How to safely and easily section a bullet?

[Silverado]

How would you go about making a selection of your favorite bullets, sectioned to show the inside just like the purdy pictures on the bullet company's websites?

I was thinking maybe lock the bullet in a vise and go at it with a file?

Someone here must have done this...

 

[canucklehead]

I would use a band saw/scroll saw.

Bullet OUT of the case, obviously..

 

[Silverado]

I thought about a band saw, but wonder how the heck to safely hold the bullet? Would have to make some kind of jig I guess... I think the 'manual' way might be easier. How hard could it be to file a copper/lead bullet in half?

The sectioned bullets I like the best are the ones with just a 1/4 section taken out...

 

[joe-nwt]

I would use a band saw/scroll saw.

Bullet OUT of the case, obviously..

Powder out of the case.

An empty case makes a great bullet holder. Cuz, that's what it's meant for!

 

[rattle]

How hard could it be to file a copper/lead bullet in half?

Copper / lead are both soft metals, so not that difficult. Quality files are faster and nicer to work with.

Another option might be a dremel with an abrasive wheel.

 

[MiltonBradly]

Drill an appropriate sized hole in a block of scrap wood and stuff the bullet in there then run it through the saw (power or manual).

Same thing can be done for casings but its a little less secure with tapered cases.

I got bored a few months back and sliced a .303 in half (fired case and a pulled bullet). The real touchy part is trying to slice a primer (inert) in half. I ended up grinding half of one away on my belt grinder and gluing it in the sectioned case. The anvil was ground down separately and gingerly glued in with tweezers. when finished I ran the "half cartridge" against a fine grinder belt to smooth everything down to an even surface.

HTH
MB

 

[BattleRife]

I have done many of these. Of course, I also have had access to water cooled grinding tables with SiC paper on them for years.

I typically grind the whole cartridge until the wall is penetrated, then I dump the powder. Then I keep grinding until I am ready to stop, or until the bullet looks like it is about ready to pull out of the neck.

Yes, I do it with live primers in place. Never had a problem, though most of the priming compound is usually washed out by the time I am finished. I've done live tracer rounds the same way.

Of course, such a statement is useless without pics!! Here is what I could find lying around on short notice:

 

[Eagleye]

Grab the bullet lengthwise in a vise [with protective jaws] saw flat along the length of the bullet, then file it nice and flat. I made up several of these when I was teaching Core here in BC. Regards, Eagleye.

 

[Fixit]

I have done many of these. Of course, I also have had access to water cooled grinding tables with SiC paper on them for years.

I typically grind the whole cartridge until the wall is penetrated, then I dump the powder. Then I keep grinding until I am ready to stop, or until the bullet looks like it is about ready to pull out of the neck.

Yes, I do it with live primers in place. Never had a problem, though most of the priming compound is usually washed out by the time I am finished. I've done live tracer rounds the same way.

Of course, such a statement is useless without pics!! Here is what I could find lying around on short notice:

how do the tracer rounds go? any flair ups? I thought they were phosphourous?

 

[stocker]

For bullets only, drill a hole the proper size in the end of a piece of scrap wood, deep enough to drop the bullet in. Use it held against the belt rotation of a belt sander in a vise with 80 or 100 grit belt. A couple of minutes and you're done. The bullet is captured in the wood and you can keep your fingers clear of the belt and heat. Suppose you could do much the same with a cartridge but I would prepare dummies with an expended primer rather than attempt this with a live round.

 

[hedgehog]

I have done many of these. Of course, I also have had access to water cooled grinding tables with SiC paper on them for years.

I typically grind the whole cartridge until the wall is penetrated, then I dump the powder. Then I keep grinding until I am ready to stop, or until the bullet looks like it is about ready to pull out of the neck.

Yes, I do it with live primers in place. Never had a problem, though most of the priming compound is usually washed out by the time I am finished. I've done live tracer rounds the same way.


Of course, such a statement is useless without pics!! Here is what I could find lying around on short notice:

very cool picture. did the lead shot not want to tumble or fall out of the shotgun shells as you were surfacing them?

 

[Silverback]

I did a bullet by gluing it to an aluminum rod then put it on the belt sander, just make sure that you keep cooling the bullet in water so the epoxy doesn't get too hot and release on you.

 

[BattleRife]

...did the lead shot not want to tumble or fall out of the shotgun shells as you were surfacing them?

I mixed some epoxy with the powder and shot before loading the shotshells. Let them sit a couple of days to harden up, then grind as normal.

 

[Suputin]

For bullets only, drill a hole the proper size in the end of a piece of scrap wood, deep enough to drop the bullet in. Use it held against the belt rotation of a belt sander in a vise with 80 or 100 grit belt.

Excellent advice if you are looking to inhale powdered lead. If you value your health just a tad more, I suggest a method that won't create a cloud of airborne lead particles.

 

[asphalt599]

BattleRife does an excellent job of this. I have a shotgun shell in my reloading room that he did.

 

[stocker]

Suputin: My sander has a dust collection system. Your point may have merit if yours isn't so equipped.

 

[joe-nwt]

Anything other than a wet saw or a frickin' laser is going to create particles.

 

[rattle]

Excellent advice if you are looking to inhale powdered lead. If you value your health just a tad more, I suggest a method that won't create a cloud of airborne lead particles.

A standard particulate respirator would be more than enough protection. Probably a good idea for walking around town as you will get more crap out of vehicle emissions than grinding a bullet or two.

 

[SandRoad]

Anything other than a wet saw or a frickin' laser is going to create particles.

DING, DING, Your comment gave me an idea. I am going to try it with a little 4" wet saw made for cutting tile. Might have to change out the carbide blade for an abrasive blade.

I have cut bullets and cases before just using a band saw or fine toothed hacksaw.

 

[Suputin]

A standard particulate respirator would be more than enough protection. Probably a good idea for walking around town as you will get more crap out of vehicle emissions than grinding a bullet or two.

The particulate respirator will protect you during the cutting of the bullet but it won't prevent the area you are working in being contaminated with lead dust. Which will end up on your hands and your family's hands everytime they touch anything in that area and will eventually find its way into your mouths.

There is no lead in gasolene anymore so there is no reason anyone would get lead poisoning that way.