So what's the most creative jacket you've used

[tiger]

for swaging? I have never actually used an actual copper tubing or copper strip jacket to swage all my 44mag bullets. I've heard of using copper pipe caps. I haven't tried that yet. I'd be afraid the copper would be too thick. So what's the consensus on jackets, other than the "orthodox" methods?

[tiger]

Is it some kind of secret or something?

for swaging? I have never actually used an actual copper tubing or copper strip jacket to swage all my 44mag bullets. I've heard of using copper pipe caps. I haven't tried that yet. I'd be afraid the copper would be too thick. So what's the consensus on jackets, other than the "orthodox" methods?

[talon]

Tiger, it's just that some of us never have had to go beyond a simple jacket with a bonded core. With the flexability of Bullet Balls, OT, LT, HP, FB or RBT, and thick or thin single jackets, the bonded core technique solves 99% of all requirements. A lot of resurch and trial-and-error have gone into the internal construction of bullets ( H mantal, jackets within jackets, multi-dementional jackets, and so forth), but welding the lead to the jacket seems to work just as well within the envelope of actual hunting conditions.  Also, making your own jackets from tube, strip, pipe end caps, beer cans, empty cartridge brass and so forth is interesting, and good to know ONLY IF you can't get your jackets from a retailer, or can't reduce larger size jackets to the caliber you need.  Self sufficiency does have it's purpose, but usually there's an economic motive. When Mr Hairfield can supply me with just about any length, caliber and wall thickness of jacket I need for 6 or 9 cents each, why make my own for 7 or 10 cents?

[tiger]

Just curious, what cartridge casdes have you found to work well? I've read in the FCSA magazine that it's possible to use a 7mm Mag casing to make a frangible 50BMG round.

Also, who is Mr. Hairfield? Is he a  notable jacket vendor, and what is his contact info?

thanks!

Tiger, it's just that some of us never have had to go beyond a simple jacket with a bonded core. With the flexability of Bullet Balls, OT, LT, HP, FB or RBT, and thick or thin single jackets, the bonded core technique solves 99% of all requirements. A lot of resurch and trial-and-error have gone into the internal construction of bullets ( H mantal, jackets within jackets, multi-dementional jackets, and so forth), but welding the lead to the jacket seems to work just as well within the envelope of actual hunting conditions.  Also, making your own jackets from tube, strip, pipe end caps, beer cans, empty cartridge brass and so forth is interesting, and good to know ONLY IF you can't get your jackets from a retailer, or can't reduce larger size jackets to the caliber you need.  Self sufficiency does have it's purpose, but usually there's an economic motive. When Mr Hairfield can supply me with just about any length, caliber and wall thickness of jacket I need for 6 or 9 cents each, why make my own for 7 or 10 cents?

[tiger]

What cartridge cases can be used to make bullet jackets? I'm guessing that 380acp or 223rem can be used to make .375" bullets.

Are bullet jackets really six to nine cents?

 

Just curious, what cartridge casdes have you found to work well? I've read in the FCSA magazine that it's possible to use a 7mm Mag casing to make a frangible 50BMG round.

Also, who is Mr. Hairfield? Is he a  notable jacket vendor, and what is his contact info?

thanks!

[Cat Whisperer]

What cartridge cases can be used to make bullet jackets? I'm guessing that 380acp or 223rem can be used to make .375" bullets.

Correct.  I've used both .223 and .380's in my .378 H&H for practice bullets.  Haven't yet put anything in them but a .380 with 5 gr of Unique will easily go through the 1-1/2" way and most of the other way of a 2x4.

Casting into the .380 isn't good - no vent, therefore captured air pockets at the bottom.

Getting up to big bore, 1/2" cpvc pipe perfectly engraves in a fully rifled NEH 20ga. and I've heard the same about 1/2" copper tubing.

[tiger]

I suppose 45acp/243/260/7mm-08/308/8x57/30-06 could be used to make a .475" bullet, too? Do you think it could be encourage to be .480"?

What cartridge cases can be used to make bullet jackets? I'm guessing that 380acp or 223rem can be used to make .375" bullets.

Correct.  I've used both .223 and .380's in my .378 H&H for practice bullets.  Haven't yet put anything in them but a .380 with 5 gr of Unique will easily go through the 1-1/2" way and most of the other way of a 2x4.

Casting into the .380 isn't good - no vent, therefore captured air pockets at the bottom.

Getting up to big bore, 1/2" cpvc pipe perfectly engraves in a fully rifled NEH 20ga. and I've heard the same about 1/2" copper tubing.

[Cat Whisperer]

I suppose 45acp/243/260/7mm-08/308/8x57/30-06 could be used to make a .475" bullet, too? Do you think it could be encourage to be .480"?

Very good question.  I'm just building my press now and the dies.  LONG term project.

It's easy to 'bump up' lead alloy projectiles; but brass?  It would take a bit of pressure.  The question then is one of capability of the press and survivability of the dies.  But then you're only talking .005" on the diameter.

We need a voice of experience - someone who's done it successfully.

[tiger]

Jackets are just too flipping expensive. Cartridge brass can be dirt cheap. I had always wondered if the 0.443" base of the 7.62x39 could be swaged to make a 45cal bullet. Probably an egg-shaped bullet, as the case head would be next to impossible to increase the diameter of. But for the high-volume 45cal shooter, it would be worth trying.

Very good question.  I'm just building my press now and the dies.  LONG term project.

It's easy to 'bump up' lead alloy projectiles; but brass?  It would take a bit of pressure.  The question then is one of capability of the press and survivability of the dies.  But then you're only talking .005" on the diameter.

We need a voice of experience - someone who's done it successfully.

[tiger]

If it is a secret that someone's proud of, then we'll never hear about it!

We need a voice of experience - someone who's done it successfully.

[moosehead]

I might be able to help.  I push brass on a HydraSwage, but we make our own jackets...im assuming that you are trimming the lower rim off the case.  If you melt in the core, you can push .005 to .006 max.  Melting in the core, (with flux), anneals the case a bit.  That jacket has to be slick (free of burs) or you will scratch up your die...We make our own dies out of hardened D2...I don't know what Richard Corbin uses.

[Donna]

Hello moosehead,

Glad to have you on our forum.

Forgive me but what arre you refering to when you say, "If you melt in the core, you can push .005 to .006 max"?

Donna

[moosehead]

Thanks for the welcome...On the brass jacket bullets we produce,  we melt in the lead.  The jacket is pretty thick so you have to keep a torch on it for a while.  That anneals the brass( makes it softer).  The softer, annealed brass, bumps out easier.  You can push a...for example....452 bullet dia. to .458.  The thinner the brass to eaiser it is to bump up.   Copper or C-110 bumps out really easy.  The brass we are using is C-260 which is what we use on our casings also.