#21
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After reading this, all I can say is: Jim, Leo, keep making bullets!
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#22
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Bryan Likes to Belly up to the Bar When Talking Bullets
The BR bullet making Fraternity is a small group. Some talk some don't. Bryan once you get him going likes to talk. When I started making bullets 10 years back Bryan and I compared notes many times. I drove to Raton, a thousand miles one year, to sit in Bryans shop and chew the cud about bullet making. It all helps to compare notes. Not much jealosy in bullet making.
Stephen Perry Angeles BR |
#23
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Wash or not the cores...
Hope not highjack this thread, but I was reading you guys talking about washing, etching and take out the lube of the core.
Well, I was teached by one of the best bullet makers in US to do exactly this: cut, degrease with detergente on very hot water, dry. It comes with a etched light grey color. Then you seat the core. But, talking with one of the top BR shooters in the world (american), that does make his own bullets (but uses my "teacher" bullets too), told me that he does not take the lube of the his cores, as he believes that it helps the core seating to be more precise, even and without any air bubbles. From my point of view, I think that degrease the core and have a light etch is a good thing for the core to adhere better on the jacket. But I really cannot argue with the success that my other friend has with his bullets on real world BR matches. I would like to hear your opinions on this subject, as this theme seems to be around on this thread. |
#24
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Making BR Bullets
Bullet making whether for BR or general shooting benefits from the steps that R.G. and Bryan shared.
Group shooting in NBRSA or IBS has gone from the 1/4 minute rifle as Warren Page referred to in his book The Accurate Rifle to the 1/8 minute rifle that is available to shooters today. A BR riflle capable of sub .2 aggs is no better than the bullets run through it. Measuring bullets is fine if you feel the need. But as Randy said competition is the proof of BR bullets. Starting with good jackets, in my case J4, and a good core making, core cleaning and seating process is what makes great bullets capable of winning at BR competitions. Shortcuts have no place in making bullets. Listen to what bullet makers have to share. References I have on bullet making include articles written in past Precision Shooting mags like the 3 part articles Purcell wrote, the bullet making section in The Accurate Rifle book written by Warren Page, the bullet making articles in The Benchrest Shooting Primer, the once in awhile Threads that show up on websites like BR Central, 6mmBR, and now on Small caliber. Good luck in your bullet making. If you use the proper steps and use good equipment you can make good bullets. Stephen Perry Angeles BR Last edited by Stephen Perry; 10-31-2010 at 03:00 PM. |
#25
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I have been very fortunate over the years to shoot bullets by some of the all time greats such as Hollister,Watson,Fowler, Bart, Hottenstein and generally they rarely vary by more that 1-2 ten thousandth and generally .1 grain by weight.
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#26
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Several times when I have made a good volume of 20 caliber bullets for PD shooting on a short time frame, I have not washed cores and the bullets have worked very well for the application from an accuracy point of view.
If I'm in no hurry, I wash cores, and in my 20 Tac rifles, the washed core bullets will consistently shoot better off a bench at a target than will bullets without washed cores.. JME - BCB
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I miss mean Tweets, competence, and $1.79 per gallon gasoline. Yo no creo en santos que orinan. Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and just get used to the idea. Going keyboard postal over something that you read on the internet is like seeing a pile of dog crap on the sidewalk and choosing to step in it rather than stepping around it. If You're Afraid To Offend, You Can't Be Honest - Thomas Paine |
#27
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Plan Ahead
If you make large lots of bullets planning ahead saves you time later and keeps you making the bullets you need. Prepare cores ahead of time and they will be ready when needed. Preparing cores is something I do when I have time. This way I stockpile several thousand cores at one time.
The way I prepare cores. 1. I cut 10-12, lead wire about 30 inches each. 2. I spray a paper towel with silicone and pull each wire through the towel, use several towels. I do this to clean the wire and add some lube for the core forming operation. 3. Then I cut the cores to length. I cut the cores 3 grn heavier than my finished core weight. 4. I spray the cut cores with silicone this prepares them to be run through my core forming die. Form the cores. 5. To start the core cleaning process I gather all the cores together in my collander and rinse with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol does a couple things. One is to wash away the loose slivers of lead from the core making operation. Another is to remove the silicone from the cores. 6. Next I take a hot pan of water add a couple sloshes of white vinegar and add the cores. Swirl the cores around. Let sit 15 minutes. 7. Rinse the cores in my collander for 5 minutes with water. The rinsing stops the etching the vinegar started on the cores. 8. Dry cores on a towel outdoors if suns out indoors if cloudy day. Now you have prepared cores. You can do this a couple times and have several thousand cores when you need them. Stephen Perry Angeles BR Last edited by Stephen Perry; 12-10-2010 at 12:32 PM. |
#28
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Hmmmmm.... Plan ahead.... OK.
Using unwashed cores is not something I normally do, but as I stated above, I have done it a couple of times, and the bullets worked fine for the purpose. No doubt about it - Using the washed cores will result in a better bullet like I stated above, but ones I have made with unwashed cores will consistently shoot better than minute of PD out to 400 yards, which is as far as I normally shoot a small cased 20 caliber rifle. As an FYI - Currently, I have ~1200 washed cores for making a 38 grain 20 caliber HP. Is that planning far enough ahead, or should I do more...? Another FYI - bullet making is a real PITA for me, but I got into it when you couldn't buy 20 caliber bullets all the time. Still.....Any bullet I have ever made - washed cores or not - will shoot better than any factory bullet I've ever tried in any of my 20 caliber rifles. JME - BCB NOTE TO SELF: "Shortcuts have no place in making bullets."
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I miss mean Tweets, competence, and $1.79 per gallon gasoline. Yo no creo en santos que orinan. Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and just get used to the idea. Going keyboard postal over something that you read on the internet is like seeing a pile of dog crap on the sidewalk and choosing to step in it rather than stepping around it. If You're Afraid To Offend, You Can't Be Honest - Thomas Paine Last edited by Bayou City Boy; 12-08-2010 at 02:57 AM. |
#29
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when you say washed cores do you mean after forming and before core seating? I've not made bullets very long but have tested my own both washed in vinegar and only degreased before core seating. and while everyone says if you don't washing them they will slip in the jacket but I can't find any accuracy difference between them.
as for amount. I try to so at least a 1000. I agree bullet making is boring and monotonous, if only Charlie hood would make 20 caliber cores, it would be slightly more enjoyable. ML
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When I die I hope my wife doesn't sell my gear for what I told her I paid for it. |
#30
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washing cores
I have read on this topic quite a bit in the last few years. Some boil them with dish soap or vinegar. After that some let them sit so that they oxidize. Then some do nothing except rinse them in solvent. So, I would think that a bullet maker should try these different procedures for himself to see if his process is better using any one of them. I rinse with solvent only myself and haven't looked back, but if it works for you and you make a better bullet because of it, then it is worth it.
Last edited by MIBULLETS; 12-18-2010 at 07:12 PM. |
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