How to Make a Bullet Key Chain

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Things You'll Need

  • Cartridge casing

  • Power drill

  • Screw eye

  • Pliers

  • Key ring

  • Bullet

  • Glue

This could be your next key chain.

To some, a bullet might just be a lump of metal, or a nefarious and scary object. But to you, whether you are a veteran, an avid outdoorsman or just happen to have a keepsake bullet, it represents much more -- a life of service, the grandeur of nature or happy memories of a loved one. If one of these sounds like you, you can keep a bullet with you on one of the few things that is almost always in your pocket -- your keys.

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Step 1

Place an inert cartridge casing into a vice and tighten it. If your casing comes from a round that has already be fired, it will have a circular cap on the bottom of the bullet that you should drill out. If you buy a case meant for reloading, there will be no cap.

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Step 2

Find a screw with an eye -- called a screw eye -- whose point will fit into the cap hole, but whose thread is slightly too large for the screw to simply be pushed into the hole. Take your casing to a hardware store and try various sizes until you find the right one.

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Step 3

Turn the screw into the hole. To turn a screw with an eye, grip the eye with pliers and then rotate.

Step 4

Run a key ring through the eye. You can attach your keys at this point to the shell. Or you can continue on and put a bullet into the cartridge case so that it appears to be a live round.

Step 5

Cover the lower portion of a bullet with glue. Slide it into the top of the cartridge case. Crimp the case around the bullet with pliers.

Tip

Bullets and cartridge casings are available at sporting goods or outdoor stores, such as Cabella's and Bass Pro Shop. However, you cannot buy just one of each -- they come in quantities of about 50. But a local gunsmith, if you explain your need, will probably sell you a case and bullet for a dollar or less, or he might just give it to you.

You can use a cotter pin instead of a screw eye. From the bottom of the cartridge case, slide the pin through the hole. Work needle-nose pliers into the case and bend the pin until the eye won't budge.

Warning

It cannot be stressed enough -- attempting to drill through a live casing can cause serious injury or death to yourself and others around you. Even dismantling a live round should not be attempted by anyone who is not an expert in ammunition. If there is a bullet in the casing, assume it is able to fire. If there is a certain live bullet you'd like to make inert, take it to a gunsmith.

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