I am reloading for a 400 Whelen Improved (40 degree shoulder).

I would like to use a Barnes TSX, but after calling the factory, it appears it will be a year or two until they are made in .411 diameter
(they currently make this in the standard X bullet).

I have read about others cutting driving bands into standard X bullets on a lathe, with the same sort of improvements we see with the TSX.
Dave Scoville I believe lays claim to the original idea of doing this.

Is there a cutting head I can use with my drill press to turn a groove in my standard X bullets?
I can coerce a buddy into letting me use his lathe I suppose, but you know how it is once you set a lathe up about letting others use it.

Thanks in advance,

Garrett

I’m not sure I understand your question. Are you thinking of mounting the bullet in the spindle of your drill press and then rigging up a cutting bit that can be brought into position to cut a groove around the spinning bullet?

I’m not sure how well that would work.

a drill press makes a horribly poor lathe....but you can file on parts in the drill press spindle.

Does that help you?

Like vapodog says, a drill press aint a lathe. You will not be able to replicate the grooves from one bullet to the next so your accuracy may well go out the window. Use the standard Barnes X or go to another bullet until Barnes makes a TSX.

You might consider buying one of the watchmaker lathes. These tiny lathes sell for about $400-500 and would do this kind of work.

Art,

I have seen these small metal lathes before..they are fun to make small parts on...like a minature steam engine.

I don't think I would use it enough to justify the expense.

Thanks,

Garrett

the bearings in a drill press are not made to take side loads, but I'vew see the cheap tool stores sell tooling to do that,they sell inepensive mini lathes though[ harbor frieght, post tool]varmit al has some info on his web page about mini lathes "varmital.com" I think
Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Ejor:
the bearings in a drill press are not made to take side loads, but I'vew see the cheap tool stores sell tooling to do that,they sell inepensive mini lathes though[ harbor frieght, post tool]varmit al has some info on his web page about mini lathes "varmital.com" I think
Ed

Hey, Ed...welcome to AR.

I grew up in Hayward and lived in Fremont for awhile after I got out of the service. Bet it’s allot different now!

Even if this set up would work in a drill press I doubt that a bullet would placed much side-loading on the bearings.

A drill press ain’t the tool for the job anyway though so I guess it doesn’t really matter much.

I used a drill press and a file as a lathe to make a firing pin for a break action shotgun once.

I have used a mill, with a lathe bit in the vise, and the work in the collet, as a lathe.

If one had an XY table on the drill press, and a lathe bit in the vise, and the work in the drill press chuck, some lathe work could get done.