This paper presents the effect of powder density by various means during the oxide-powder-in-tube (OPIT) method on the critical current density, mechanical properties and high-T c phase formation in Bi(Pb)-2223 monocore superconducting tapes. A higher initial packing density of OPIT monocore short tapes was found to give higher J c values as well as a higher rate of the high-T c phase formation, while lower initial packing density samples gave better mechanical performance. Critical strains for bend tests show a dependence on the core thickness and the silver/oxide volume ratio.