Home made bullets

[458 Exp]

With all the stock shortages world wide and irregular supply I couldn’t get my favorite bullets.

So, I started making my own.

My design started of as a Aframe x Barnes X. And ended up as a TBBC x Northfork.
Bonded lead nose with solid shank driving bands.

First for 375 and then went up the ladder till yesterday when I made my first .510 535gr and 570gr.


416 400gr

.510 535gr 500 Jeffery , 400gr 404 Jeffery , 570gr 500 Nitro Express

And quite accurate as well

400gr 416 Rem Mag @ 100m

 

[bushy]

That's quite impressive, did you machine the base then swage the lead nose?

 

[458 Exp]

That's quiet impressive, did you machine the base then swage the lead nose?

Yes, machined the base out of copper rod, then bonded the lead with heat into the nose cavity. And then point formed.

 

[NJC]

Amazing work! Would you mind sharing some further pictures of how you do this (only if it’s not something you plan on commercializing in the future of course).

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Holy bonded bullets Batman! That's great work!

 

[PerH]

175 grain RN 7mm is sorely missed by many , 9,3 in 232 - 320 weight, .458 would be very good also. They look very good, a mix of design of several types.

 

[458 Exp]

175 grain RN 7mm is sorely missed by many , 9,3 in 232 - 320 weight, .458 would be very good also. They look very good, a mix of design of several types.

I do make 9.3 in 285 gr and .458 in 450gr and 500gr

This was into wet news paper out of 9.3x62 @ 2350 fps

L-R 100m, 75m, 50m, 25m

.458 500gr out of wet newspaper

458 express @ 2250 fps

L-R 25m, 50m

.458 in 500gr and 450gr

 

[PerH]

That is good work ,and good performance of them.

 

[458 Exp]

That is good work ,and good performance of them.

Thank you

 

[fourfive8]

Excellent work and good choices for design. Each bullet design you mentioned is exceptional! That North Fork CPS design in the big caliber would be the Bee’s knees for buffalo.

 

[bushy]

Lovely performance on the news paper

 

[Aaron N]

Those look great! I’d love to learn/see more about the process.

 

[Hunter4752001]

Great work. Are you intending to make them for sale or just personal use? I'm wondering if the nose can be swaged more like a Woodleigh Protected Point ie fairly small exposed area so as to guarantee reliable feeding when you need it the most.

 

[458 Exp]

Great work. Are you intending to make them for sale or just personal use? I'm wondering if the nose can be swaged more like a Woodleigh Protected Point ie fairly small exposed area so as to guarantee reliable feeding when you need it the most.

View attachment 484265

I’ve thought about swaging the point.
But swaging dies I going to take a year plus to get from Corbin.
Maybe in the future but for now they work and feed just great.

What I’ve experienced so far is that with the bigger “meplate” area the entrance wound is bigger and doesn’t close up causing huge amounts of blood loss on the spot where the animal is shot.

Here’s some pics of entry wounds.

Blue Wildebeest

Eland

Buffalo

Buffalo

 

[Sarg]

What a talented chap you are, just great what you have done & I wish I could do the same.

supply & expense of bullets now days is a joy killer !

I cast up a lot for the big guys & that helps but be nice to have proper hunting bullets.

 

[Hunter4752001]

I probably used the wrong term "swaged". What I meant was to use a point forming process that created a narrower point. The only reason I raise the issue is that I know my 458 dislikes broad tip bullets. Projectiles with the shape of the Woodleigh PP feed easily.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Very nice work.

 

[steve white]

amazing!

 

[crs]

When some NF bullets became hard to find, a hunter in Europe did something similar and solved his bullet shortage in much the same way.
I am not surprised to see this being done by many shooters with access to the necessary tools.

Fortunately, I have avoided having to make my own bullets - so far.

 

[Frederik]

I am lucky enough to live close enough to also have tested these homade bullets so far brilliant on the 375 H&H have not shot so many animals yet but no bullet retrieved yet.
Working on a load for the 458 Lott as we speak. Tested a few to get speed and work from there.

I must say so far its very easy to get good accuracy with the bullets with less than expected pressure.