stephen perry 1
05-03-2013, 10:58 AM
We have arrived. Like I wrote before in my Day 4 Thread of making bullets, finishing bullets is like a a Christmas present for the home business guys that sell a few, like thousands. Most of us like myself make for ourselves but there are a few that have expanded and learned ways to produce enough to keep the neighborhood in better than you can buy Factory bullets. Hats off to the small bullet Vendors, lots of time and investment on their part.
Most of you new to be bullet makers have heard the term bullet ogive. Ogives comes from the point-up process die. If you think for a second the inside of the point-up die is the final shape of your bullet except for the pressure ring. Ogives are tangents of where the bullet shank transcends into a hollowpoint, lead tip, metlat, or any other term used to describe sometimes expanding end of a bullet.
Most bullet making die sets are sold with a point-up die and are similar to the original B&A principles of bullet making dies of the 40's-50's. B&A dies have been discussed by George and others. Some have invested in additional point-up dies usually to satisify custmers needs, usually other ogive dies than what they have. A point-up die has two main responsibilities those being to give an ogive to the bullet giving finished bullet dimensions and on flat base bullets form the pressure ring as the bullet exits the die, PR's are very important because they also do 2 main things. One, the pressure ring on a bullet helps seal gases in the case to help get your powder load a chance for maximum burn rate and second is a reasonable indication of what shape your die is in. Bullet makers talk of the PR they have. PR on a bullet is measured at the base of the bullet. In my case my 6mm bullets measure .2430 on the shank and .2434 at the pressure ring. My point-up dies are carbide sleeved so my measurements thanks to the longevity of carbide should maintain this. Boat-tail bullets form an ogive too but in a different way. In the case of flat base bullets the release of the hydraulic pressure the lube and die exerts in the ogive process aids in the forming the pressure ring as the bullet exits the point-up die. Lube amounts can effect the measurement of the pressure ring. Imagine if you be inside a point-up die as a final bullet is made done. The pressure of pointing-up a bullet my mind. I know I can feel the pressure in my hand as I operate my press. One of my bullet contacts made 5/6 ogive bullets that won lots of wood for some of his customers. He called them 'uglies' given the somewhat blunt shape of the ogives.
There are ogive charts in several reloading journals and reloading manuals. Ogives are numbered. These are handy as you can lay your bullets on the graph and get an estimate of where your bullets come in. Hunting bullets can be anywhere on the ogive chart. Bullets for target work lean more towards the higher numbers. I would say most BR die sets are going to make 7-9 ogive bullets with 8's being very popular with BR crowds. Lots more here, guys like George and Randy can add allot about pointing-up bullets.
The operation of pointing-up bullets is straight forward once your die adjustments are made and cored jackets are lubed. One key don't get excited and try and get them done before your next TV show comes on. Set yourself a block of time for pointing-up, let nothing bother you and go through the operation measuring a couple as you go. The pointing process should feel the same in your hand pulling all the way through. I package my finished bullets in boxes of 300. I look at finished bullets a little different than some. I leave my bullet lube on, long explanation maybe another time.
Everything looks good for you. Make small lots. Go to Range on a percieved wind day. Practice in the conditions your going to compete in. Forget the wallet groups your ego can survive, I shoot for aggs at 100-200 yd and I'll shoot in a blow. The bullets I mahe 22 and 6 have done me well. Agg's in the .1's and .2's are needed to hold your in hot BR Shoot, that's why most shooters either their own or somebody elses. The day of the factory bullet left in the 60's. Done.
Stephen Perry
Most of you new to be bullet makers have heard the term bullet ogive. Ogives comes from the point-up process die. If you think for a second the inside of the point-up die is the final shape of your bullet except for the pressure ring. Ogives are tangents of where the bullet shank transcends into a hollowpoint, lead tip, metlat, or any other term used to describe sometimes expanding end of a bullet.
Most bullet making die sets are sold with a point-up die and are similar to the original B&A principles of bullet making dies of the 40's-50's. B&A dies have been discussed by George and others. Some have invested in additional point-up dies usually to satisify custmers needs, usually other ogive dies than what they have. A point-up die has two main responsibilities those being to give an ogive to the bullet giving finished bullet dimensions and on flat base bullets form the pressure ring as the bullet exits the die, PR's are very important because they also do 2 main things. One, the pressure ring on a bullet helps seal gases in the case to help get your powder load a chance for maximum burn rate and second is a reasonable indication of what shape your die is in. Bullet makers talk of the PR they have. PR on a bullet is measured at the base of the bullet. In my case my 6mm bullets measure .2430 on the shank and .2434 at the pressure ring. My point-up dies are carbide sleeved so my measurements thanks to the longevity of carbide should maintain this. Boat-tail bullets form an ogive too but in a different way. In the case of flat base bullets the release of the hydraulic pressure the lube and die exerts in the ogive process aids in the forming the pressure ring as the bullet exits the point-up die. Lube amounts can effect the measurement of the pressure ring. Imagine if you be inside a point-up die as a final bullet is made done. The pressure of pointing-up a bullet my mind. I know I can feel the pressure in my hand as I operate my press. One of my bullet contacts made 5/6 ogive bullets that won lots of wood for some of his customers. He called them 'uglies' given the somewhat blunt shape of the ogives.
There are ogive charts in several reloading journals and reloading manuals. Ogives are numbered. These are handy as you can lay your bullets on the graph and get an estimate of where your bullets come in. Hunting bullets can be anywhere on the ogive chart. Bullets for target work lean more towards the higher numbers. I would say most BR die sets are going to make 7-9 ogive bullets with 8's being very popular with BR crowds. Lots more here, guys like George and Randy can add allot about pointing-up bullets.
The operation of pointing-up bullets is straight forward once your die adjustments are made and cored jackets are lubed. One key don't get excited and try and get them done before your next TV show comes on. Set yourself a block of time for pointing-up, let nothing bother you and go through the operation measuring a couple as you go. The pointing process should feel the same in your hand pulling all the way through. I package my finished bullets in boxes of 300. I look at finished bullets a little different than some. I leave my bullet lube on, long explanation maybe another time.
Everything looks good for you. Make small lots. Go to Range on a percieved wind day. Practice in the conditions your going to compete in. Forget the wallet groups your ego can survive, I shoot for aggs at 100-200 yd and I'll shoot in a blow. The bullets I mahe 22 and 6 have done me well. Agg's in the .1's and .2's are needed to hold your in hot BR Shoot, that's why most shooters either their own or somebody elses. The day of the factory bullet left in the 60's. Done.
Stephen Perry