Ordered a CH4D Bullet Cannelure Tool; Right Choice?

People go back and forth, but a cannelure for heavy pistol calibers like .44 Rem Mag seems to be a good idea. I'd like to roll a cannelure into my 240gr .44 Mag JSP bullets made from .40S&W brass.

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But how to apply the cannelure?

I looked around here and saw several very expensive options. I'd have bought one from you guys who are selling them, but dang, they get snapped up as soon as they come on our local market!

Being the impatient type, I opted for the CH4D Cannelure Tool offered by Buffalo Arms.

https://www.buffaloarms.com/bullet-c...l-4d12000.html

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Did I do okay or should I have held out for something else?

Some say the CH4D tool needs a longer crank arm. Can the CH4D be motorized to use a battery drill?

Any tips on making good cannelures?

For reference, here are the instructions:

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I have two. Set them up at different depths to roll two lube grooves in a .310 Cadet boolit I cast.

But I’ve used them in the past on brass jacketed .22s and a box of commercial 240-gr jacketed .44 Magnum bullets, all I could find at the time for my .44-40. Rolled a crimp groove up the noses so I could crimp and use them in my revolver. The depth and position of the groove stayed the same for the whole box of bullets, and all the other uses I’ve put them to, so I’m happy with them.

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Originally Posted by Bent Ramrod

I have two. [snip] The depth and position of the groove stayed the same for the whole box of bullets, and all the other uses I’ve put them to, so I’m happy with them.

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That's what I want to hear.

Thanks.

I have both the C-H and Corbin Manual Cannelure Tools, and I prefer the C-H tool.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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Originally Posted by ReloaderFred

I have both the C-H and Corbin Manual Cannelure Tools, and I prefer the C-H tool.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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Not actually knowing what I'm getting is a leap into the dark. I've bought many tools over the years that didn't work out as intended.

Your comments are very helpful.

I won't be doing commercial numbers -- just a few now and again.

Will probably mount the cannelurer in my big vise to start. If that's too high for comfort, I'll mount it to a piece of plywood that I can clamp to the bench at a better working height.

I posted a photo of how I have mine mounted in your other swaging thread. Some people mount them flat, but that didn't work for me. I'm right handed, so mounting it like I did works best for the way I do things.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ReloaderFred

I posted a photo of how I have mine mounted in your other swaging thread. Some people mount them flat, but that didn't work for me. I'm right handed, so mounting it like I did works best for the way I do things.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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Looks good. Mounting vertically on a sturdy bench means a much more natural cranking action and gravity helping with the downward pressure.

Now I have to wait for it to arrive!

Thanks.

I took a piece of tubing and extended the pressure lever. That was before I was a machinist and acquired machine tools. I need to make an extended one, but the tubing gives enough leverage to do the job.

Wow. Quick shipping. The CH Cannelure tool arrived today from Buffalo Arms. Two days. Better than Amazon.

To the Bat Cave!

We need pictures and a full report. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bent Ramrod

I have two. Set them up at different depths to roll two lube grooves in a .310 Cadet boolit I cast.

But I’ve used them in the past on brass jacketed .22s and a box of commercial 240-gr jacketed .44 Magnum bullets, all I could find at the time for my .44-40. Rolled a crimp groove up the noses so I could crimp and use them in my revolver. The depth and position of the groove stayed the same for the whole box of bullets, and all the other uses I’ve put them to, so I’m happy with them.

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I make a lot .224 bullets from .22rf cases. They shoot great but I worry about shooting them through an AR. I was getting vertical string on the target which I eventually traced back to a rough feed ramp or magazine-recoil occasionally seating bullets deeper in the case. Does the CH4D do a good job canneluring these small .224 brass-jacketed bullets? TIA

I only made a few of them up for my .22 Hornet. The groove depth is set with the stop screw on the lever. I didn’t need any extra leverage to roll the grooves; the rimfire jackets were well annealed. The cannelures I got seemed as effective as those on commercial small caliber jacketed bullets.

I crimped a few of the Hornet rounds, just to see the effect, but accuracy was not improved and it wasn’t necessary for the rifles I used them in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deltaenterprizes

I took a piece of tubing and extended the pressure lever. That was before I was a machinist and acquired machine tools. I need to make an extended one, but the tubing gives enough leverage to do the job.

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I used a wooden file handle to extend mine. I just drilled and tapped it and threaded it on. Works great.

Hope this helps.

Fred

My initial tries at a cannelure with the CH4 tool is that it needs more pressure to hold down the cannelure roller as I roll the crank.

A longer arm on the pressure lever might help.


The CH4 isn't really impressing a cannelure groove yet. It's putting impressions into the brass cartridge, but not creating a groove that a crimp can grab.

The depth of the cannelure is adjustable by moving the limit screw in and out, combined with the amount of pressure applied. The wooden file handle worked good for adding length to the pressure lever for me, but there are many options for doing that.

Hope this helps.

Fred

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Originally Posted by Conditor22

We need pictures and a full report. :)

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Say no more!

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I thought mounting in my bench vise would put the tool too high, but you need to bear down on the black knob to put pressure on the canneluring wheel, so having it at chest level works well.

I also tilted the jig a bit to the left so the bullet wants to ride in the bearings and not try to walk out.

This vise setup works well for me as it only takes seconds to mount in the vise and can be stored compactly. No bolts to mess with. (It comes with two flathead wood screws for mounting to a bench, if desired.)

You need a small hex key to adjust the height of the cannelure and the depth of the impression.

Both of these adjustment screws have locking set screws to hold your settings.

Nicely made tool.

As you can see, the knob on the end of the pressure lever is an industrial-quality ball with 1/4-20 threads in a brass insert. If I wanted to extend the pressure lever for more leverage, it would be easy. My only concern is that the lever's fulcrum axle is only a 1/4" bolt and putting too much pressure could break it.

I also see no reason to motorized the tool. I'm simply not producing that many bullets that require cannelures.

It arrived fully assembled. All I had to do was mount it in the vise and adjust where on the bullet I wanted the cannelure and how deep.

It's not making the cannelure very deep. I'll experiment with pressures to see if I can make it deeper, but I also don't want to bend something.

It's a beautifully machined, all-steel, nicely de-burred tool. Very impressed.

If and when you get serious about swaging, investing in a Corbin PCM would be beneficial.

RRR

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How to use it ... This popular reloading tool will roll a cannelure groove on any jacketed bullet from 17 to 45 caliber. Completely adjustable for depth and height. One setting will produce thousands of bullets. Also useful for making a second cannelure to lock the core to the jacket to control expansion of hunting bullets.

LIBERTY 1776, If you have not already posed it I would be interested in how you made those 44 mag bullets from 40 S&W brass and also how they shoot. Most venders are out of bullets with a no back order notice and if they do have them they are pricey. Keep yer powder dry. GUNNER!!!

It's right here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...7mm-Mauser-Die

Hope this helps.

Fred