9mm cases to make 40 caliber hollowpoints

[kawalekm]

Ok, here's this weekend's project to make .40 caliber bullets with CH 101 dies. I used the same 110 grain lead core I used for my .357 bullets. First I heated a batch of 9mm cases in my empty Lyman lead pot set at 700 degrees F for 2 hours. That worked nicely, without any of the scale I get on the kitchen stove. Because the core is so short for the 9mm case (or the case is too long), core seating just resulted in damaged jackets. It was straightforward though to just drop in a core and send it up into the swage die.

Look carefully at the mouths of the bullets in the middle group and the far right group. For the far right group I left the jacket in place to form an open point that extends about 50 thousandths past the end of the core. In the center group I folded the end of the jacket over the outer lip of the hollowpoint to make a jacketed hollowpoint that extends right to the mouth of the hollowpoint with no exposed lead.

The nominal weights of both bullets is 172.5 grains with a final diameter of 0.3995". The hollowpoint measures 675 thousandths long while the open point is 715 thousands. I've shot neither of them yet, but I would guess the folded-nose hollowpoint might feed better and also stabilize faster than the longer open point.
Michael

[MIBULLETS]

Michael, what did you do to fold the jacket moth over? I have been wondering how to do this for my 357 bullets made from 380 cases.

Thanks,
Dan

[scrapcan]

MIBULLETS

thanks for asking the question I wanted to ask. I have some 41 hp from 101 dies that have the open tip and I would also like to fold them over.

[BT Sniper]

Michael,

Again nice work. I stumbled on to the same results with my 44s. I too was able to roll the jacket over the top. It took me extra tools and an extra time through the swage die. I would imagine a FP insert that is beveled inword to allow the brass to extend and roll in on it's self more so than with the HP insert. Then I change to the HP insert and voila. I'm am still working on it though and as usual it looks like Mike has perfected it. If you can do this in one pull of the press I would be very impressed.

We can make a punch to allow you to seat the core deeper than the edge of the jacket. This is what I do and it works for me when making these full jacket HPs

Need to notch the jacket now and it will be just like the Hornady XTPs Oh Yeh cheet and take some fine sand paper with the bullet mounted in a drill followed by polish and make them "pretty" for the picture

Great work Michael keep it up. Lets see some .308 VLD riffle bullets. Had to ad that in as you have nearly perfected everything else.

Lets see a pic of all your different designs in the "Kawalekm Collection" placed next to each other.

I also completed a weekend project I'll post soon.

Brian

[luober]

to: kawalekm

are the lead cores that you are using cast in a mold or are they lead wire and swaged in a core forming die? i am also interested in how you folded the brass nose of that center cartridge over. was it done in one step? thanks

[kawalekm]

The core is a 32 caliber cylinder cast from pure lead in an Ideal adjustable mold.

To turn in the jacket around the hollowpoint I didn't have to make any extra tooling. After swaging the open point, I switched dies and ran the semi-finished bullet back into the core seating die, backwards (hollowpoint down). The core punch is concave, and curves the jacket inward was you run it into the die. You don't push it all the way in, because that would ruin the ogive of the bullet, but just enough to turn in the jacket. I then run it back into the swaging die a second time to do the final shaping. I have to admit they look really pretty. I spent some extra time just admiring them under a magnifying glass after I finished them. Too bad I have to go out and shoot them!

By the way, I think a 9mm case is too long for lighter 40 caliber bullets. I tried trimming some down to less than 0.700", but that just seemed like too much work. Next I'll try using a 380 auto case and seeing how well they bump up.
Michael

[Adam10mm]

I use .380s to make 10mm bullets. Lot easier than the 9mm. I have used a pair of 95gr LRN for the .380 to make a 245gr FP with a slight bevel in 10mm.

[Fudpuckerynot]

Have you tried 9x18 cases?

[Dannix]

I think this is the final straw -- this is so becoming my summer project even though I don't even cast right now nor even have a .40.

Anyone got a link to insight on lead furnaces? I noticed midway is running a sale on Lee Pro 4 20 Lb Furnaces, with Lymans being significantly more expensive.

Is the consensus that wheel weight lead will work with the CH101 dies if done gingerly? BT, was it you that was considering offering superior internals for ... a certain kind of die set?

[BT Sniper]

Yes I could save you guys some $ if all you wanted was the Swage die and no core seating die. This is all I have ever used for the 40 cal so far. The core seat die may be needed if you wanted to get fancy and make notched jackets but then it gets time consuming. My idea with this project was cheap, quick, and fun and that it is with just the swage die.

The Wheel Weight alloy will ware out the weak internial parts of the standard ch die. I did it, but I KNOW with better parts and a bit of care wheel weight works great. Just MAKE SURE you weight sort all your brass jackets and lead cores so as not to get a freak oversized one and I would not expect a refund from CH should you break one. But really by the time you have made so many bullets and should you for some reason brake it a $50 replacment doesn't seem that bad.

The Lee 20lb bottom pore lead pot is what I have too. It works great as far as I'm concerned. Many say it leaks from the spout but following the directions takes care of this. I would reccamend it. I to noticed the sale at midway for like $60. Think it is a good deal.

Really though guys for all of you considering this project you have seen after shipping the ch .400 101 series is a bit over $150, a great bargin considering any other choices really. But if all you need in a 40 cal bullet is what is pictured above lets save you some money and just buy the swage die. Then let me make you some better parts for it. I think it would certainly help out everyone in the process.

I have actually been considering doing just this and offering the improved CH 40 cal swage die all ready to go. I certainly don't think you guys would be disapointed. It would be easy to include a flat point and a couple different hollow point sizes to acomidate diferent weight and size cores.

By the way, this same one step process can be done for 44s from the 40 S&W too.

If you guys like send me a PM maybe somthing can be worked out.

Good shooting,

BT

[CWME]

Been trying to get ahold of the CH4D company all day to place an order. No luck yet. Curious as to what their turn around time is from order to shipping the parts.

Anyone tried the "custom" option from them? Curious to see if they could make me a set to make .224 bullets out of 22lr. I am going to get started on a 22lr derimming die once the metal comes in this week. $215.19 is a heck of a deal compaired to the Corbin set at $798.

[BT Sniper]

In past I have ordered early one week and dies came some time the next week. Thought it was pretty good turna round. Haven't tried the custome dies. I am going to attemp making one myself instead.

[CWME]

I got in touch with them this afternoon. The lady said two weeks before they ship as they are running behind. Be worth the wait if that is all it is. Seen some posts of people waiting up to two years for Corbin stuff.

Going to try and use these as templates to make some other dies

While I am waiting guess I will dig out some cases for cleaning and cast up some soft cores.

[DukeInFlorida]

Here's my dumb question: a 9mm case fits very loosely in a .40 S&W case. Does the swaging tool shorten up the 9mm case, and make it fatter in the process? (So that it fits tightly in the 40 case?)

Yes I could save you guys some $ if all you wanted was the Swage die and no core seating die. This is all I have ever used for the 40 cal so far. The core seat die may be needed if you wanted to get fancy and make notched jackets but then it gets time consuming. My idea with this project was cheap, quick, and fun and that it is with just the swage die.

The Wheel Weight alloy will ware out the weak internial parts of the standard ch die. I did it, but I KNOW with better parts and a bit of care wheel weight works great. Just MAKE SURE you weight sort all your brass jackets and lead cores so as not to get a freak oversized one and I would not expect a refund from CH should you break one. But really by the time you have made so many bullets and should you for some reason brake it a $50 replacment doesn't seem that bad.

The Lee 20lb bottom pore lead pot is what I have too. It works great as far as I'm concerned. Many say it leaks from the spout but following the directions takes care of this. I would reccamend it. I to noticed the sale at midway for like $60. Think it is a good deal.

Really though guys for all of you considering this project you have seen after shipping the ch .400 101 series is a bit over $150, a great bargin considering any other choices really. But if all you need in a 40 cal bullet is what is pictured above lets save you some money and just buy the swage die. Then let me make you some better parts for it. I think it would certainly help out everyone in the process.

I have actually been considering doing just this and offering the improved CH 40 cal swage die all ready to go. I certainly don't think you guys would be disapointed. It would be easy to include a flat point and a couple different hollow point sizes to acomidate diferent weight and size cores.

By the way, this same one step process can be done for 44s from the 40 S&W too.

If you guys like send me a PM maybe somthing can be worked out.

Good shooting,

BT

[BT Sniper]

Yep. In short it turns it into a .400 diameter bullet plane and simple.

A bullet is nothing more then lead, copper and a bit of zink all easly manipulated under a bit of pressure.

[BT Sniper]

Move to new thread

[-Mischief]

What swage die do you use?

[victor3ranger]

Is there a 45acp die that would make the smooth rounded HP's like this out of 40s&w brass?? I have seen pics of the 45acp boolits that have a crimped look but I really like the rounded smooth look much better.