Punch Cutter Out of a Spent Casing?

jarubla

Hi Guys, 

Anyone made one of these? What caliber did you use?

I have some small round files, and can sharpen the rim. would a .380/9mm be OK to use or would it be too large?

I am thinking of driving a screw through the flash hole and using a dab of epoxy to affix it to a turned handle of some sort.

-Jay

rsherman24

I think the Xikar punches are 9mm and up.  May want to leave the flash hole open so you can push the cut rings out

jarubla

Thx rsherman

Will have to give this some design thought

-Jay

peter4jc

Jay, do you have anything you could chuck that casing into, say a lathe or even a drill press? 

jarubla

Hey Pete,

I do have access to a drill press--what are your thoughts?

peter4jc

I'm thinking you might get a more uniform edge and maybe some more sharpness by spinning the casing than holding the casing and your file in your hands.  You also might finish it with some 600grit sandpaper.

jarubla

Truth!

Trying to remember...ID on a 9mm is .355, right?

Emory cloth will also work to lend it some shine.

I was also thinking perhaps cross drilling would allow me to pick the punches out that rsherman mentioned. Gonna have to ruminate on this one a bit as I'd really like a small handle of coco bolo or the like

-Jay

peter4jc

Someone on the forum gifted me with a large-diameter Nub punch a while back - it's solid, and the cap that gets lodged in it after use comes out very easily with a toothpick, so I wouldn't be too concerned with that.  I'll even use it a few times before popping the caps that it punches out, and it's a simple matter, so that won't have to enter into your design.

ExpendableYouth

I think you would have to use a .22 anything larger might be to big, I would grab a .223 and size check it next to a cigar though. Although I have never checked and this is just conjecture. 

variant2

Ammodor sells 5.56 keychain punches. Looks like the inside is beveled so they either use a reamer or a dremel type conical stone to hone the mouth. 

Looks pretty simple to make. 

http://www.ammodors.com/shop/556-bullet-cigar-punch/

variant2

rsherman24 said:

I think the Xikar punches are 9mm and up.  May want to leave the flash hole open so you can push the cut rings out

Just leave a live primer in the pocket and when it's time to clear out the cartridge....BANG! All done. 



Disclaimer: The above content is purely for entertainment purposes and not to be taken seriously as bodily injury, blindness, loss of hearing, or in some rare cases death may occur.  

jarubla

^ LOL, variant2

jarubla

Those ammodors look fantastic!

They even do a DIY kit. NOICE:

http://www.ammodors.com/shop/ammo30diy/

CharlieHeis

jarubla said:

Those ammodors look fantastic!

They even do a DIY kit. NOICE:

http://www.ammodors.com/shop/ammo30diy/

I've thought about getting a couple of these on many occasions. They are very cool, but then I opt for more holding power I get out of a cooler.

mb92755

A coworker sharpened a 30-06 case for me that seemed small. He put it in his little lathe, he's a gunsmith so he has all the good tools. When it got dull I just used my pocket knife around the inside edge to sharpen it and it keeps on cutting. I shoot .45 ACP and was thinking about sharpening one of those empties. I think the .30 Cal is a little small.
Mike

variant2

I just did an experiment with the Lee Precision chamfer tool  and noticed something interesting. 

When I use the punch that is on my Xikar lighter, I need to use some pushing force along with a twisting motion of the cigar to make the hole. Sometimes, the pushing force can be enough to cause some damage to the head or cap since it will not simply slice through it with less pressure.

When I used the chamfer tool on the .223 casing, it created a crude edge and noticed that I just need to twist is with less pushing force since it acts like like a hole saw. By doing this, I can bore multiple holes next to or on each other without destroying the head.

So, I'm starting to believe that a micro-serrated edge on a punch cutter will yield better results than the smooth, sharp edge. 

Crappy cell phone pics. 

jlmarta

I've used a regular, cheapie punch for years and have cut overlapping holes with no problems or extra force many times. I guess I just don't understand the problem. 

jarubla

Hiya Fellas, 

Quick update. Had my first herf with some buddies last night (seven of us, steak dinner, some beers, and a flight of japanese whiskey during the actual herf later on).

I made some .223 punches yesterday afternoon as a very small gift for the humans who were going to herf, and as I was drilling the necks (as variant2 noted) I couldn't get a smooth edge to save my life. I figured they'd still be gtg, as I was testing them on a cardboard box, so I proceeded to sand them all down with 500 grit (didn't have any 600 or Emory cloth).

They worked like a charm! Luck the cap, gently and firmly punch the cap, and lightly twist; cap came out clean. 

The draw on a few sticks last night had to be augmented with a toothpick (general overall tightness), but other than that they punched with ease.

I sure appreciate the feedback from everyone!

-Jay

variant2

Stumbled upon a wayward .30 casing in my box of dirty .223 brass and it looks like it's a better candidate for a punch than the .223 / 5.56.

The mouth is 8.4mm which compares to my Xikar punch compared to 6.5mm for the .223. The wall on the neck also seems thinner and it only took a few spins with the Lee chamfer tool to give a sharp edge.