loading dummy cartridges without a press?

[bennadatto]

All,

Maybe a dumb question...for creating dummy cartridges (ie. spent primer left in case, no powder, bullet on top), do you have to have use a press to adequately seat the bullet, or can you simply bash the bullet in place with a mallet?

Thanks!

 

[ljnowell]

You could I guess, but it wont look right. It wouldnt take much force, because the case is still expanded from firing. It also wouldnt have much of a crimp and would probably look odd also.

 

[rcmodel]

I agree.

There would be no mallet bashing involved atall.

Unless you re-size the case after firing, the bullet will just freely drop down inside the empty case.

I suppose you could glue them in with something, but there will be zero neck tension to hold them in place while the glue dries.

BTW: Where would you get a single bullet to put back in a fired case?

rc

 

[bennadatto]

RC, long story short...I do costume and prop making as a side job, and have had several requests for dummy cartridges. The inert cartridges I would create would be in batches of at least 6 so I would have more than 1 bullet on hand.

My thought process is to use cheap Wolf spent cases and just "hammer in" new bullets to create the inert cartridges. I have very recently acquired reloading supplies (as of now still unused), but only in commercially expensive or hard to come by calibers (7.5 Swiss, .303British, etc.), and am reluctant to sell off my personal brass.

Maybe I'll just have to charge more and buy new brass. I guess that's one way to make my hobby pay for itself!

 

[jh9x18ky]

Its only my personal advice.... you can take it or leave it..... IF you make "dummy" rounds, be sure to mark them in some way. I use red pencil eraser material glued in place of the primer, and color the rim and back face of the cartridge with a marker or paint..... so anyone can tell the difference in dummy rounds and live ammo.

 

[ny32182]

Unless the audience is really "up close and personal", an A-zoom snap cap would probably work....

But I'm still thinking some more info about the exact application would be helpful. Are there prop guns that will chamber a properly dimensioned cartridge (hope they can't fire it if so)? If these are going in a real gun or correctly sized chamber, chances are an un-resized case will probably not go in anyway. Is an actor ejecting a round part of a scene or something?

If snap caps don't look real enough for your application and you don't have a press set up and only want a handful of them, I'm sure someone here would be happy to size some cases and seat some bullets, if you are willing to cover the materials/shipping costs (should be pretty minimal). That would get you want you want, and would chamber in a real gun. A missing primer would be nearly impossible for any audience to detect. Or you could resize with the decapping pin removed and leave the spent primer in place.

 

[06]

I would NEVER use anything remotely lethal as a projectile in a theatrical prop. Way too much of a chance of some dummy not using a dummy.

 

[bennadatto]

The bullets would be only for cosmetic purposes, to be worn on costume belts, bandoliers, etc. My disclaimer to customers will include...

wear this in public at your own risk
do not try to chamber in any firing or non firing firearm
inert bullets are to be worn on the costume item provided, any other use is done at your own risk
etc etc etc

And actually, I think I may have solved my own problem. For my purposes, a wooden bullet would be really REALLY cool. Perhaps a wooden dowell tapered down like a spitzer in a width just a little too wide for the case mouth. Then I can hammer the bullet in and there should be sufficient pressure to keep the "round" in place. hmmm....

 

[ny32182]

If you could find a dowel of the perfect size, that sounds like something you could do without a press.

 

[deadeyedog270]

The bullets would be only for cosmetic purposes, to be worn on costume belts, bandoliers, etc. My disclaimer to customers will include...

wear this in public at your own risk
do not try to chamber in any firing or non firing firearm
inert bullets are to be worn on the costume item provided, any other use is done at your own risk
etc etc etc

And actually, I think I may have solved my own problem. For my purposes, a wooden bullet would be really REALLY cool. Perhaps a wooden dowell tapered down like a spitzer in a width just a little too wide for the case mouth. Then I can hammer the bullet in and there should be sufficient pressure to keep the "round" in place. hmmm....

Hi I was going to start making necklaces to sell at craft fairs but do to Maine law I have to be carefull with the new Lead law I have to use fmj bullets no exposed lead cores and I have to use lead free solder for attaching my findings.
You may want to look in to your states lead laws for selling at craft shows and selling hand made goods

 

[kludge]

Are you doing this as a one time thing or as a business?

If a one time thing, you can probably find a local reloader who you could "hire".

As a business, why not just get a press and save all the wasted effort?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=807734

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=624416

That plus two sets of dies would be under $100. (Say .38 Special for revolver rounds - brass is easy to find and cheap, and 7.62x54 - or some other commonly found range pickup calibers).