Thread: Projectile manufacturing

I already make 30 cal if you didn't realise it.
125grFB/HP
165grBT/HP
190grBT/HP
& I make heavy 30 cal for subsonic on order. Boattail with big open tips usually.
Cheers

Originally Posted by TARGEX

Hi guys, you asked if a retiree could make bullets for a bit of pocket money & I would say yes to that one but you have to realise there is quite an investment in presses,dies & jackets so its no use going into it to make a few thousand bullets as you need to make thousands to pay off the gear etc first before you break even which is like a lot of other things but what I'm meaning is you need to plan on making a lot of bullets before there will be any "pocket" money.
Need to be physically good in the shoulders & back as its not like reloading a few rounds of ammo.
3-4000 pumps on the press a day is nothing, think resizing cases pressure hear for each cycle & you need to be a person that likes to get things exact! near enough will not do or you'll just be making bullets that only compete with factory stuff. Defeats the purpose of it to me anyway.
I reject quite a few bullets on what I feel through the press & sometimes on what I can see to make good bullets.
I wont be making 7mm bullets but I will make 6.5mm in future if there arent any more restrictions etc come in to prevent it.
I have been pricing up dies for a 6.5mm low drag hollow point boattail but wasn't saying anything as from now on it's going to be like the kids in the car "are we there yet???" with guys asking for them.
What you can tell me is what bullet eights you are wanting in 6.5mm? Then leave me alone!
Hope this is of help.
Cheers, Bryn

140-ish grains

I have a bullet maker 30km from me in his workshop on the farm.
Atomic 29

CNC machined.

Haven't used any yet.

I won't claim to be an expert in machining - but looking at it I think the best option for domestically produced projectiles would be something like "Cutting Edge Bullets" from the US (I think there is a similar brand in Aussie) - copper solids, High BC hunting and target rounds.
This could be set up on automated equipment to get around the expense of too many staff vs wages in order to make it viable? Could be sold as environmentally more friendly as no lead - no jackets from external machinist just copper rod / bar to machine?

Yep , made on a Swiss type lathe. About $us180000 for one of these plus the set up cost , premices and other expenses.

And beware of what you wish for regarding the environmentaly friendly shit...I meant stuff

Originally Posted by TARGEX

Hi guys, you asked if a retiree could make bullets for a bit of pocket money & I would say yes to that one but you have to realise there is quite an investment in presses,dies & jackets so its no use going into it to make a few thousand bullets as you need to make thousands to pay off the gear etc first before you break even which is like a lot of other things but what I'm meaning is you need to plan on making a lot of bullets before there will be any "pocket" money.
Need to be physically good in the shoulders & back as its not like reloading a few rounds of ammo.
3-4000 pumps on the press a day is nothing, think resizing cases pressure hear for each cycle & you need to be a person that likes to get things exact! near enough will not do or you'll just be making bullets that only compete with factory stuff. Defeats the purpose of it to me anyway.
I reject quite a few bullets on what I feel through the press & sometimes on what I can see to make good bullets.
I wont be making 7mm bullets but I will make 6.5mm in future if there arent any more restrictions etc come in to prevent it.
I have been pricing up dies for a 6.5mm low drag hollow point boattail but wasn't saying anything as from now on it's going to be like the kids in the car "are we there yet???" with guys asking for them.
What you can tell me is what bullet eights you are wanting in 6.5mm? Then leave me alone!
Hope this is of help.
Cheers, Bryn

probably safe to say 140 and 150 would cover most CM and PRC shooters, maybe a 130 for swiss? - factory twist for CM is 1:8 so 153g seems to be the upper limit (A Tips), most common hunting rounds are 140 - 143g - upto the 147eldm's.

Originally Posted by TARGEX

Hi guys, you asked if a retiree could make bullets for a bit of pocket money & I would say yes to that one but you have to realise there is quite an investment in presses,dies & jackets so its no use going into it to make a few thousand bullets as you need to make thousands to pay off the gear etc first before you break even which is like a lot of other things but what I'm meaning is you need to plan on making a lot of bullets before there will be any "pocket" money.
Need to be physically good in the shoulders & back as its not like reloading a few rounds of ammo.
3-4000 pumps on the press a day is nothing, think resizing cases pressure hear for each cycle & you need to be a person that likes to get things exact! near enough will not do or you'll just be making bullets that only compete with factory stuff. Defeats the purpose of it to me anyway.
I reject quite a few bullets on what I feel through the press & sometimes on what I can see to make good bullets.
I wont be making 7mm bullets but I will make 6.5mm in future if there arent any more restrictions etc come in to prevent it.
I have been pricing up dies for a 6.5mm low drag hollow point boattail but wasn't saying anything as from now on it's going to be like the kids in the car "are we there yet???" with guys asking for them.
What you can tell me is what bullet eights you are wanting in 6.5mm? Then leave me alone!
Hope this is of help.
Cheers, Bryn

With the up and coming PRC popularity a 150 class projectile would sell like hotcakes I reckon.
130 is a fantastic choice for shorter barreled creeds or swedes, Still get good velocity and still excellent BC

Do you still make projectiles? I am wondering what is the best way to contact you?

This conversation was had in South Africa many years ago, and in the end we ended up with a few guys like Bryn who swage cup and core bullets. But the majority who got into it went with CNC/Lathe turned bullets.

Some went big and stayed local, some went big and moved to the USA and some remained small.

And many failed.


Some of the ones that are still around

Kriek Bullets
Peregrine bullets (my favorite)
Impala bullets
GS Custom bullets
Balistix

Plent more that i cant remember.

Have a google for ideas.

Also a local explosives company in SA has now started making propellant (called riflex) as the state owned local manufacturer Somchem is in trouble and imported powders are very expensive. Maybe its worth a talk to someone in NZ who makes explosives such as, Red Bull powder, or Prime Explosives.

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

Also a local explosives company in SA has now started making propellant (called riflex) as the state owned local manufacturer Somchem is in trouble and imported powders are very expensive. Maybe its worth a talk to someone in NZ who makes explosives such as, Red Bull powder, or Prime Explosives.

Just keep buying and using what IS there.

You will never be completely unable to reload for lack of powder as it's not too difficult to even make it up yourself.

Bullets CAN always be cast, ok not VLD jacketed ones for long range, but for most hunting and targets, OK.

But primers ... If you really want national self-reliance then some home company should be making primers. But that's very specialised and sensitive.

If that was directed at me I'm no trouble to get hold of just try targex10.1@gmail.com

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

Also a local explosives company in SA has now started making propellant (called riflex) as the state owned local manufacturer Somchem is in trouble and imported powders are very expensive. Maybe its worth a talk to someone in NZ who makes explosives such as, Red Bull powder, or Prime Explosives.

From my limited knowledge of both explosives and propellants are quite different. Firearm propellants need a specialist company to formulate and prepare.

Originally Posted by TARGEX

If that was directed at me I'm no trouble to get hold of just try targex10.1@gmail.com

We are very fortunate to have you making projectiles here in NZ. Thank you!