Rekraps Posted November 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2023 I just ordered windscreens from KAK industries, $1.50 per unit. They have a variety of colors from which you may choose. Go direct to their website and save $0.50 per unit. Eastern Bloc Arms also has them for $1.00 per unit but their injection molding unit is down, so if you can wait then great. If not, pay a little more at KAK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted November 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2023 Bulk marking dye (just line chalk) is on Amazon... $13 for a big container. Once I get all the components in, I'll make a video of the re-manufacturing process. Not difficult at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted November 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2023 I just ran across a technical article that state in FY 1010, M781 practice rounds were $10 per round to the government! Wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted November 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2023 Okay, so all the assembly parts are in and I have experimented with the process, with excellent results. Cost per unit, <$3 (if you keep your pushers and casings) Components: Casings, washed and dry Pushers, wire wheel cleaned with mating surfaces devoid of gule or adhesive Windscreens (KAK or Eastern Bloc Arms) Making dye (line chalk, any color, 5lb container on Amazon) Elmers glue Q-tips Windscreen containment vessel (WCV) So let's make them! Insert the windscreen into the WCV (believe it or not, Tiki torches come with the pictured wooden part that is exactly the right size!). The WCV keeps pressure on the windscreen and prevents cracking. Fill the windscreen completely with chalk, then gently tap and the chalk will naturally settle just enough to accommodate the pusher. Using the Q-tip with generous Elmers glue, coat the side of the pusher just above the compression rings, Firmly seat the pusher. Residual air in the windscreen will force the pusher out a tad, so keep pushing until all the air bleeds out and the windscreen "clicks" into place Using the Q-tip with generous Elmers glue, coat the other side of the pusher just below the compression rings, Leaving the mated windscreen in the WCV, press the casing firmly onto the pusher until it "clicks" Remove the round, wipe down and leave upright to allow the glue to set Each unit takes about 1 minute to assemble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted November 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2023 I just reviewed my post on loading M781's and I have to admit.... it's good! Just purchased the last of my "supply" of M781 components and now rest comfortable that I can shoot for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted November 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 Super secret source sent me 100 pushers... that plus the windscreens from EBA and I'm set for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2023 The production M781 shell casings (plastic) are very sturdy. I have now used some of them four times with no cracking or chipping. The only issue, is that they discolor from the powder burns, but function perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2023 So if you want to use aluminum cases for chalk or sponge rounds, a bit of extra work is required. Using a 5/32 bit, ream out the gas port inside the casing. This will remove just enough metal to allow you to use a slightly smaller punch to remove the pressed in blanks/propellent charges. The expended blanks will be very tight, so work slow. To load, always insert the blank first, using casing lube. I place the 40mm casing upside down in one of my jigs, lube the blank and press in slightly with my fingers. Then I position the whole thing in a vice and slowly tighten the jaws, which presses the blank firmly into the case. Using the wood jig (see above) prevents damage to the case rim (upper and lower). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2023 Guys, make sure if you shoot sponge rounds that you only load them to 1/2 full load, .38 shorts. Even on 1/2 load they move so quickly you can barely see them in flight. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattnh Posted January 2 Report Share Posted January 2 On 12/31/2023 at 3:25 PM, Rekraps said: Guys, make sure if you shoot sponge rounds that you only load them to 1/2 full load, .38 shorts. Even on 1/2 load they move so quickly you can barely see them in flight. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that! Sponge rounds are no joke - you would def not want to get hit by one even at a distance... The damage I've seen them do to a chain-link fence at ~100ft is beyond what you could do with a metal baseball bat.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 2 Author Report Share Posted January 2 3 minutes ago, mattnh said: Sponge rounds are no joke - you would def not want to get hit by one even at a distance... The damage I've seen them do to a chain-link fence at ~100ft is beyond what you could do with a metal baseball bat.. Ya, hitting a tree at 75 yards delivers a huge SPLAT noise! I'm never gonna riot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 6 Author Report Share Posted January 6 So, if you use aluminum OEM or aftermarket shells, after the initial firing, the top portion of the casing will expand slightly making 2nd fitting of sponge or pusher a bit loose. You can use elmers glue to seal the projectile. I'm trying to source a die that will resize the 40 mm shell OD to 40.05mm. The aluminum shell is slightly narrower in the top third, which expands when shot. After shooting the upper half expands to 40.10, just enough to be slightly loose. Any of you machinists have the expertise to make a hollow tapered "pipe" that I can use to resize the shell. It has to be open on both ends so I can use a hardwood dowl to push the resized shell out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 10 Author Report Share Posted January 10 After experimenting with the Aluminum cases, I would advise "no". The cases look great and function fine... for the first round. The upper 2 cm's expand slightly making the reloading (chalk or sponge) loose. By the second shot (1/2 or full load) the case expand enough to bind in the receiver. As of today, there is no way to resize the shell. The plastic/polymer cases do not deform at all. They just break after four or five reloadings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 29 Author Report Share Posted January 29 But, they look so much better with the aluminum cases. Check it out! That's a good looking round! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 (edited) So what's to keep you from getting a re-sizing die made? You're probably still going to lose the cases eventually but you could get several more shots out of them You have tge dimensions you need. Any machine shop can make one Edited January 29 by StrangeRanger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 29 Author Report Share Posted January 29 1 hour ago, StrangeRanger said: So what's to keep you from getting a re-sizing die made? You're probably still going to lose the cases eventually but you could get several more shots out of them You have tge dimensions you need. Any machine shop can make one You know, you are right. I'll go looking this weekend. Although I'll tell you, the polymer cases seem to last also. I've now shot five or six times through some of them and had only one break. They get a bit smudged, but work just fine. I recondition each one, wash & sand the interior surface, and they just keep on going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 If it's only the first 20mm/.79" behind the case mouth that needs resized a piece of 2" round 1.00" long should do nicely. I don't think you'll need a taper for the full length of the bore just have it bored through to .001" or .002" LESS than the OD of a virgin case to account for some springback. You'll want a lead angle maybe 15° x .25" long on the entry end to enable feeding the case but not resizing behind the first 20mm. Aluminum is soft so the "die" shouldn't require hardening but aluminum galls like crazy when it encounters friction so use case lube. I like Dillon's spray bottles but there are others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 And you probably want the ID finish to be 32 or better both to reduce friction and to lessen any damage to the cases Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 30 Author Report Share Posted January 30 12 hours ago, StrangeRanger said: And you probably want the ID finish to be 32 or better both to reduce friction and to lessen any damage to the cases thanks for the tips, I was wondering about the entry angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 The entry angle is probably less important than the depth. You want to make certain that you do not try to re-size the rigid portion of the case beyond the initial 20mm that has expanded. The initial 1.00" die length minus the .25" deep lead-in gives .75"/19.05mm so you would have just under 1mm to spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 31 Author Report Share Posted January 31 9 hours ago, StrangeRanger said: The entry angle is probably less important than the depth. You want to make certain that you do not try to re-size the rigid portion of the case beyond the initial 20mm that has expanded. The initial 1.00" die length minus the .25" deep lead-in gives .75"/19.05mm so you would have just under 1mm to spare Got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted February 17 Author Report Share Posted February 17 On 1/29/2024 at 3:12 PM, StrangeRanger said: So what's to keep you from getting a re-sizing die made? You're probably still going to lose the cases eventually but you could get several more shots out of them You have tge dimensions you need. Any machine shop can make one I took a few shells to Joe Jones of Shaw Armament and he's making me a resizing die! I keep everyone updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted March 9 Author Report Share Posted March 9 Guys, if you're looking for some crowd control items, just in case, then a company in Arizona called AZAO has some cool stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted March 20 Author Report Share Posted March 20 AZAO delivered my stuff last week and it's excellent. I bought some "shot" shells, packed with 40 .25inch steel balls (no impulse charge installed) and some rubber baton rounds (both pellets and rubber slugs (2x per shell), again no impulse charge installed. These fire with regular .38 special 1/2 loads which are easily available. Keeping them in storage in case the Roaches go wild (i.e. Haiti). It can happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted April 7 Author Report Share Posted April 7 I have now reloaded a set (about 10) of my plastic M781 shells and have yet to have a single failure. Clean 'em up, use the recovered pushers and you're back in business. As noted above, I do lightly wire brush the pusher and inside of the shell casing, then use Elmers glue to seal both sides. Works perfect. Downside? The formerly white shell casing are now no longer white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now