uhhhhh....... Right-O.

Would someone SOBER be willing to tell me how Barnes makes their bullets, particularly the x's?

In a way a normal human can understand? TIA, Dutch.

ROTFLMAO

I don't drink but thank's for the insult
Jurk

I'm sober just now so I'll take a shot at it.

We stopped at Barnes last year while on a business trip to SLC. Nice folks and very helpful to boot. Heather, the receptionist is one of the few ladies who looks a pretty as she sounds on the phone too.

Barnes cuts pieces of copper from a coil using one machine that apparently runs anytime there's someone in the factory and I think that's two shifts a day. The plugs of copper are then poured into one of four large hydro presses they bought surplus from the Military (may have been case forming press in their previous life?) Once in the press the plugs are put through five or six stages where they are basically beat into a shape resembling a Barnes X bullet. First it's smashed into a holder and the base if formed, then the whole end is opened into a huge hollow area which has a square internal shape. This is then swaged down into bullet shape and the corners of the originally square area form the stress points that allow the bullet to open into the "X" shape. Finished bullet are put in a tumbler filled with small steel bearings to apply the finish.

Triple shocks are simply X's which have been put through a rather Dr. Seuss looking device that spins them and cuts the grooves all at once.

Coated bullets are put on a device that sprays the lube on like paint and then bakes it on. It kinda sorta looks like a giant motorcycle chain on it's side with an array of wire bullet holders that clamp using the base and the hollow point.

Solids are turned on a lathe.

Two fellows work in an underground testing area with a 200 or 300 yd (memory fails just now) underground range and a water tank for bullet testing. They test selected lots of bullets for expansion down to @1,600fps if memory serves and also for accuracy.

All in all they have a aura of knowing what they're doing and being very good at it.

HTH

Rick

Rick, thank you very much. That, I could understand. Sorry Martin, but I had no clue as to what you were trying to say there.

Basically, they press/swage copper. I'll bet that takes a little pressure..... LOL! Wonder what the wear rate is on those dies? Thanks again, Dutch.