I have a supply of spire point bullets I want to trim the noses for use in a lever gun. I thought of an endmill but wonder if there was a better alternative. I will be using a drill press and just coming straight down on the bullet same as drilling a hole. Any suggestions welcome.

I have done the same thing. I made a jig of sorts to fit the bullet into, and simply filed down the tip until it hit the base of the jig.

How wide does the meplate have to be to be safe? I have some cast .45" bullets where it only just covers the large rifle primers. I have tried filing and even squishing, though that makes the whole bullet fatter.

I lathe turn the noses off; just did some solid brass ones to reduce the weight from 570 to 450 grain.
I made a radius cutter for a slight ogive.
How big does the meplat need to be? Large enough to not fit onto a primer.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
I have done the same thing. I made a jig of sorts to fit the bullet into, and simply filed down the tip until it hit the base of the jig.

Or just do it by eye balling it.

My lathe looks just like a drill press. Correct, meplat big enough to not set off a primer. I like the idea of a slightly radiused cutter. Any idea where I might purshase something like that?

wanna hear a funny??.. load them backwards, flat base forward, you'll be suprised with the accuracy..

You don't purchase a radius cutter; you grind one.
I have heard of seating them upside down but some rifles might not feed those.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I lathe turn the noses off; just did some solid brass ones to reduce the weight from 570 to 450 grain.
I made a radius cutter for a slight ogive.
How big does the meplat need to be? Large enough to not fit onto a primer.

Thanks dpcd, I'll keep filing then. Considering the Winoku's failure to always set off primers with the firing pin, I can't help seeing some irony in this discussion.

Bullets suitable for use in tube magazines do not have to be flat nosed. Plain lead round nose bullets have been loaded in factory ammunition for cartridges such as the 30-30, 32 Rem, etc., for years without causing any issues in tube magazines. Primers need a good solid indentation to ignite, round nose lead profiles doesn't supply that.

Eagle is spot on, very small surface area contact with RN bullets. I solved my problem, moving forward.

FAR worse than the likelihood of setting off a primer with a bullet of any nose shape (maybe a FMJ Spitzer) (In which case you need a Remington 141, two of which I have), is the very likely possibility of setting one off if the primer is Protruding.
A friend of mine had that happen once on a Rossi 44 mag. Two rounds detonated and one came through the side of the mag tube and the brass case went into his jaw. Not good.

Sell the spitzers and buy some flat nose solids from North fork or whoever..

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Sell the spitzers and buy some flat nose solids from North fork or whoever..

Yep, I don't have any bullets that are so precious that I would spend the time and effort into doing that.

I suspect one could run a bullet or a loaded round into a file trim die and file off what sticks out the top...but Ill just buy round or flat nose bullets...shoot the spitzers up on game or preditory tin cans and white rocks..