Got started

[Gary]

Found an appropriate size of steel bar (mystery metal) to make the body of the Die set. 1.25" by 3+". The bar was a cut off I bought from a machine shop and it had a funky coating (about 1/16th coat of a green colored foam or plastic goop) and it was easily removed with a utility knife. Spun it up, smoothed it off and center drilled a .224 hole. A 22 is a bit of a press fit so I'll sand out the inside a smidge. Just have to make the top punch(s) and mill the bottom slot.

 

[Ben]

What are you making ?

 

[Gary]

Oops; sorry Ben. I'm making a Die to flat point some 22 LR's. Also make a top punch that will make a larger hollow point. Right now I'm waiting on a couple of items for the Mill to be able to finish. Going to be similar to this:

 

[Ian]

Can't make nuthin' without spending money on tools. Mills and lathes have a MOST voracious appetite for tooling.

 

[Ben]

Will be interesting to see the " final product ".
Good luck !

Ben

 

[Gary]

Luck isn't going to play a part in this project Ben, persistence will.

 

[Paul Gauthier]

what ben said,,,,, interested in seeing how this works.

 

[Gary]

Got some of the tooling in the mail today, so maybe tomorrow I can get to making a top punch while I await the V Blocks and End Mills.

 

[waco]

Gary. Could you explain how the die works to flat point the bullets?

 

[Gary]

I can explain in theory, because I haven't tried it yet. Using solid round tip .22's and placing one in the Die, a top punch (obvious flat tipped top punch) is placed atop the Die and with the aid of a press(I plan to use my bench drill press) you apply enough pressure to flatten the top of the round while also producing a micro expansion of the Lead bullet itself. Getting the length of the top punch right might be a slight challenge (math should bail me out) I don't see much in the way of problems. Using a pointed tip top punch to open up already "hollow point" .22's should help on expansion when used on vermin.

 

[Gary]

Got "proof of concept" that it will work, now to fix the skinny hollow point on these bullets. Using more scrap in the shop I made a top punch plus found a larger End Mill and cut the relief in the base. I will do the slotting when my larger End Mill comes in next week. Here's some pics: First pic shows the Die, top punch and it's target; second pic is of the 22 to be swaged in the Die and flush with the base; third pic shows Die and top punch ready to make a flat point 22 and the last pic shows the results. The flat point chambers in my 22 single shot but I haven't tried it in my CZ 452 magazine, so I don't know if it will load that way or not.
BTW, the Top Punch was made from a grade 5- ¼" bolt.

 

[Brad]

With that flat nose and HP you are gonna get some impact.
Looks like it is working well so far.

 

[Rick H]

So you are squeezing those with a press and not whacking them with a hammer. What kind of clearance is there from the rim? Any concerns about setting one of them off? Crushing the primer pellet?

 

[Gary]

I do use my drill press for the squishing maneuver and I think the key to the whole procedure is to make sure you're using a hard flat surface, debris free. I think the chance of setting one off is small. I recessed the base enough to easily fit the .22's rim and a thousandth below flush. When squishing the base of the .22 rests on the drill press platform. Yeah, pounding on the head of ANY ammo with a mallet doesn't strike me as safe.

 

[Brad]

A small arbor press would be ideal for this.

 

[Gary]

I do have a Arbor Press; Drill Press just happens to be closer; kinda lazy in that respect.

 

[Brad]

Totally get that. I am the same way.