Ever try to do this to make hollow point bullets ?
If so,any tips on how to do it !
Ever try to do this to make hollow point bullets ?
If so,any tips on how to do it !
The Forster hollow point tool is how I’ve done it.
I own the larger diameter (pistol) version, comes with instructions.
It does what you’re asking, after the bullet has been loaded in the case.
I don't know the Forster tool, but I doubt if anything that maintains the necessary concentricity can be cheap. If I was making up a tool, for a reasonably malleable bullet alloy, I think you could get just as good results by pressing in the hollow, which seldom needs to be as big as may people think.
It would be used with a vice or mallet. Since I did this drawing though, I decided that I would make the punches with flanges so that they would always be driven in to the same distance. Or a collar and set-screw or cross-pin on one of them, if bullets of different length were to be hollow-pointed.
+1 on the Forster. It works and doesn't change the fight of the boolit. Only problem with it is the lead that it reams out of the bullet needs a place to go so clean it out often.
I dont think I would like that swaging in a HP design. Seems to me it would mash and deform the boolit to much.
Drilling does work pretty good though. Make sure you put a drop of oil on the drill bit to lube it a little. Mine binds up if I dont. It dont seem to make a big difference if it is perfectly dead center. Get it as close as you can and try it. I've had good results with it. If you need a little bidder opening you can use a countersink bit to flare it more
For revolvers that simple swage die should work okay. Rifles and semi auto pistols the in supported nose may expand to much with the forming or the hollow point. A puch cut to match the nose and the pin set in it then when formed the nose will grow in length but not in dia as much. Threaded 7/8 14 and a pusher ram similar to lees with s threaded insert in top for the form punch and nose support it could be ran in a heavy reloading press. The HP form would need to be shouldered and sliding to work as the ejector also.
The drills of this size for lead are a lot of times a spade type drill. These can be made buy turning the form desired on the end and grinding or milling half away. Harden and then back off relief by hand. One could be made for lead from steel turned and fluted or cut in half and backed off with out hardening and would run a long time in soft lead.
You can also build a quick jig and do this on a drill press.
clamp 2 boards on a drill press table with the bit centered on a 1/16 in space between the boards (1 board "permanently" clamped the other easily removable)
leaving the spacer in (or on both sides of the hole) use a brad point bit and drill a hole the size of the boolit the depth of the bearing surface
loosen non-permanent side, remove the spacer, set boolit in the hole and secure non-permanent board (I use vise grip "C" clamp) (you could affix the permanent board to the non moving side of a drillpres vise and clamp that to the drill press table).
select desired HP diameter/drill bit size, set desire depth - enjoy [ of the hole isn't perfectly centered, loosen and adjust.
https://youtu.be/oGYdWocegR4
You mean like this?
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I was going to suggest a case trimmer, but I see someone though of it and posted a video
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I've a 1/8" Forster that I’ve used extensively for years. It is made to work with the Forster case trimmer but some have adapted it to others as mentioned. It is easy to use and works very well once you get the hang of it (not too hard to do). There is a device with an inner cone the centers over the nose of the bullet and guides/keeps the drill centered and straight.
I use the electric drill/screw driver attachment so mine drill easily and quickly. I do flick the lead out of the flutes that the cone device doesn't knock off before HPing the next bullet. Of course softer alloys should be used for HPs and they drill easily. I've also found that best cast bullet HP expansion is when the HP is 3/16” deep and the alloy is malleable. For larger or deeper HPs a longer drill can be used to deepen the HP. A 1/8” counter sink bit also can be very effective in opening up the HP.
My technique is;
1. Leave the collet slightly loose and hold the case head bottomed out in it.
2. With the right hand (holding the screw driver) slide the drill with the cone device on it against the tip of the bullet. The index and thumb of the left hand pull and hold the cone device over the bullet nose. This centers drill hole and drill over the bullet nose. The right hand pushes the drill against the nose of the bullet which pushes the case head against the bottom of the collet holding it in place. The left hand then releases the cartridge and tightens the collet.
3. Left hand then holds the cone device while the screw driver is turned on and the HP is drilled.
4. When the HP is drilled to depth (depth is preset by the stop collar) the screw driver is backed out while still running. Most often the lead drillings come off the drill when the cone device is slid off. If not they are easily flicked off with a finger nail or a small pointy tool. I leave the cone device on the drill for the next cartridge.
5. The collet is loosened and the HP'd cartridge removed and a new cartridge is then put in and the process repeated.
As always, it sound a lot more complicated and harder than it really is. I've HP'd many bullets over the years with complete satisfaction. The nice thing is you can use a regular mould with multiple cavities and cast lots of bullets for general use and practice. Then with the very same bullet but cast of a softer alloy you can HP it and use it for hunting. If you want to shoot a lot of HP bullets for practice, plinking, etc then get a HP mould because it probably will be faster. When used for hunting the Forster HP'd bullets are entirely satisfactory.
I use the 1/8" HP on .30, .31, 8mm and .35 cal rifle bullets for hunting at velocities of 1800 - 2200+ fps. In handguns the Forster 1/8" HP is perfect for .32 H&R, .380 ACP, .38 Special and .357 Magnum with very soft alloyed bullets. For the few .41, .44 and .45 HP bullets (both rifle and handgun) I use a tapered drill (Michael's for rear sling swivel stud holes) to taper/cone shape the HP or the 1/8” counter sink as previously mentioned. I only use HP cast bullets for serious hunting so the Forster tool works very well for me.
Photo shows some .30 carbine 313631s HP'd (deadly on coyote's when calling them in close - not bad for home defense either) and the RCBS 35-200-FN HP'd for deer hunting.
Larry Gibson
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Larry Gibson
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Midway sells the hollow pointing tools as made by Forester . It hollow points by drilling a cavity , very safe . they have been around for decades. And they do work.
Gary
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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 |