Accurizing 22 Rimfire Ammunition - Do the bullet modification kits really work?

[Steve Cover]

My second kit is the D-Rock available from Thornton Rimfire Innovations.

D-Rock Kit   (Part 1)

Derek Thornton
1842 Ellis Blvd
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52405

thorntonrimfireinovations@gmail.com




There are eight different nose forming tips available (At $8.00 each) so you can mix and match as you wish.
Being an avid experimenter, naturally I bought all eight even though I'll probably winnow down to a couple for serious use.



The D-Rock die is designed much like the Poco Kelly set. 
But Derek offers an adapter for using an arbor press if available.
Since I already have a small press from another experiment, I ordered the adapter too...  (Glad I did)

To resize the bullets, they are placed into the sizing die set, the top spacer is place on top and the forming rod wit adjustable stop ring is inserted.



The assembled die is placed on station two of the press adapter.
(Station one is used to give a press assist in seating the cartridge into the sizing die if need be.  All  I needed was thumb pressure.)

Note that you can measure the gap and adjust to the desired amount of repeatable modification.
The rod is pressed down reforming the bullet to a uniform .224" diameter and the desired nose shape is swaged into shape.

[Steve Cover]

D-Rock Kit  (Part 2)

Like the Kelly die set, the reforming causes a tight fit in the die. 
In both cases, the forming rod is used to push the cartridge back out of the die.
The D-Rock cartridge extraction is much easier. 

First you turn the press adapter to station three where there is a hole for the cartridge to fall clear.




You pull out the forming rod, remove the stop spacer and reinsert the forming pin.




The cartridge is easily and gently pushed out and falls clear.



This operation is more complicated than the Kelly system, but much more consistent.

[Steve Cover]

D-Rock Kit (Part 3)

The first forming rod in the D-Rock system is the flat point.
I've seen several articles about cutting off the tip of a 22 bullet form a flat point shape for better hunting performance.
CCI even marketed a SGB (Small Game Bullet) for a while. 

The D-Rock set produces a smooth flat SGB shape consistently without the loss of bullet weight.




There is a rod that produces a true round nose.
I'm interested in the configuration.
Will it be more accurate than the parabolic shape of normal factory ammunition?




There is a Standard Factory type of HP forming rod for duplicating the HP configuration without loss of weight.




Two domed SWC rods are in my set.
While I expect feeding problems in semi automatic firearms, they may be quite useful in my revolvers.


The Large Dome




And a Small Dome.



Just fooling around, I adjusted the small dome die to form a full wadcutter profile. 
I'm interested is seeing how of works in my Super Single Six handgun. 

This could be my vermin eliminator.




There is a flared HP forming rod that produces a great deep HP with a wide mouth.  I'm looking at this as a small game getter using standard speed target ammunition.

[Steve Cover]

D-Rock Kit  (Part 4)

Derek also provides two sizes of (Hydra-Shock type) post HP

The Large post produces a HP about the same size of the Kelly Scorpion point.
It does differ in the size of the space around the post
My hopes are that this will give improved modest expansion while providing a deeper penetration for larger small game.





However, right now, my favorite (based on appearance) is the small post nose shape.





Whether it proves to be more effective that a standard hollowpoint or not is yet to be seen.
But it does look menacing.

I like the D-Rock system because it allows a far greater repeatability and adjustment than the Poco Kelly system.
It also has a far greater flexibility with all the available extra forming pins available as extras to the basic set.

All this additional precision does come at the price of being the most labor intensive of all my forming tool sets.

[Steve Cover]

Waltz Kit

Neal Waltz
4105 Hyatt N.W.
Massilon, OH 44646

waltz@sssnet.com

Finally, we come to the Waltz kit.

This a true loading press sizing die, and the easiest and fastest to use.
Bullet modification rod travel is adjusted just like a bullet seater die.... Very easy to use.

Once set up, bullet forming is as quick and easy as resizing cartridge brass.

The set comes with just two forming rods, an ELEY EPS style Flat Point and a magnificent Hollow Point.




The spare forming rod is stored in the die opposite to the active rod.
Very clever in my opinion. it never can be lost.






The Waltz system comes with a normal reloading press style shell holder designed for 22 Rimfire.




Here is the EPS Flat Point produced by the Waltz die.






The very deep hollow point rod allows any variation from a dimple point to a monster cavity without radically deforming the shape of the bullet nose.






Here are a couple of boxes of hollow points that I produced in just a few minutes.






Waltz's sizing die set is the most easy to use and adjust on top of being by far the fastest.

Also, having only a Flat Point and Hollow Point set of forming rods is no disadvantage.

About cost:
Remember that these are custom made and not production line items.
Because of the machining involved, this is the most expensive of the Bullet Modification dies sets that I purchased.
(I actually spent more on the full D-Rock set, but his comparable basic set is cheaper than this one)

So, are these different bullet modifying kits worth the cost?
That is one of the considerations prompting this test.

Hopefully, my test will cover enough variations to be helpful.

Now, I have to wait until June or July for the shooting phase of the test.

Best to all,

Steve

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

Wow Steve.   Really into it.   I envision all sort of problems with these various kits.

While I noticed none of these in your sample pictures I'd be concerned with:

Does the rim (the hollow rim) of the case get squeezed any?   Is there a possibility for interfering with ignition?  or at least a reduction in the exposure of the priming material to the poweder?

Does the bullet get forced further into the case by the pressure of these punches?

Looking forward to range tests.

[Magoo541]

I chose the reloading thread because I'm modifying the bullets... This seemed like the obvious choice.

I also own a shooting range that allows me to preform shooting tests that would not be allowed on a public range.

Unfortunately, it is located on our retirement property over 300 miles from our present home, I only get to use it a couple months a year.

I'm also doing an extensive test of handgun shot load effectiveness.  
I'll also post that when finished if anyone is interested.

Thanks for your interest

Steve

I agree this is where this should be but like I said my first reaction was-HUH?
Where's your property?  I grew up in the Yakima valley (33 years) and had several places to shoot on friends property (irrigation banks make great back stops and in the winter offer great potential inside).

As for any testing information you have I am sure we'd all be interested. 

Thanks and good luck!

[Solus]

Wow Steve.   Really into it.   I envision all sort of problems with these various kits.

While I noticed none of these in your sample pictures I'd be concerned with:

Does the rim (the hollow rim) of the case get squeezed any?   Is there a possibility for interfering with ignition?  or at least a reduction in the exposure of the priming material to the poweder?

Does the bullet get forced further into the case by the pressure of these punches?

Looking forward to range tests.

That would be my worry.   We are running loaded cases into a reloading machine or pounding on them with hammers....I guess if there were a chance at ignition, we'd have  heard of it.

[Steve Cover]

Wow Steve.   Really into it.   I envision all sort of problems with these various kits.

While I noticed none of these in your sample pictures I'd be concerned with:

Does the rim (the hollow rim) of the case get squeezed any?   Is there a possibility for interfering with ignition?  or at least a reduction in the exposure of the priming material to the poweder?

Does the bullet get forced further into the case by the pressure of these punches?

Looking forward to range tests.

Believe me, I also had those thoughts.  

The first time I used the Kelly dies, I was wearing heavy duty safety glasses and the same welder's gloves that I wear when casing bullets.

However, when placed on a flat surface, the force of the hammer blow is spread evenly on the base of the shell rather than violently crimping narrow area like the firing pin.

Convinced of the relative safety, I now just wear my normal safety glasses when working with these.

As far as any of these tools squeezing the rim goes, they are rebated to avoid that.


Poco Kelly Die



Note that not only does the outer ring provide space, but the chamber itself is cut out so the rim makes no contact.

D-Rock Die



Like the Kelly die, the D-Rock die is relieved so that it does not touch the cartridge rim at all.


Waltz Die Set
(See earlier post)

The Waltz system uses a shell holder that supports the entire base during forming, and only touches the rim when the formed cartridge is pulled back out of the die.

I can pull the cartridges out of the dies with my bare hands, so the force applied by the shell holder against the rim is minimal.

In all cases, the case itself is not resized.
In fact the lower 1/16" or so never douches the die.

As for pressing live 22 shells into these dies, the force required is less than that of seating primers.

Deep Seating Bullets

Early on, being blessed with ten thumbs, I did manage to deep seat a couple of bullets during my first modifying session when using a steel carpenters hammer.

I quickly went to the light wood mallet that I use when tooling leather.  
It works well, and is much easier to control.
The hammer shown in my photographs is an experiment to see if a plastic or rubber tip hammer would be easier to use.  
It still proved to be too heavy and my consistency suffered.

I've been surprised in how little force is needed to deform the led in 22 bullets.  
My home cast bullets are much harder.

22 Rimfire cartridges are crimped into the bullet.

When the case is supported by the sizing die, the soft bullets deform rather than pass deeper into the case.
Use of excessive force, or adjusting the forming rods so deep that the lead runs out of space to flow into, I'm sure that the bullets can be made to deep seat.  
But, those scenarios are pretty radical.
I closely measured the bullet driving band against the case lip before and after forming my full wad cutters.  
By carefully adjusting the rod deeper by small increments, I was able to produce a full wad cutter that showed no measurable amount of deep seating.

Smaller side tests include shorts and CB caps, but not on such a large scale.
It will be interesting to see if I can get a CB cap to upset.

I too am looking forward to the shooting part of this test.

Steve

[alfsauve]

I think you misunderstand (or in my post I didn't make it plain).   I wasn't worried about firing the primer but about compressing the rim such that there is less gap inside the case around the rim.

Think of it this way.  The base of the bullet is supported by the bench or something keeping it from backing out the die.   You're pressing/striking on the top.  Where the side walls of the case turn to form the rim is the only place that can give.   Here's some crude ASCII before/after art.

        |    |
        |    |
  ___|    |___
  |_________|


  
          |    |
 ____ |    |  ____
 |___\|__|/____|



The sidewalls were straight when I drew them.   They remain vertical, it's just the rim that compresses.