Converting solid base to open base bullets.
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Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 7:11pm
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Topic: Converting solid base to open base bullets.
Posted By: Sapper740
Subject: Converting solid base to open base bullets.
Date Posted: April 16 2024 at 2:31am
| Rather than reinvent the wheel I'd like to hear if any of you have attempted shaving the bottom off a solid copper base of a lead core bullet to expose the lead core? Conventional wisdom is the Lee Enfield prefers flat, open based bullets that obturate under pressure and grip the rifling fully. I have acquired decent accuracy with 180 gr. Hornady Pro Hunter bullets so the thought occurred to me: what would happen if I shaved off 6 grains and exposed the lead core? Is there a method to do this repeatedly with sufficient accuracy? Any input, experience or suggestions greatly appreciated. |
Replies:
Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: April 16 2024 at 3:15am
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I would be surprised if you would get any improvement from this. The jackets are fairly thin on modern bullets so they obturate quite well. And you need to keep the bullet base absolutely square to the longitudinal axis of the bullet if you’re going to get any decent accuracy. Might be worth the experiment, just to find out what happens.
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Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: April 16 2024 at 3:45am
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I think the Sellier Bellot bullets have visible lead at the base of the boat tail. The copper edge is rolled over leaving the centre open. I haven't used any recently, and remember that the bullet weight wasn't as close a tolerance as the SMK's.
------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: April 16 2024 at 3:30pm
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I would only attempt this with FMJ bullets! Its quite possible to have bullets with jacket mods to expose the core actually shed the jacket during firing!  This usually happens when dong the opposite, removing the nose to make a HP, but the same concerns apply IMO.
------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: April 16 2024 at 4:27pm
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That is something to consider. There is a lot of friction on the jacket balanced by the large pressure forces on the base of the bullet. I don’t think I would try it. The Mk 7 service bullets have relatively thick jackets (compared to modern bullet jackets closed at the bullet tip) and they are rolled over the edge of the bullet base.
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