Do it your self gummy tips

3985 Views 33 Replies 23 Participants Last post by handirifle, Apr 21, 2011

big medicine

Discussion Starter · Feb 8, 2011

I will try and get some pics posted later when I have time. Here is what I'm working on. Pretty simple!

I got some Barnes TSX 338 185gr HP bullets and have been trying different Caulks and silicone compounds to try and come up with my own gummy tip. I have tried the GE Premium Silicone that comes in a small tube. It is a little thin and harder to apply but with enough attempts you can get some good tips on the end of the bullets. I have also tried the DAP ALEX PLUS caulk with silicone. This seems to work pretty good. It is thick enough that it applys well and makes a good tip.

I fill p the HP on the bullet and make a small tip with the caulk. I don't think these things will have to be perfect. What got me thinking about this was my 35 whelen. I have several soft point bullets that were badly deformed from the recoil in the magazine some were nearly flat points. At one point I had saved about 20 rounds and then shot them for groups just to see how they shot. There really was not any difference, they still grouped under an inch at 100 yards. So the other day while I was driving to work I though about how I could make my own tips and not be waiting for Hornady to get around to it, and the Silicone caulk came to mind.

Once I get some loaded up I will probably try a drop test and see what happens. All the tip has to do is function in the mag tube. Once I pull the trigger I could care less about the tip.

Anybody else got any ideas?

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

Ac_Man1962

· #2 · Feb 8, 2011

It has been years ago..... a gun writer??? ammo maker???? took spire point ammo and done ugly things to the bullet... made marks... sawed the point off them.... done all sort of stuff...... But the point it... on the point that they shaved off..... could not tell in grouping of non damaged points against sawed off point... you just making point back with gummy stuff......... I have silcone for years in HP pistol bullets so that they will not jam in autos............

City Slicker

· #3 · Feb 8, 2011

Big Medicine,
Great idea...I think you are on to something.
What you need is some kind of mould that the chalk can set up in for an hour or two and then super glue on the tip of the bullet. I was thinking something like a cap from a Bic ball point pen might work. They would all be pretty close to the same shape and maybe a little purdier.

guzziac

· #4 · Feb 8, 2011

It was Lyman and their test also proved the base was THE most important for accuracy. Even a slight damage to the base caused flyers. Campher your case mouths so the bullet will enter without shavingit and discard any cast bullets that don't fill out in the base well.
Guzziac,
Richard P.

stykbow57

· #5 · Feb 8, 2011

Ha! now we have something cool to work on, there are alot of different kinds of polamers out there to play with. first one to make there own gummy tip [that reallyworks] wins!

TmbrWlkr

· #6 · Feb 8, 2011

You also might be able to cut of the tip on a Barnes MRX to a place where the meplat is wide enough to protect against primer ignition. This is cool, we are reinventing the 348 Win !!!

stykbow57

· #7 · Feb 8, 2011

Now I'm Excited!!!!!!

MULEMAN

· #8 · Feb 8, 2011

What about using those fake rubber (or latex rubber or whatever they are made of) trout bait balls. They seem about the right size and are pretty cheap and available at any walmart or bait store. Around where I live anyway. They are perfectly round, so you could just cut them in to. They may be a bit soft, not really sure. Just a thought I had.

stykbow57

· #9 · Feb 8, 2011

I know maybe I'm to excited but I was just thinking about some of the urethane caulking we use in the construction industry that dries hard but flexible for like concrete joints and stuff. Dennis

stykbow57

· #10 · Feb 8, 2011

Now that I think about it Nosler or Barnes or somebody elsa help us before we hurt our selves as just sticking something on the end of a bullet mite not be good! Dennis

Halwg

· #11 · Feb 8, 2011

I'll be interested to see what you come up with and how it performs at the range.

Dr. A

· #12 · Feb 8, 2011

Good idea, though I wonder if the Sierra club will ever figure out that copper toxicity in birds is just as bad as lead.

DWB

· #13 · Feb 8, 2011

What about some Permatex Gasket compound? Seems to set up a bit harder than caulking does, is sticky enough to stay where you put it, stiff enough to shape a bit for forming a "point" and it comes in different colors (if that is an issue). ;D

Ac_Man1962

· #14 · Feb 8, 2011

Of course it is.... got to have the right color

..... green for ........ caliber, blue for ......... caliber, pink for.....???? wait., There will not be no damn pink bullets in my gun, ;D

DWB

· #15 · Feb 8, 2011

Another thought on the PermaTex - - you could use the "High-Temp" stuff for your "hotter" loads. ;D

Didn't know they made a pink Permatex, but that color would be appropriate for loads in the .30-30, wouldn't it?

;D

But, back to topic, what about the liquid nails adhesive that comes in a caulking tube... Not sure how hard it gets after it sets up though. The only other thing might be NP-1, which I believe is a urethane product, like stykbow57 mentioned. It stays flexible in all kinds of weather, sticky as snot, and could be formed up pretty easily.

Flat Top

· #16 · Feb 8, 2011

I have been working on a light weight bullet for the 35 Rem for varminting (kind of extend the old 35's capabilities), any way, the "gummy tip" thing came to mind. What I was going to do was use "Devcon two part Epoxy Rubber. Mix it up... set the bullet in a mold...fill the hollow point with the epoxy rubber, and let the epoxy rubber harden and form a tip. I have used this stuff before for various projects, including mold making and it is very, very tough, yet like rubber is flexible to a degree...might work, and is much more resilent that silicone. Just a thought. A good idea from Big Medicine that should be pursued!!!

big medicine

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 8, 2011

Hopefully everyone will be able to do a little testing and one of us should b able to come up something that works. Another thing I have thought about is trying to go to a company that would be able o make a soft tip that would be uniform that would fit into a HP and have a soft tip and thos could be glued intoplace but I have no idea who would be able to make something like that?????

TmbrWlkr

· #18 · Feb 8, 2011

I would bet that none of the bullet companies that make plastic tip bullets ( I don't necessarily mean gummies) make their own tips. Bullet companies are basically metal smiths. Those plastic "ballistic tips" are most likely made by a plastic molding firm - to the bullet makers specs. SOMEBODY out there must be molding them.

Ac_Man1962

· #19 · Feb 9, 2011

Heck, been thinking about getting some gummy tips to reload, but pull out the gummy tip.... and heat the bullet to melt the lead inside the bullet to bond the bullet. Then cut the bullet in half to see if it bonded and if lead did not seperate. Or heat bullet upside down and get lead out, and fill with rosin-core lead solder and place gummy tip back on..... mmmmmmmmmmm do I see millions in the bank here????

JEB308

· #20 · Feb 9, 2011

Here is an idea I've got. I work in an electrical shop and we buy liquid tape in a can and dip our tools down in it to give them new grips and insulation value. I could see taking a bullet and dipping the tip. Presto- a gummy tip for your bullet. And this stuff comes in all kinds of colors, even Pink for you that want that color

I'm going to try it out this weekend when i return to work.

Here's another idea that just came up. The kids are doing a school project and one asked where is the hot glue gun. That got me to thinking that a hot glue gun might be able to make tips for bullets. Just another idea that one could try.

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.