What are you thoughts on what kind of a sales market there is for custom rifle bullets? I am talking about hand swaged rifle hunting and target bullets. I know that there are some doing it right now, just none in the area that I am thinking of. Prices would be close to or fairly close to standard factory bullets but with a lot more attention to quality control.
Custom bullet manufacturing
- Thread starter Predator1
- Start date
I personally have Corbin tooling, it is expensive and labour intensive. I doubt a person could make a profit doing it on a small scale (50 or 100 bullets per type, ie a custom order for 100 187.5 grain 8 secant ogive HPBT match bullet)
Corbin makes some really high quality stuff. They also understand completely what you want to do, support is excellent. Downside, in making jacketed bullets there are no short cuts = cost. There are better presses out there but these guys really taylor to the custom maker. They don't whine that you have to order 100 die sets or they won't sell to you.
I've got a buddy who makes his own bullets on Corbin gear.
I remember him showing me his .577 swaging dies and telling me they were $1800ish US. This was when our dollar wasn't doing so well.
A guy would have to sell a pile of bullets before profits start happening IMO.
I remember him showing me his .577 swaging dies and telling me they were $1800ish US. This was when our dollar wasn't doing so well.
A guy would have to sell a pile of bullets before profits start happening IMO.
Many years ago, I invested in top of the line Corbin equip with thoughts of making custom bullets for sale.
While I found (and still find) Corbin's excellant to deal with, and very progrssive in their attitude, reality soon intruded into my plans.
Jacket cost, lead wire cost as well as supply issues around both these essential items soon made the economics unfavorable. Add any value for your labor and you are by far exceeding the cost of factory bullets.
The market for premium custom swaged bullets in Canada is relatively limited, and is certainly price sensitive.
Having said all that....... I wish I had kept my equipment as making ones own jacketed bullets is a superb addition to an already fascinating hobby.
FWIW.... Somewhere in Calgary is a complete Corbin "mitey mite" commercial swaging system in 7mm rbbt, 6mm, .22 and .357. Complete with all the peripherals necessary to go into production. Who knows.... maybe it will resurface as a result of this thread.
While I found (and still find) Corbin's excellant to deal with, and very progrssive in their attitude, reality soon intruded into my plans.
Jacket cost, lead wire cost as well as supply issues around both these essential items soon made the economics unfavorable. Add any value for your labor and you are by far exceeding the cost of factory bullets.
The market for premium custom swaged bullets in Canada is relatively limited, and is certainly price sensitive.
Having said all that....... I wish I had kept my equipment as making ones own jacketed bullets is a superb addition to an already fascinating hobby.
FWIW.... Somewhere in Calgary is a complete Corbin "mitey mite" commercial swaging system in 7mm rbbt, 6mm, .22 and .357. Complete with all the peripherals necessary to go into production. Who knows.... maybe it will resurface as a result of this thread.
I spoke to a fellow at the Calgary Gun Show that had sold a SAS swaging press for $35, during the set-up on Thursday night.
SAS was the outfit that the Corbins got their start from, pretty much the parent design of the Mighty-Mite press. Someone got a deal.
I didn't see it on or under any of the tables, though.
I picked up a set of Corbins "Free bullets from rimfire jackets" dies a while back, but have not yet started using them. Just a deal that came along and that I figured i should jump on.
Cheers
Trev
SAS was the outfit that the Corbins got their start from, pretty much the parent design of the Mighty-Mite press. Someone got a deal.
I didn't see it on or under any of the tables, though.
I picked up a set of Corbins "Free bullets from rimfire jackets" dies a while back, but have not yet started using them. Just a deal that came along and that I figured i should jump on.
Cheers
Trev
Unless you plan on working for free there is no way for a small operation to make quality bullets at the prices of commerically avaliable ones.
If a box of commerical bullets costs 25 dollars yours would be 75-100 dollars for the same thing.
There are many companies that make high quality cheap bullets
Hornady and Sierra come to mind.
There are also companies that make high quality expensive bullets too.
The fact that you would need a blanket insurance policy in the millions is enough to make you think twice about starting up such a venture... there are a few people who are making high quality bullets on this site might want to check them out.
Many years back, I had the Corbin set-up using .22 rimfire cases for jacketed bullets. It was VERY labour intensive and they shot no better than Hornady's offering.
If I had spent the same amount of time dispensing at Macdonald's and used the proceeds to buy store-bought bullets, I would have been miles ahead.
Later on, I still had some passion for swaging and was looking into getting into production of high-performance handgun bullets. However, a tiny amount of research showed that I could buy Hornady jacketed H-P bullets from Ammo-Mart for less than I could buy empty jackets from Corbin.
I haven't considered swaging since.
If I had spent the same amount of time dispensing at Macdonald's and used the proceeds to buy store-bought bullets, I would have been miles ahead.
Later on, I still had some passion for swaging and was looking into getting into production of high-performance handgun bullets. However, a tiny amount of research showed that I could buy Hornady jacketed H-P bullets from Ammo-Mart for less than I could buy empty jackets from Corbin.
I haven't considered swaging since.
Good luck in your venture if you decide to start up.
I was planing to start making bullets but right now I've got it on hold I've got the presses dies punches everything I need to make them but have you priced the copper and lead .
The jackets is where the work is and if you can't make them and have to buy them there is no point in making bullets for profit it is time consuming on a hand press.
I was planing to start making bullets but right now I've got it on hold I've got the presses dies punches everything I need to make them but have you priced the copper and lead .
The jackets is where the work is and if you can't make them and have to buy them there is no point in making bullets for profit it is time consuming on a hand press.
