Finishing up one of the first customer sets of cusutom BTSniper swage dies.
Here we have a .257 set that was one of my original 12 test dies to go off to heat treat. They came back in great shape and turned out some great looking bullets. I had posted a pick of a bullet this die made a while back from a 22 mag case but it was determened that a stronger bullet was need so off I went to perfect a copper tubing jacket die and a couple days later here you go!
These jackets where made from nothing more then a roll of standard hardware store 1/4" copper tubing. Any uneveness in the jacket walls or not being straight was solved with the copper jacket swage die.
These bullets and jackets where formed in a Lee and RCBS press with nothing more then a light hammer used to eject both the jackets and the formed bullets. Results are repeatable and consistant. Dies where very easy to use and worked as well as I could expect them to. Jacket weights where very consistant as long as you did your part to make decent cuts. Cores where simply cut from a roll of lead then weighed and if needed lead shavings where added to make bullets all weight 110 grains +or- .5 grains or less.
These first few test bullets will be heading off to customer for comment and feed back, hopefully even some decent range results. Should make far a pretty good hunting bullet, jacket walls where about .030 thick!
With this set up the core seat die of the .257 set doubles for the copper tube jacket making die.
These jackets will work, as is, for the .257 since all that is needed after it is formed is to simply seat the core. They should work too, as is, for .264 jackets and with a reducing die .243 jackets as well maybe!!
Unless anyone can talk me out of it I plan to make this copper tube jacket forming die avialble for order right quick! I got everything I need to put together at least 25 of them for anyone interested and would be able to deliver within about 6-8 weeks. Yes I will attempt larger tubbing jacket dies for the larger sizes of copper tube avialble and post results when I can but for now the .250 will be avialble soon.
Left to right, cut tube, formed jacket, formed bullet and nose of bullet
A .308 jacket, cut 1/4 copper tube, formed jacket, and bullet profiles!
Formed jackets on left with cut tubes on right.
110 grain .257 bullets ready to load!
Here is a look at the 2 die set for the 257 with the combination core seat die and copper tube jacket forming die. Pic is missing a couple base punches but this is what my custom die sets will look like that I will have to offer