458 Jackets

[mattsheik]

Hello, Im new to the forum.  I was just accumulating equipment to get started swaging.  I have not seen .458 jackets though yet?  Im trying to make some pointed soft points for my 45 70 single shot.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[talon]

 You will find that rifle bullet jackets above .30 caliber are hard to find. There are tools  that you can use to make jackets from rigid copper water pipe, or reduce larger diameter jackets, or trim longer jackets. Rarely do they show up on aftermarket e-sites, gun shows, or estate sales, and when you do find them there they will sell at 80-110% of 'new price'.  You will most likely have to purchace directly from the manufactures. As to ordering the jackets you need, perhaps Mr Hairfield can help you out. That's what he does in his spare time.... make bullet jackets ( "Hairfield, Harrell " <harrell.hairfield@ge.com>  ). He will want to know the quantity ( I think his smallest order size is 200). length, wall thickness and caliber. If you are new to bullet swaging you have to realize that the jacket's wall thickness you choose has to be compatable with your core swage punch(es). Too, there may be others using this chat room that can help you get the jackets you need.

[MIBullets]

I have used some of Mr. Hairfield's jackets. They are quite good if you can wait a long time to get them.

I also saw where some guys are using 45 ACP cases as jackets for 458 bullets, Here is the link. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=45365

[mattsheik]

Well the comment about using pistol cases and another article on using rifle cases to make jackets got me interested.  So, I went to the garage this afternoon and using some 300 ultra mag cases I had gotten years ago and never used, I turned the rim off of one and the neck and then parted it into two pieces.  So, that brings up my next question.  The cases measure .500+.  Could I pass these thru a .458 sizing die to get them to the right size to use as jackets?  Should I try to anneal them first?  Like I said, very new at this and trying to figure out the best way.

Thank you

[MIBullets]

You might be able to. It depends on how much force it takes to do it and if your press can take it. Normally you would push them all the way through a sizing die so they come out the top a little smaller than finished bullet diameter, maybe .456-.457. They need to be smaller so they easily go into your core seating die and have room to expand up so when the brass tries to contract it grips the lead tightly. It might be better to start with a case that measures closer to what you need, but if you have all of the cases it might be worth a try. You might also be able to use 45 Colt cases if you plan to turn the rims off. They would be closer to the correct size.

I have made .358 bullets from M1 carbine cases and cut off .223 cases. The M1's are almost the perfect size to start with. The .223 cases start about .375 and I reduce them to about .355 before using them. I did not turn the rims off on mine and I don't believe it really makes a difference in performance, but they look much more like a regular bullet if you do. Just more work.

Yes, I would anneal them first. It will make the sizing easier and the finished jacket won't be as brittle and will expand much more like a standard jacket. You can even bond a brass case jacket for hunting.