Is there any way to add my own cannelure or crimp grove on a bullet? Say I am loading some 44 mag rounds with 240 grain xtp bullets and want to seat the bullet further out to increase case capacity and take advantage of my super redhawk's longer cylinder, could I do that?

I don't reload so don't worry about me blowing my hand off tomorrow, just wondering if it is possible.

Yes, http://www.ch4d.com/

Solid Steel Cannelure tool.

Why not just load the 300XTP- should be able to get close to 240 std velocities with the bullet loaded out more. Maybe 100fps less and you are totin another 60 grains of lead

I was thinking there was a tool. You put the bullet in and turn a crank and a wheel with small flat teeth puts a 1/32 to 1/16 wide pressed in ripple (for the lack of a better word) around the bullet. I don't think this will hurt the jacket. Is that what you were talking about.

I never saw such a tool. It still makes me wonder about jacket integrity. Anybody here tried it?

I doubt It would do anymore harm to the jacket than shoving it down a 9.5" long steel tube that is slightly smaller in diameter with groves digging into it.

And if bullets are actually smaller than barrels then just excuse that comment, I think they are larger but I could be wrong.

I would like to get velocities close to the BB deer grenade load but with a jacketed hollow point. I would like to use 240-270 grain bullets.

Again, I don't reload, just trying to figure out what I could do if I did reload. When I was younger I did some reloading under the close eye of my grandfather but that has been close to 10 years. The largest thing I would be shooting would be a 150 pound deer. 200 pound if I am REALLY lucky.

I saw an old time gunsmith use this same tool on jacketed rifle bullets. He claimed it gave him more consistent ignition and better accuracy.

Those grooves are linear tho, and would not fracture the jacket. It may not be a big deal, don't know. I do know that the bullet makers engineer the cannelure with respect to expansion and core bonding. I think it would be great for doctoring 230 FMJ's for use in the Bisley 45LC.

The tool works...

I will assume you have one. Have you seen any adverse effects on the terminal performance?

What is the minimum depth a bullet needs to be seated?

I think it might of been Brian Pearce in the Handloaders Journal and they were using a cannelur tool.

That depends on many variables, but .430" 180 XTP has about .250" from the cannelure to the base of the bullet and I cannot imagine having any less than that in the case.

clayton,

I've had a cannelure tool for years. I've used it when making jacketed bullets for handguns ( 38, 44, 45 ) and longguns ( 22, 7mm, 30 ). The tool adjust to set the deep of the cannelure, as well as the location on the shank of the bullet. It does not damage the jacket, if applied properly; and, it tends to keep the lead core in the jacket cup upon impact. Hornady has their "interlock" feature in the jackets that functions in a similar fashion. The seating depth is more critical in a repeater as opposed to a single shot, as the recoil can tend to walk bullets out of the case mouths.

Doc

clayton,

I've had a cannelure tool for years. I've used it when making jacketed bullets for handguns ( 38, 44, 45 ) and longguns ( 22, 7mm, 30 ). The tool adjusts to set the depth of the cannelure, as well as the location, on the shank of the bullet. It does not damage the jacket, if applied properly; and, it tends to keep the lead core in the jacket cup upon impact. Hornady has their "interlock" feature in the jackets that functions in a similar fashion. The seating depth is more critical in a repeater as opposed to a single shot, as the recoil can tend to walk bullets out of the case mouths.

Doc