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Thread: How to make copper boolits

  1. #21
    Boolit Master



    MUSTANG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Copperman View Post
    Just wondering if anyone has tried/used copper powder, to substitute a lead core, and guessing that you would require a longer jackets to achieve a similar weight to a lead cored jacketed Bullet.
    If you have…. Any issues with seating/compressing the copper powder
    Just thinking would it be possible to make a copper Bullet with a copper jacket-powdered core
    Thanks Guys for your input

    Copperman; you seem to be describing a process/products available from Dave Corbin: http://corbins.com/powder.htm

    About 20 years ago; the Department of Energy was making a big deal of having moved to Copper Powder/Sintered bullets for their Security Forces as a "Green" as well as a safety measure to prevent ricochets/other potential collateral damage should shooting event occur. I have not made nor used the Powder/Sintered style bullets; let us know how it works if you go down that trail.
    Mustang

    "In the beginning... the patriot is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    Me and Bro were trying to cut down copper solids .375 cal for use in 375 Win. We have found no satisfactory way to do it. Not even on lathe. The bullet wants to smear instead of cutting cleanly.
    I’m sure you can fool around and part one, then face with whatever gets job done. We wanted method to do them by the hundred.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master
    Scrounge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drm50 View Post
    Me and Bro were trying to cut down copper solids .375 cal for use in 375 Win. We have found no satisfactory way to do it. Not even on lathe. The bullet wants to smear instead of cutting cleanly.
    I’m sure you can fool around and part one, then face with whatever gets job done. We wanted method to do them by the hundred.
    From reading the old literature on machining copper, try milk for a coolant/cutting "oil." Do not forget to clean your lathe IMMEDIATELY afterwards. Copper is gummy and grabby, from what I read. You might want to look at those old books for angles and such on the cutting tools, and what would be proper cutting speeds, too. Though I think swaging will be your best bet.

    Bill

  4. #24
    Boolit Master



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    There is a small company in Montana that has "Figured This Out" when it comes to machining bullets from Copper. Hammer Bullets.

    https://hammerbullets.com/about-us/

    Not sure what they are doing different than those trying to do the same in their home shops. My dad machined gun barrels in the 1960's - 155MM to 16 Inch barrels - that skill skipped my generation in the family.
    Mustang

    "In the beginning... the patriot is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain.

  5. #25
    Boolit Bub
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    Depends on your cutters. Copper does want to smear. I use very positive cutter geometry. And very small tool nose radius. With carbide tooling I calculate 800 surface feet per minute. Which doesn't matter cause. Most likely the machine will be maxed out on spindle rpms. Any kind of water soluble coolant works for me.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check