knurling to hold lube prior to swaging

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  • Last Post 29 March 2015
TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 16 March 2011

Has anyone BUILT a knurling machine to add the knurl to cast cylinders prior to swaging?

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BBB posted this 29 March 2015

Hi, I am new to this forum. I make swaged lead bullets using mostly Corbin tools. The Corbin knurling tool wooks very well. It is a little expensive for just experimenting, but works for the level of production I do. I made an external mount for the core stop so the nose area does not knurl. The lube is trapped in the knurl pockets over the complete bearing surface of the bullet using less lube than lube grooves in cast bullets and doing a better job. One of my customers did not know where to start with a powder charge for 25 caliber 80 grain bullets. His initial charge was chronoing at 2100 fps and he had no leading. His accurate load was about 1450 to 1475 fps if I remember correctly. The NRA bullseye shooters have been using 38 caliber hollow base wadcutters with the knurled / lube method for many decades. The liquid A-Lox and X-Lox are my lubes for smokeless powder loads and am now developing a method of using SPG lube with the knurled bullet for the black powder loads. BBB

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jhalcott posted this 22 March 2011

I used a pair of files to roll the bullets and “KNURL” them to get more lube cover on the bullets. I used several lubes without getting the magic I was hoping for! I used the pan lube method and the push thru, like Lees sizers. Didn't seem to make any improvement as far as accuracy went. It did fill a LOT of time though..

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 21 March 2011

I am going to build a knurling machine. The pix of the Corbin one are a start - I've got coarse knurls now and will pick up something much finer soon. Thanx!

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joeb33050 posted this 21 March 2011

I have no-grease-groove bullets in .30, .32 and .45 that shoot without leading. I dip the bullets in Darr, let them cool, there's a coat on the bullet. Maybe you don't need to knurl. (Please don't accuse me of being an anti-knurler!)

Remember the Alberts swaged bullets without grease grooves? Coated with a blackish lube? They shot LV without leading and with pretty good accuracy.

joe b. 

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Steel 13 posted this 21 March 2011

I havent used a knurling machine, but I have used a Cannelure Tool to impress lube grooves or deepen crimp grooves on bullets.

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Trap4570 posted this 19 March 2011

They come in smooth - second cut - bastard. I use the bastard because it holds a little more grease. I have a 32-30 that shoots better using the 2nd cut file so I guess you can just try them and see. I pan lube with my regular stuff and so far (knock on wood) no leading problems. I have even rolled a few with powdered graphite sprinkled on the file - works OK but it is a messy process. I haven't tried the liquid alox yet - but it might work out really well.

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 17 March 2011

MrBill2 -

 

Thanks for the link -

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 17 March 2011

codarnall wrote: ....I have seen knurled bullets in old bp cartridges who bullets I have pulled so the idea seems fair enough. Then call HAZMAT to make sure the little gray dots left on the file are disposed of properly.

Charlie

What calibers?  Any idea as to the lube used?  How fine/coarse was the knurling?

Thanks!

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codarnall posted this 16 March 2011

Dern, gotz 20 bullets better get 20 of these.

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mrbill2 posted this 16 March 2011

http://www.swagedies.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CBST&Product_Code=HCT-2&Category_Code=BSD>http://www.swagedies.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&StoreCode=CBST&ProductCode=HCT-2&CategoryCode=BSD

mrbill2

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codarnall posted this 16 March 2011

Here's a knurling machine for you. Take your grandfather's old wood rasp and roll the bullet down the rasp with all things a stick of wood or even another rasp.

I have seen knurled bullets in old bp cartridges who bullets I have pulled so the idea seems fair enough. Then call HAZMAT to make sure the little gray dots left on the file are disposed of properly.

Charlie

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