|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
December 29, 2012, 09:45 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 17, 2012
Posts: 1,085
|
Anyone here ever make a bullet mold?
Bullet molds seem like simple enough contraptions; two well-faced blocks of metal with alignment pins, and a centered cavity milled where they meet.
I've seen how-to's using mills and lathes, but surely (surely) folks back-in-the-day didn't always have access to such tools, but built functional molds nonetheless. Is there any way to make a bullet mold with lube grooves without heavy machinery? Thanks, all TCB
__________________
"I don't believe that the men of the distant past were any wiser than we are today. But it does seem that their science and technology were able to accomplish much grander things." -- Alex Rosewater |
December 31, 2012, 01:54 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 17, 2012
Posts: 1,085
|
Anyone even tried this?
__________________
"I don't believe that the men of the distant past were any wiser than we are today. But it does seem that their science and technology were able to accomplish much grander things." -- Alex Rosewater |
December 31, 2012, 02:17 AM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 20, 2001
Location: Oshkosh wi.
Posts: 3,055
|
Bullet molds made the old way are made using a cherry. The cherry looks just like the bullet, but is made like a milling cutter.
A special vise is used that has 2 moveable jaws, both move inwards toward each other to end up centered below the cherry. The mold blocks are mounted to those vice jaws, with the faces lined up perfectly so they close exactly as the center of the mold faces are directly under the cherry. As the mold blocks close on the rotating cherry, the bullet cavity is cut into each block. Modern molds are made with CNC milling machines that have a complicated programs written to do all the machining on every aspect of the mold. If what you're asking is; can you make a mold at home with a simple drill press? Then the answer is no.
__________________
The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly? |
December 31, 2012, 03:38 AM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: November 11, 2012
Location: San Joaquin Valley, Calif.
Posts: 482
|
You might try Googleing or Binging "Paper Patch Bullets". A few years ago I made some shotgun slugs by using a mold made out of hardwood. Got maybe 6 or 7 before it started to burn.
|
January 1, 2013, 02:00 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 17, 2012
Posts: 1,085
|
Centering vise; interesting. The only other "how to" I'd seen was a guy using a boring cutter (cutter mounting offset to the shaft) on a mill--sounded like it caused horrific noise/vibration (probably makes good quality difficult) and took the guy forever to finish (he'd leave it running 45min between cutter adjustments).
I'd guess that regardless of how the mold is made, the cutter is the most crucial part of it. The DIY I saw used a home-made cutter that only had 1 "flute." He just turned the shape of the bullet and ground the shaft half-through then relieved it behind the "cutting edge." It looked like it sorta worked, if he was lucky/careful. How good of quality (i.e. roundness) does a mold have to be for the bullet to work properly in a typical sizing die to true it up after? For when I do have access to a real milling setup TCB
__________________
"I don't believe that the men of the distant past were any wiser than we are today. But it does seem that their science and technology were able to accomplish much grander things." -- Alex Rosewater |
January 1, 2013, 02:37 PM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: October 2, 2012
Posts: 42
|
When I was 9 made a gang mold from oak for my sling shot :-) When I started reloading for real I buy commercial molds-usually LEE cause I like them & they are inexpensive
|
January 1, 2013, 05:50 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: August 25, 2008
Location: In the valley above the plain
Posts: 13,403
|
Accurate Molds uses a CNC lathe for all of his molds.
He preps the blocks, makes his relief cuts, and pre-drills the pilot holes. When an order comes in, he writes the code, clamps the blocks in a custom hydraulic chuck, loads the code in the machine, and lets 'er rip. He has 2 tools for bullet molds, in his shop: CNC mill (only uses a fly cutter and 2 other bits) CNC lathe (only uses four cutting tools, two of which are for brass) That's it. If you can prep your blocks on the lathe, you don't even need the mill.
__________________
Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|