Making Hollow points

MrBump · November 5, 2009, 06:14 PM

Okay, so I am really cheap.. I found this contraption on line that will allow me to make hollow points for my AR15 (.223). ( http://www.forsterproducts.com/catal...?prodid=627337 ) Just so happens I have around 800 rounds of FMJ. Just experimenting, I made 20 rounds hollow point from said FMJ's. After doing so I saw in a video (youtube I think) that it is not suggested to turn a FMJ into a hollow point as the lead will shoot out the front of the newly made "hollow point".. Seems reasonable? Am I in danger from this?

PS. Thanks to this forums I have now loaded over 1000 rounds my self and shot all said rounds with 0 failures :0 (does not include cheap mag failures)!! Thanks to everyone for your stead fast commitment to educate and reloading

!

MrBump ( Yah, it's my real name)

Sevens · November 5, 2009, 07:28 PM

See, here's the thing. Rifle bullets don't "improve" by having hollow points. Match rifle bullets often feature hollow points, but not because the hollow point does any kind of magic down range -- the hollow point is pretty much the manufacturing by-product of the build of the bullet.

I think that advice you heard is accurate-- FMJ rifle bullets like those you'd find in .223 have a full jacket but NOT on the base of the bullet. If you grind the jacket off the tip of the bullet, then put 50,000 PSI on the bullet that has no jacket covering either end, you are indeed asking for trouble.

On top of that, you are taking bullet weight out by physically altering the tips of your rounds.

I would suggest you cease and desist monkeying with those rounds!

But I would like to here some more experience/advice from some of the old timers that have done these things.

LHB1 · November 5, 2009, 07:43 PM

I have one of the Forster hollow point devices and used it on some .357 and .44 hard cast bullets. Fired the bullets at 1300-1400 fps. My results were disappointing. The bullets didn't expand any more than non-hollow pointed bullets of same alloy due to hardness of alloy. The hollow pointed nose did allow the nose/meplat portion of cast bullet to be sheared off easier but this was not helpful. I retired the Forster HP device into my "junk" box and went back to non-hollow pointed cast lead bullets. Never tried the device on cast bullets for rifles or jacketed bullets of any kind.

MrBump · November 5, 2009, 07:54 PM

Yeeep.. Kinda makes sense. The old saying "you get what you pay for" comes into play again. All the rounds I make are typically not aimed towards accuracy. I figured building my own would take care of that, not to mention the cost savings. I typically build for self defense. I know FMJ may not be the best for such, but it was so cheap, it's hard to not buy. Was hoping for full fragmentation for cheap! Only a $20 loss

Any other ideas?

Thanks, Bump

PS . I have yet to fire these 20 rounds i made.. should i trash them and reuse brass? Perhaps fire, check barrel, re-fire and repeat?

LHB1 · November 5, 2009, 08:46 PM

Quote: "Any other ideas? .... I have yet to fire these 20 rounds i made.. should i trash them and reuse brass? Perhaps fire, check barrel, re-fire and repeat? "

MrBump,
Personally, I would pull those 20 bullets and throw them away. For the remaining FMJ bullets, you might research and/or try loading a few of them by "seating the bullets backward". That is, seat the bullets point down in the case with base protruding from case mouth. I seem to remember someone trying this many years ago and reporting the flat base bullet to have excellent punching/knock down power for short range use. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU TRY THIS AND ONLY DO SO AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH CONFIRMS SAFETY AND VIABILITY OF SUCH LOADS!!! If you try it, would also suggest reducing powder charge and testing carefully before loading full charge.

MrBump · November 5, 2009, 09:01 PM

Quote: "MrBump,
Personally, I would pull those 20 bullets and throw them away. For the remaining FMJ bullets, you might research and/or try loading a few of them by "seating the bullets backward". That is, seat the bullets point down in the case with base protruding from case mouth. I seem to remember someone trying this many years ago and reporting the flat base bullet to have excellent punching/knock down power for short range use. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU TRY THIS AND ONLY DO SO AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH CONFIRMS SAFETY AND VIABILITY OF SUCH LOADS!!! If you try it, would also suggest reducing powder charge and testing carefully before loading full charge. "

LMAO! Thanks LHB1, consider bullets useless now, easy loss! Thanks for the very obvious warning and advise from all. I would never shoot anything UN-researched or UN-tested! I guess I was foolish in buy this before inquiring. On a special note: there did look pretty

On that note, I would LOVE suggestions for maximum "hurt" bullet from a .233 round. However, I could obviously do a search, by which i suck at

FrankenMauser · November 5, 2009, 09:58 PM

I won't tell you to do it, but I wouldn't give up on the tool without testing the ammo.

I would fire one. Check the chamber and bore. Fire one. Check the chamber and bore. Lather, rinse, repeat, until satisfied with failure or success.

November 5, 2009, 06:14 PM	#1
MrBump Junior Member Join Date: August 9, 2009 Posts: 9	Making Hollow points Okay, so I am really cheap.. I found this contraption on line that will allow me to make hollow points for my AR15 (.223). ( http://www.forsterproducts.com/catal...?prodid=627337 ) Just so happens I have around 800 rounds of FMJ. Just experimenting, I made 20 rounds hollow point from said FMJ's. After doing so I saw in a video (youtube I think) that it is not suggested to turn a FMJ into a hollow point as the lead will shoot out the front of the newly made "hollow point".. Seems reasonable? Am I in danger from this? PS. Thanks to this forums I have now loaded over 1000 rounds my self and shot all said rounds with 0 failures :0 (does not include cheap mag failures)!! Thanks to everyone for your stead fast commitment to educate and reloading! MrBump ( Yah, it's my real name)

November 5, 2009, 07:28 PM	#2
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	See, here's the thing. Rifle bullets don't "improve" by having hollow points. Match rifle bullets often feature hollow points, but not because the hollow point does any kind of magic down range -- the hollow point is pretty much the manufacturing by-product of the build of the bullet. I think that advice you heard is accurate-- FMJ rifle bullets like those you'd find in .223 have a full jacket but NOT on the base of the bullet. If you grind the jacket off the tip of the bullet, then put 50,000 PSI on the bullet that has no jacket covering either end, you are indeed asking for trouble. On top of that, you are taking bullet weight out by physically altering the tips of your rounds. I would suggest you cease and desist monkeying with those rounds! But I would like to here some more experience/advice from some of the old timers that have done these things. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

November 5, 2009, 07:43 PM	#3
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	I have one of the Forster hollow point devices and used it on some .357 and .44 hard cast bullets. Fired the bullets at 1300-1400 fps. My results were disappointing. The bullets didn't expand any more than non-hollow pointed bullets of same alloy due to hardness of alloy. The hollow pointed nose did allow the nose/meplat portion of cast bullet to be sheared off easier but this was not helpful. I retired the Forster HP device into my "junk" box and went back to non-hollow pointed cast lead bullets. Never tried the device on cast bullets for rifles or jacketed bullets of any kind. __________________ Good shooting and be safe. LB

November 5, 2009, 08:46 PM	#5
LHB1 Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,545	Quote: "Any other ideas? .... I have yet to fire these 20 rounds i made.. should i trash them and reuse brass? Perhaps fire, check barrel, re-fire and repeat? " MrBump, Personally, I would pull those 20 bullets and throw them away. For the remaining FMJ bullets, you might research and/or try loading a few of them by "seating the bullets backward". That is, seat the bullets point down in the case with base protruding from case mouth. I seem to remember someone trying this many years ago and reporting the flat base bullet to have excellent punching/knock down power for short range use. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU TRY THIS AND ONLY DO SO AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH CONFIRMS SAFETY AND VIABILITY OF SUCH LOADS!!! If you try it, would also suggest reducing powder charge and testing carefully before loading full charge. __________________ Good shooting and be safe. LB

November 5, 2009, 09:58 PM	#7
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I won't tell you to do it, but I wouldn't give up on the tool without testing the ammo. I would fire one. Check the chamber and bore. Fire one. Check the chamber and bore. Lather, rinse, repeat, until satisfied with failure or success. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

November 5, 2009, 07:54 PM	#4
MrBump Junior Member Join Date: August 9, 2009 Posts: 9	Yeeep.. Kinda makes sense. The old saying "you get what you pay for" comes into play again. All the rounds I make are typically not aimed towards accuracy. I figured building my own would take care of that, not to mention the cost savings. I typically build for self defense. I know FMJ may not be the best for such, but it was so cheap, it's hard to not buy. Was hoping for full fragmentation for cheap! Only a $20 loss Any other ideas? Thanks, Bump PS . I have yet to fire these 20 rounds i made.. should i trash them and reuse brass? Perhaps fire, check barrel, re-fire and repeat?

November 5, 2009, 09:01 PM	#6
MrBump Junior Member Join Date: August 9, 2009 Posts: 9	Quote: "MrBump, Personally, I would pull those 20 bullets and throw them away. For the remaining FMJ bullets, you might research and/or try loading a few of them by "seating the bullets backward". That is, seat the bullets point down in the case with base protruding from case mouth. I seem to remember someone trying this many years ago and reporting the flat base bullet to have excellent punching/knock down power for short range use. PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU TRY THIS AND ONLY DO SO AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH CONFIRMS SAFETY AND VIABILITY OF SUCH LOADS!!! If you try it, would also suggest reducing powder charge and testing carefully before loading full charge. " LMAO! Thanks LHB1, consider bullets useless now, easy loss! Thanks for the very obvious warning and advise from all. I would never shoot anything UN-researched or UN-tested! I guess I was foolish in buy this before inquiring. On a special note: there did look pretty On that note, I would LOVE suggestions for maximum "hurt" bullet from a .233 round. However, I could obviously do a search, by which i suck at

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search