.50 BMG ball bullet dimensions and specs? Anyone know jacket thickness?

[longdayjake]

I don't know ANYTHING about .50 BMG and I don't deal in anything in .50. That said, I've kinda been offered a gun in .50 BMG for an amazing price and I was wondering if it wouldn't be fun to swage my own bullets. Then I started looking into maybe buying a machine to manufacture them as the profit on each one would be RIDICULOUS! Anyway, if anyone knows where to get a print for the military m33 bullet I would be really thankful. I've looked everywhere and can't find 50 BMG jackets or anything like that.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Here's some information for you, Jake:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?253391-50-bmg-!!!!

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rg1]

Here's one place that sells empty 50 Tracer jackets. $100/1000 but I don't know if it'd be worth the effort with surplus bullets available.
http://www.cdvs.us/50-cal-hollow-tracer-jackets-Dirty-unsorted-1000-projectile-pack--P913.aspx

 

[longdayjake]

Well, surplus FMJ bullets are pretty close to $.80 apiece. I can make them myself brand new for about .35 cents. If I use those tracer jackets I can make them for close to .30 cents. At $.40 - $.45 cents savings per round that is a HUGE difference when you get into the thousands. Thanks for the link!

 

[50 Shooter]

Good luck, the first thing you'll find out about owning a .50 is that everything is expensive. The next is that people that own them are cheap! Probably due to the fact that everyone is trying to gouge them.

If you want to make bullets, use a CNC lathe to make solids out of brass as they're the best and that's been proven in matches. Next would be the Hornady AMAX line of bullets.

I wouldn't waste my time on those tracer projos, how are you going to get consistent amounts of lead in each one to keep them stable? Never gonna happen and you be out all that money trying to do it.

Look into Corbin, they make all the stuff you'll need to make your own bullets. They also sell all the components that you'll need but it's not cheap to do it right, one of their hydraulic presses is the way to go. Again it's not cheap and you'll need a lot to make your money back.

That comes back to price, if they're to expensive you won't sell any or to few to make your money back. Think $2 each or less or you won't sell very many and your business venture will die before it gets off the ground.

The thing that's always bothered me was the fact that people think that just because you own a .50 you have all kinds of money to spend on anything for the .50! Making bullets for just the .50 is not a get rich kinda scheme, if it was it would've already happened for a few people.

Anyway, good luck on your venture and if you get it going come by the 50 forum on ar15.com and post there.

 

[longdayjake]

50 Shooter,

I really appreciate your concern. I'm new to 50 cal but I am not new to the bullet market. I've been running a reloading business for 7 years now and I've got a pretty good handle on margins and market forces.

I'm not looking into corbin machines at the moment. I'm more into the giant 20-30 ton presses that put out 80-100 pieces a minute. I've already got lead and copper suppliers so I have a good idea of what materials would cost. The markup on .50 cal stuff is so high that it would take about two or three months worth of production to completely pay off one machine. IF I can sell them all.

Since posting this thread, I've been asking my suppliers about getting some 50 cal bullets to test or sell. All of them say that the demand is higher than supply. But you are correct. The risk is several hundred thousand dollars huge. But the potential payoff is quite large as well. I've got more research to do.

 

[H&R Glock]

I bought a bunch of em' from Wideners.com and they were about 45 cents each. Pulled G.I. 647 grain. I load and shoot them.
All 50 bmgs are .510 diameter.

 

[50 Shooter]

Surplus projos run about .50-$1 depending on how the market is running. Right now that price is what I'm seeing on the market and when it goes higher guys seem to stop buying and use what they've stashed. A $1 or more for surplus projos just doesn't sit well with most shooters as surplus isn't very accurate to begin with.

LeHigh makes solids in different calibers including .50 that are reasonably priced as do Barnes and a couple smaller companies. How are you going to make your own and compete on their level? When Hornady first made AMAX for .50's they cost about $1. A group of us did a buy for about 2K and had the delivered for just under .90 cents.

Since then Hornady has gone through a couple design changes on the AMAX and the price is running about $2 each. I just don't see anyone making a better design for less with the price of copper and lead these days. Now if you can make a good plinking bullet for less that might work but that price would have to be on par with surplus ball and AP.