Review of a hollow point process

Hatcher's Armory
#1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEsTD8CJzAg

A review of my attempt with this Youtube video -

I found the trimming tool on sale and wanted to try this.

First challenge was actually finding a 9/64 drill bit for sale as it is not a common size and it’s what you need to fit into the ream head. Using anything smaller will guarantee a bad off center cut.

You can see in the video that centering the round for reaming is a challenge.

My first 10 rounds gave me but 2 that were merely near center - the case clamp is too universal in nature to really center the round. Some would argue that centering doesn’t really matter a lot at short range which is true enough, but you won’t have any option to make any long range shot attempt with any accuracy unless the void is dead center in the round. Not a good idea in my opinion.

If you used bullet lube, you have to have a very tight crimp on the round or you can end up spinning the round in the case and possibly pulling it out in those rounds in which the bit gets stuck. Not everyone crimps their rounds and some don’t even have crimping dies.

I’m not fond of putting a primed and loaded case into the shell clamp - drop the rig and you have a better than average chance of the round going off which could be deadly.

I have in mind a design for a bullet clamp that wouldn’t damage a soft cast round and also center it - but I need machining skills to make it - I’m just waiting for the machining committee to post a class schedule.

#2

!t feels like you are making a mountain of an ant hill.

Hollow point bullets are not that much more expensive than regular bullets. If you are trying to make hollow point bullets via casting there are molds already on the market for them. http://www.hollowpointmold.com/

But, if it is just a challenge to yourself, enjoy the journey.

#3

Update -

With some help out of woodshop - we came to discover that the case trimmer frame was not milled to center -
I know - I know - what is most likely a chinese casting is the LAST place to look for solid machining…

So the solution to make this frame indeed work out somewhat was to mill a bullet clamp ( just holding the cast lead round in a friction setting ) and hold the cast round as close to the cutting head as possible for something approaching center.

I milled a frame fitting out of aluminum then milled a cylinder out of oak to become the clamp and this was drilled slightly off-center on a cut marked by the reaming head.

Also the drill-bit I bought to be the reaming head was cut back to be closer to center.

This gives me a much better success rate in " centered enough " acceptable cast hollow points - AND the scrap just goes back into the melting pot - no loss of primer & powder as with the original scheme in the video.

As to why go to the trouble? - Hey - I wanted to try it and to be capable of doing it myself.
I need VERY few hollowpoints. A box of 50 will go a very long way for me. I now have 50 cast hollow point rounds to put through my sizing die and load up a box to put in my carry mags.

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#4

If you are reloading anyway, why not either a) use cast hollowpoints, or b) drill out the slug before inserting it into the casing?

Seems this approach is only appropriate for commercially purchased, non-hollowpoint rounds.

If you rotated the round rather than the bit, a small off-centeredness in your setup would still result in a round, albeit slightly larger, hollow.

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#5

a) - I don’t have a mold for casting hollow points
b) - if you’ll notice - I did change the original process to modify the slugs before reloading

as for rotating the round - this rig isn’t designed for it and you’d need a clamp on the round that didn’t bite into the soft lead - so that wasn’t going to work for this approach.

Also - at higher speeds - i.e. pretty much anything motorized - lead becomes a lubricant and you’d do nothing but gum up your clamp and bit and make a mess - ask me how I know these things :slight_smile: