Aluminum soda cans as jackets, can it be done?

[seppos]

Ahhh, but three or four years ago when no one could get jacketed bullets I was able to make my own.

S

[seppos]

There is always the aluminium flashing in various thicknesses. How many bullet jackets would one make from 50 foot roll of 10 inch flashing that costs about 40 bucks.
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Roofing-Gutters-Roofing-Roof-Flashing-Flat-Roof-Flashing/Roll-Flashing/N-5yc1vZas6dZ1z0xd07


The idea should is defenitely worth of thought.

S

PS. Might take a project out from this. I had a old AK with crome lined barrel so it should withstand some punishment. Need to buy a endoscope to inspect the barrel before, while conducting it and after the test.
That would give a proper picture from it, and prevents me to totally distroy the barrel if there would be signs of damage during the test.

[mold maker]

Ahhh, but three or four years ago when no one could get jacketed bullets I was able to make my own.

I did/do the same in 3 calibers and shot till I ran low on primers.
It's a means to an unavailable part of our hobby when greed has shortened our supplies.

[Faret]

Maybe somebody with a jacket strip making set could run us out some?

[seppos]

I do roll my own, so no worrys.. Can do the test by myself.

S

[Faret]

I do roll my own, so no worrys.. Can do the test by myself.

S

Please do and try some thicker flashing too.

[seppos]

Already done it. 0.31 scrap aluminium to .30 cal jacket.
Like drawing cardboard! Defenitely requires annealing bitween draws as i had 5 coins in the begining and had only one finished. I had 5 draws, but.. it is so easy to draw when annealed that might make it with only 3 draws.
Should have a bit different tools for this material.

S

[Ballistics in Scotland]

if thinness is an issue.. what about all of those .224 made from 22lr cases. that stuff ain't thick...

It is quite a bit thicker than soda cans, and it comes in tubular form. I think getting it that way requires the resources of companies who are prepared to use a lot more dies than the individual reloader.

The oxide film which prevents aluminium from reacting the way its atomic structure suggests, is so thin that it forms in a moment. The particles are so tiny that I think abrasion is most unlikely, and various companies have made aluminium jackets in the past. It does, in fact, provide quite a good bearing material for a hardened steel shaft.

Soda cans are thin and work-hardened, but can be annealed. They have been used very successfully as gas-checks (although I think thicker flashing might be better), but their thinness is the real obstacle to the forming of jackets. Aluminium cartridge cases, intended to be disposable, should be good where a suitable size, like .38 Special for a .375 rifle, should be just as good as brass cases. There was a recent thread on the use of foil as a discarding patch, and annealed soda cans might be good for that. It would have the merit of being almost unsolderable by frictional heat.

[jroc]

I don't know for sure but it seems like aluminum would be prone to a lot of galling.

[seppos]

If that would be the case, it would be quite easily discovered with that endoscope. I will take pics from different parts of that barrel during the test. From throat, somewhere in the middle ( maybe the gas port) and from the crown. That way it is easy to follow.

S

[Soundguy]

If galling bad, seems like aluminum gas checks would be near worthless.

[seppos]

If galling bad, seems like aluminum gas checks would be near worthless.

I think that with cast bullets the situation is different as there is the lube involved as well as the surface contact of the gas check is much les compared to the jacketed bullet.
If there will be signs of galling there might be need for further testing with copper washed jackets and maybe moly coated bullets or boron nitride.. We will see..

S

[Teddy (punchie)]

all very interesting never know till you try it.

[seppos]

Yes.
Already know the remedy if there will be some serious galling in the barrel.
Back in the old days when I was in the gunsmithing school, one student put some aluminium parts to bluing solution and wondered afterwords if somebody took them from the container..
Well.. Some bluing solution have some lye in them that eats aluminium like pack of wolves.. No wonder he did not find those parts any more as they turned to liquid form..
So caustic soda would be the cleaning agent for aluminium fouling.

S

[Lizard333]

That's good to know. Regardless if we have problems with it or not. Thanks!!!

[seppos]

Gad dam buttons...I noticed that i dont have proper swaging dies for .312 bullet so i punched the operating button in CNC lathe.. Maybe few times too much.Quess there will be some leftover dies afterwords as i assume that I will not ruin them all while making them.

[clodhopper]

DISASTER!

What is that? 25 of them?

[Lizard333]

Oops!!!

[seppos]

+30.. If one set requires 3 so it is over 10 sets.
Been thinking about use of ready made cups or WMR cases, but also 5/16 copper tubing.
But for the project it will be the aluminium cups.
With WMR cases it requires additional die to draw it straight and a special punch for the smaller diameter cup to expand to .30 core swage die.
For copper tube there also is a need additional dies.
But as there is plenty and possible to press the button in future, so it should not be a problem.

S

[seppos]

Simulation about the 6 ogive reamer making.
Will make it from ARNE tool steel.

S