thickness variations. Has anyone measured before and after swaging? Seems like it would be more uniform afterwards.

[phishroy]

I just went down to the mancave and measured wall thickness on a halt dozen 5/16 blanks I have cut while I await the jacket maker and draw dies from BT. I used a ball micrometer and the most mine varied was from 0.034 to 0.035. These are perfectly acceptable to me.

Bob

sounds better than industry standard which i was told is +/- 2 thou for jacket consistency thickens.
i got a pricing on 50 ft coil for 47$ so ill have to pick it up and see.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Coiling and then uncoiling good tubing will produce some inconsistency in the wall thickness. You would be better off buying it in straight lengths if you can.

[Vagabond55]

Hi guys, first post, so bear with me. I have been using 5/16 acr coiled tubing for a number of years now to make 30 cal projectiles. The wall thickness inconsistency seems to be minor, usually being .001 to .0015. This measurement both before and after jacket forming. As was mentioned above I am not making match grade, but that being said, if I do my part, the projectiles are capable of MOA or better to 500 meters.

regards
( and thanks for all the great info on this site)

[runfiverun]

hey vagabond.
welcome to the site.