Plastic inserts for bullet tips

[Rio]

Wasn't sure where to put this but I am looking for some of the polymer tip inserts like one finds in sst or ballistic extreme bullets. Anyone know where they can be purchased reasonably?

[Beagle333]

I have seen some folks use the ski plugs for this. Do a search on fleabay for "ski binding plugs" and see what pops up. I don't know the sizes, you'd have to write a couple of the sellers and ask.
I don't know where you find the real plugs that bullet makers use. Good luck!

[tja6435]

Dave Corbin is the only place I know of.

[minmax]

Along time ago in another life, I worked in a shop doing ski repair. those binding plugs a flexible rubber. I do not think that they would work very well. I did a Google search to see if much has changed over the years, but they seem to be the same.

[Rio]

I found some at midway, but with the .51 each just for the tip I guess I just as well buy them already in the bullet.

[Beagle333]

Ah well. It was a try. Hollow points look cool anyway.

[forwardgunner]

Depending on the caliber and size of HP, you might look at 'Air Soft' ammo at you local Wal-Mart.
I've experimented with them to make light 6 mm bullets.

[Dragonheart]

I guess the question I have is, does a polymer plug actually help with expansion? Yes, I know the Federal Guard Dog bullet expands like a pancake, but that is a very different design with what is basically a FMJ with the nose filled with polymer. When the Guard Dog hits anything it starts to expand. Since it is a fact that when a standard hollow point hits bone the bone plugs up the hole and the bullet then acts like a FMJ and expands little. This is the reason bullet manufactures only show results from a gel test and not one that hits a bone plate first. Wouldn't plugging up the hollow cavity do a similar thing or am I missing something?

[Hardcast416taylor]

A good friend of mine that has passed on used to drop a steel BB into his large caliber pistol molds, before pouring the lead, to create about the same effect as you may be looking for.Robert

[jcren]

Check out the swedging pages. Some of those guys shape airsoft bb's into ballistic tips.

[xacex]

I make my own. A member here "hollowpoint" was nice enough to share his well written instruction manual for making any hollow point boolit a tipped projectile using some simple tools, and techniques. This is not the best example because this is a thin nosed boolit and a small tip, but you get the idea. This one was done with a glow in the dark tip, but the material didn't glow so well. I think it would be more useful for semi auto firearms because it does make hollow points feed better, but I saw no difference in terminal performance, or accuracy.

[ryokox3]

A good friend of mine that has passed on used to drop a steel BB into his large caliber pistol molds, before pouring the lead, to create about the same effect as you may be looking for.Robert

Apologize for the thread jack Rio, but I was thinking the steel bb would 'float' to the base in the molten lead before it solidifies, or at least part way up and likely off center causing balance issues. Any thoughts?


As for the insert, anyone try glue sticks to make it? May be too soft but we would not know without some testing.

[xacex]

Apologize for the thread jack Rio, but I was thinking the steel bb would 'float' to the base in the molten lead before it solidifies, or at least part way up and likely off center causing balance issues. Any thoughts?


As for the insert, anyone try glue sticks to make it? May be too soft but we would not know without some testing.

Done lots of testing. Yes, it works.

[BK7saum]

For the BB to float, lead has to be able to flow under it. If the BB is at the bottom of the mold and centered and touching the ogive, lead can't get under it to float it.

Brad

[Freightman]

BB's work but it is a slow process