Thread: Projectile manufacturing

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

There was a guy x ring I think was his handle used to make 223 projectiles. They were excellent. I recall he put all the gear up for sale over $8k from memory. He was selling them for 30 or 40c each from memory I know i brought several hundred. It would take a lot of bullets to break even and that's one calibre.
The idea is noble but the scale I just don't think is there to make it viable.
Belmont must have a direct tie in with bullet manufacturers. They already sell powder at astonishingly good prices, maybe they could be convinced to do the same with projectiles.

Reading through this topic, my first thought was also Belmont.
If it was worth doing, then surly they would already be doing it.
Saying that, supplies up to this point have not been an issue so this change could be the impetus need to make this happen.

Yes Belmont powder is often stupid cheap, last lot I bought was $40 a pound for pistol powder and $42.50 for rifle.

Reloading component wise, I always try and keep enough stock to last 2-3 years.
If it is well priced, I always buy in bulk.


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Interesting thread. Got me thinking back to one of the most fascinating guns ever, the Interdynamic 4.5x26MKR, product of Mr Kellgren of later Kel-Tec fame, shortly before he emigrated to the US. I think of the little rimfire cartridges as a row of garden gnomes.



The relevant bit is that the 4.5mm MKR boat tail projectiles were solid copper, made by cold rolling solid copper wire[/B].

No lead used means one less complication which is relevant to smaller scale production. Copper wire is readily obtainable, Berger bullet jackets not. And lead wire for bullet cores is a specialised product as lead wire is mainly used for bullet manufacture. But copper is not the most readily swaged or worked metal, due to its tendency to work harden. Aluminium on the other hand can readily be forged into bullet shapes as it goes plastic with high speed impact stamping. Combining aluminium bases/cores/tips with copper driving/centrifugal stabilising bands in CETME-style bullets would make an interesting long range bullet and potentially very cheaply due to the brilliant properties of aluminium.

You might want to chat to Bryn first.

Originally Posted by Taupohunter

You might want to chat to Bryn first.

Bryn? As in the guy from Targex? The guy whos been running a small business selling thousands of locally made high quality projectiles that are cheap and also very effective in game?

The same Bryn that's constantly asked to expand his line up to 6.5, 7mm etc?

That Bryn?

Mmm, that Bryn. The same one that is running a logging gang over Summer & does cabinet making & rifle stocks etc over winter as there will never be enough money or quantities required in nz to make a living out of bullet making.
I do it as I enjoy making them & like making better bullets than the big multi million dollar companies in a little shed out the back of the section.
As to 7mm, sorry but not happening! 6.5mm probably will if I can get enough time, still on the to do list!
I've sat quietly watching this because I dont want to get dragged into a big discussion on the do's or don'ts of getting into bullet making & the profits etc.
I will tell you I can make far better money doing the other things I do.
If someone wants to try doing it for a living, go for it! Good luck!
I just like seeing shooters get their rifles shooting better with a kiwi made bullet.
To make a superior shooting bullet I can tell you they need to be made on one lot of dies & by hand is the only way you can "feel" something wasn't right with one.
I'm not going to get drawn into answering a whole heap of questions here as I don't want to be going over & over the topic.
I'll keep making them for as long as I enjoy it (or am allowed).
Hope this is of help.
Cheers, Bryn. Targex NZ

Originally Posted by TARGEX

Mmm, that Bryn. The same one that is running a logging gang over Summer & does cabinet making & rifle stocks etc over winter as there will never be enough money or quantities required in nz to make a living out of bullet making.
I do it as I enjoy making them & like making better bullets than the big multi million dollar companies in a little shed out the back of the section.
As to 7mm, sorry but not happening! 6.5mm probably will if I can get enough time, still on the to do list!
I've sat quietly watching this because I dont want to get dragged into a big discussion on the do's or don'ts of getting into bullet making & the profits etc.
I will tell you I can make far better money doing the other things I do.
If someone wants to try doing it for a living, go for it! Good luck!
I just like seeing shooters get their rifles shooting better with a kiwi made bullet.
To make a superior shooting bullet I can tell you they need to be made on one lot of dies & by hand is the only way you can "feel" something wasn't right with one.
I'm not going to get drawn into answering a whole heap of questions here as I don't want to be going over & over the topic.
I'll keep making them for as long as I enjoy it (or am allowed).
Hope this is of help.
Cheers, Bryn. Targex NZ

Cheers for the comment Bryn

It was inevitable everyone was going to say it will never make you a fortune. Very few things will.

The original point was not to make a profit. People have a hard to imagining something that is not purely for personal gain.

The original question was, can you make bullets, and you have proven unequivocally that it is possible.

You have also been clear no 7mm and no 6.5 and fair enough. Yours is clearly a one man labor of love.

A question was, can we hurl money at you via crowdfunding to expand, the answer appears to be no.

So then the question becomes, can we set a appropriate bloke up with the kit to make 6.5 and 7mm. Is there a little money in it for a retiree to do at their own pace?

Robert on the forum makes excellent cast bullets :-)

I think casting or CNC turning are the only two ways to make bullet more efficiently.

And.. 70gr / 95gr 6mm



Would seriously love to see a 130-140ish grain 6.5mm projectile though, a multi use target and hunting bullet ��
Maybe a 120-125gr hunting bullet for the grendel. I think with current trends you would sell more 6.5mm bullets that all the other cals put together. Forget the mongrel 7mm, 6.5 and .308 covers all bases..

A not so much discussed bullet of Bryn's is the 52 grn .224. It hoons along at 3270fps out of my 20" .223 and devastates wallaby and is useful on deer. (penetrates with lung shots adequately at 250 yds on deer) The speed covers for its lower bc.

On wallaby its a much quicker killer than the 69 grn.

For the calibers that I use that Bryn doesn't makes I just stock up on them when I see them available. I understand though that some people cant afford to do that and that can leave them in a bind.

We are very lucky to have Bryn.

Hi guys, you asked if a retiree could make bullets for a bit of pocket money & I would say yes to that one but you have to realise there is quite an investment in presses,dies & jackets so its no use going into it to make a few thousand bullets as you need to make thousands to pay off the gear etc first before you break even which is like a lot of other things but what I'm meaning is you need to plan on making a lot of bullets before there will be any "pocket" money.
Need to be physically good in the shoulders & back as its not like reloading a few rounds of ammo.
3-4000 pumps on the press a day is nothing, think resizing cases pressure hear for each cycle & you need to be a person that likes to get things exact! near enough will not do or you'll just be making bullets that only compete with factory stuff. Defeats the purpose of it to me anyway.
I reject quite a few bullets on what I feel through the press & sometimes on what I can see to make good bullets.
I wont be making 7mm bullets but I will make 6.5mm in future if there arent any more restrictions etc come in to prevent it.
I have been pricing up dies for a 6.5mm low drag hollow point boattail but wasn't saying anything as from now on it's going to be like the kids in the car "are we there yet???" with guys asking for them.
What you can tell me is what bullet eights you are wanting in 6.5mm? Then leave me alone!
Hope this is of help.
Cheers, Bryn

123gr, 140-150gr
Happy to test them for you too

Originally Posted by Wingman

123gr, 140-150gr
Happy to test them for you too

What he said.

Originally Posted by Wingman

123gr, 140-150gr
Happy to test them for you too

Also agreed!

Originally Posted by Wingman

123gr, 140-150gr
Happy to test them for you too

Ha ha here we go, nothing like consensus 130 and 140ish (142-144).
130 for my 6.5x47L and 140 for my 6.5x55bjai.

I'm not sure I ever met someone who was loved by the shooting community that enjoyed it. Kids in the car is probably a good analogy.

6.5mm weight, best BC possible sub 150gr

It should be possible to crowd fund the equipment by pre-selling the projectiles. Investors get paid back in projectiles over a period of time. A subscription is also possible.

Fit the models in with Bryns line up and match prices, paying Bryn a small royalty on each projectile.

The purpose is to get more projectile money spent locally, secure people's access to projectiles.

This model of distributed manufacturing works for anything where you can do it quietly at home without industrial zoning. There is a clothing company in Christchurch where all their staff sew at home.

It is scalable, meaning you can have multiple home workshops.

It's the equivalent of saying "I'm going to buy the gear and make my own projectiles" but instead, you buy shares in the gear and someone else makes them.


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