How to Make Fake Bullets (Without Power Tools)

I made these bullets for my Jinx cosplay (from League of Legends). Her bullets are extremely oversized, but you can use this tutorial for any size and shape. 

Materials Needed:
PVC pipe in desired bullet casing size
Pipe cutter
​Apoxie Sculpt (it took the 4 lb box to do the bullets)
Rolling Pin
Black Spray Paint
Rub n' Buff (I used antique gold and gold leaf)
Black Acrylic Paint

1. Start with a long pvc pipe

Pick up a long pvc pipe in your desired size from your local Home Depot or Lowes. Use a handheld  pipe cutter to cut all of the bullet casings. (make sure to buy a rotating cutter, or it will squish the pipe)

2. Use Apoxie Sculpt to create the bullet tip. 

Aves Apoxie Sculpt is a non-toxic, two part epoxy. It is very safe and easy to use, and you can get 1 lb and 4 lbs of it on Amazon Prime (the 4 lbs is worth it, I use this stuff for everything). It's great because it's super sturdy  and will not break, and it cures without cracking and does not require heat to harden.

Apoxie Sculpt Tips: 

1. Keep a glass of water nearby and wet your hands occasionally to keep it from sticking
2. Mix the parts in a 1:1 ratio, and make sure there are no visible streaks
3. It will start to harden once it is mixed. The box says you have a two hour working time, but I find that it gets stiff and hard to work with in 30 minutes. So I like to mix small amounts at a time and build up as I work. For the bullets, I made about 3-4 tips with each mixture. 
4. Once you have the material where you want it, you can use water to smooth out lumps and creases. 
5. Wait 12 hours before heavy handling or sanding. 

3. Sand the bullet tips

Sanding is so important, it really steps your props up a notch. I like to start with a rough, 180 grit to do heavy shaping. Apoxie Sculpt is so sandable, you don't need anything rougher than that. Then move to 320 grit (or similar) for smoothing. If you want it to be really smooth, do a final round with 400 or 600 grit. The best trick is to curve the sand paper around the bullet tip so that you don't create sharp edges. 

Before Sanding

After Sanding

4. Make Primer Rims

I first tried just hand sculpting it, but it was too difficult to make perfect circles and would require too much sanding. The easiest way is to roll out slabs of Apoxie Sculpt and cut out the circles. Lay down a sheet of craft foam to roll on- it is virtually the only thing Apoxie Sculpt doesn't stick to easily. Make sure to keep your rolling pin wet so that it does not stick to the Apoxie Sculpt. I used a copper pipe fitting from Lowes to cut the circles, and another smaller fitting to create the divot.

Once you've added the divot, the circles should be squished into the craft foam. I waited until they were mostly cured (8-12 hours) before trying to remove them from the foam. Don't forget to sand them! I rubbed the top and bottom of them on sand paper taped to the table, This creates a perfectly flat surface for them to form to. For the edges, I used my hand to curl the sandpaper around them for a smooth, circular finish. Make sure to hold them up to the casings as you sand to make sure they're symmetrical.

5. Paint a black base coat

While I am not a fan of spray painting, it is the best way to paint without streaks. Get a nice black and spray both the casings and the rims. If you take one thing from this tutorial it is this: black under metallic paints will make them look 100% better (I learned this rule working in theater).  

6. Paint the Metallic Finish

I first tried Rustoleum antique metallic spray paint, but it turned out very glitery and did not look like real metal. The second most important thing in this tutorial is Rub n' Buff. You can get it on Amazon or at your local art supply stores. It looks like real metal and is super smooth, is easy to apply, and dries to the touch in minutes. What more could you want? It's an enamel wax so it is easiest to cover large areas by buffing it onto the object with a rag. You can also use a paint brush. It works great over black because you can do a single, thin, choppy coat and it will look weathered. 

Don't forget to paint the rims too!

Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint- not very realistic

Rub n' Buff in Gold Leaf (top) and Antique Gold (bottom)

7. Glue the rims to the casing

You can use two part epoxy glues for a strong hold, but I used super glue and they haven't come apart yet (and they have seen some wear and tear). Just stay away from wood glue, PVA, or white glue. 

8. Weathering

If you accidentally put too much rub n' buff on, you can bring some of that black out with weathering. Use a very watered-down black acrylic paint and brush on the bullets. Make sure to concentrate in the creases, and wipe off excess paint. Don't be skimpy with weathering, You may think it's too much but trust me, more is better. While I was weathering them I felt like I was doing too much, but when they dried it turned out very subtle. I now have to go back and do more.

Weathering is such an important step in all cosplay, especially realistic props. Even if you think your costume doesn't need weathering, I promise it will really step it up a notch.

The divot looks much better with the black weathering

The "brass" looks aged now

9. (Optional) Bullet Belt

I made a belt out of acrylic vinyl fake leather I turned the edges over and top stitched the edges to create the belt. I then wrapped strips of the same fabric around the bullets individually and used super glue to seal them. Since the vinyl is basically plastic and not fabric, the super glue will actually melt the fabric and make a very strong hold. I also used glue to attach the bullets to the belt instead of sewing them. It was faster, and they look more 3-dimentional than if they were sewn into pouches. But keep a couple of extra bullets and some glue handy when you wear it, just in case. .