Lead Rounds in Point Form Die?

[BlackoutBuilder]

Can you use a point forming die to form a lead bullet without a jacket?

I was thinking that if you could, you would then powder coat the bullet and then draw it back to the correct diameter in a push through sizing die.

[Hickory]

Yea, but they end up looking like a pointed semi-wad cutter.

[Meatpuppet]

I have been using BT Sniper's point form dies to "bump" coated lead 9mm rounds into .357 dia. It changes the shape to either Hollowpoint or Truncated Cone. It works well and the rounds shoot great.

I am not sure about plain lead, but I cant see why it would not work.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?312258-PC-and-cast-boolit-swage-dies/page2

[mckenziedrums]

You absolutely can do it... I'm guessing you're thinking subsonic slugs to throw through a suppressor. Remember there's a wire that's pushing the bullet back out of the mold. It's going to be pushing on the front of the soft lead when you extract the bullet so you've gotta be careful not to ram it up into the bullet. I'd personally go with a round nose bullet for that reason and because it makes more sense for subsonic work anyways.

[lead chucker]

I do it all the time when I'm trying make a point forming die. Good for measuring the internal of the die.

[midnight]

Richard Corbin always sent me a lead bullet swaged in the point form die when he sends me a new set. I thought he did that with everyone. I have die sets just for making paper patched bullets.

Bob

[BlackoutBuilder]

Cool. Just thinking overtime until I can get hold of the tools. And yes, I was thinking about subsonics, as there would be no place for a gas check.

[footpetaljones]

Richard Corbin always send me a lead bullet swaged in the point form die when he sends me a new set. I thought he did that with everyone. I have die sets just for making paper patched bullets.

Bob

I recieved a lead bullet in with my die from Corbin as well, but I've tried making lead bullets for PC'ing and they ended up looking like a SWC like Hickory describes. I think the meplat was .150" on a .224" bullet. Perhaps it requires more force than I can get from cranking the handle, or my lead was too hard. Corbin sells a Lead Tip Forming Die, which might work better.

[Faret]

What size does your lead come out of the die compared to jacked bullets? Mibe come out .0005 to .001 over size.

[Tatume]

You can make lubricated bullets too.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?324742-Ultimate-Cannelure-Tool

[footpetaljones]

What size does your lead come out of the die compared to jacked bullets? Mibe come out .0005 to .001 over size.

I don't have any jacketed bullets on hand to compare with, but the lead bullets came out at .224".

[runfiverun]

you can also add a gas check just put it under the lead when shaping it.
the check will square up and pinch into place in the die.

[BT Sniper]

Some various lead tipped bullets to show examples. Could have just as easily not used any sort of jacket at all and made the bullets out of straight lead.

.338 Sierra 300 grain match king on the left.


http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/88b68f67-65fb-46fc-b742-97ed5537c4ec_zps4239d26b.jpg (http://s636.photobucket.com/user/BTSniper/media/88b68f67-65fb-46fc-b742-97ed5537c4ec_zps4239d26b.jpg.html)



here is a 30 cal 220ish grain short jacketed bullet next to a 180 grain Nosler


http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu87/BTSniper/P1070634take2.jpg (http://s636.photobucket.com/user/BTSniper/media/P1070634take2.jpg.html)

[BlackoutBuilder]

Those are really nice.

[Meatpuppet]

Followup on this thread. Bumping and forming lead in a point form die works… and works great!

I have a 458 SOCOM that I am feeding using BT Sniper’s 458 dies to make jacketed projectiles using 45ACP brass weighing 285gr to 425gr for hunting/supersonic use. Now I have a suppressor and I am looking for cheap projectiles in the 500gr weight range.

I have Accurate Molds for a 405gr and 500gr in .430 diameter. So I cast the boolits using pure lead with a little tin/pewter thrown in. I don't take too much care casting and the boolits usually have visual imperfections. I powdercoat twice using Smoke4320’s powder and then push them into BT Sniper’s 458 point form die using a Sea Girt press.

The result is fantastic! The imperfections are swaged out under pressure and the powdercoat remains intact and becomes perfectly smooth. I don't think you can see in the pictures just how smooth the finish is.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/abAz7BGd2DDNo7t0lQKtl802195C24N2pNuR4yrkS18gsIooxG SlkGCIgg4oGc2C-19X9QM0aNwDV-EWVrPHeqbfy9hGlEcA79l8zVj05j6kIDrT61lclLTDZk3WGXkK VnmQzFRS

I’ll report back soon in how they shoot. They are soft lead and intended for subsonic use at 100 yards or less. I think the powdercoat will hold the soft lead in shape, but allow for significant deformation or expansion on impact.

I am really impressed with the strength and flexibility of the powdercoat. I am doing essentially the same thing for a suppressed 357 Maximum. Casting a 310gr - .340 dia projectile and running it into a BT Sniper .358 point form die with the same great results. On a whim I pushed the .340 dia powdercoated projectile into the .458 point form die and amazingly, the powdercoat held! The result was a perfectly formed .458 powdercoat hollowpoint. That is a lot of material moving around under swaging pressure with the powdercoat holding together.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7zmAS6lZPK8eTk39VkhgIMLp17hgAUhF0FYYjfNCdHvyBkLc0Z U653AO1cokUxXGggYRMfyUBNf7UvTC7PIP-3ao_E4qpykPLcY70gExNGxNEYtxUlCeLmOH5ya4rh63T6eLK9a V

Yet another use for Brian’s amazing dies…...

[BT Sniper]

Cool!