casting or swaging ?

[tbtrout]

I am getting into the bullet forming stage of reloading. As I am researching casting equipment I came across a chapter on swaging. It seems easier than casting, requires less equipment but probably a little more expensive for supplies(having to buy lead wire).

Thoughts, opinions or experiences?

Thanks

 

[Jacka L Ope]

An extract of an email received from Dave Corbin by a buddy of mine investigating swaging about a week ago:

The equipment to make these bullets in 4 calibers can also make a lot of other bullet designs, as well. Soft point, hollow point open tip, lead-free, shot-filled fragmenters, and a whole lot of other things are possible just with technique changes, using the same tools. The weights are up to you. The dies will make the entire spectrum of usable weights in these calibers, and you can change instantly to different weights. Just thought you should know!

CSP-1 Swage Press................ $349.00

FJFB-3-S .355 (9mm) 3/4-E ogive FMJ die set... $418.50
FJFB-3-S .452 (45 acp) 3/4-E ogive FMJ die set.... $418.50
FJFB-3-S .224 (5.56mm or 223 cal) 6-S ogive FMJ die set.... $418.50
FJFB-3-S .308 (7.65mm, .30 cal) 6-S ogive FMJ die set.... $418.50

CM-4 core mould, .312 (9mm/38 cal jacketed bullets, 32 cal lead).... $119.50
CM-4 core mould, .365 (44, 45 cal jacketed, 375 lead).... $119.50
CM-4 core mould, .185 (22, 6mm, 25 cal jacketed, 19-20 cal pellets)...
$119.50
CM-4 core mould, .247 (30-32 cal jacketed, 25 lead)... $119.50

CSL-2 swage lube ... $6

J-38-475 bullet jackets, pk/500.... $39
J-45-700 bullet jackets, pk/250.... $24
J-22-705 bullet jackets, pk/500.... $39
J-30-125 bullet jackets, pk/250.... $24

HCT-1 hand cannelure tool (all calibers 17 to 72).... $89.50

You can also make free jackets from fired 22 cases with the RFJM-22S die
set, $129.50. These are for the .224 caliber in 50-55 grain range.

For 77 grain 224 bullets, you might want to use J-6m-102 jackets and a
combination of a jacket reducing die (JRD-1-S 224 from 6mm, $129.50) and a
trim die (ET-2-S 224 $249). The available commercial jackets are benchrest
quality but make primarily the 50-60 grain range of weights. In FMJ they
tend toward the lighter end of that spectrum.

Demand for our swaging presses and dies has historically been greater than
we can supply on a stock basis, so we usually have anywhere from 3 to 6
months backlog. I do have most of the dies you want in stock, however, at
this time. (I almost always have from half a million dollars or so of
inventory on hand in dies, but usually the wrong ones for any given order!)
What I currently am out of is the CSP-1 presses. We have another run of 50
presses underway, and as soon as they are completed, I'll be able to ship
any that are not already spoken for. Usually we sell out before the run is
even completed, and I have to move on to other products if we are to get
anything finished. Right now we're about half sold out of the coming run of
presses. If your order should be pending in the next few days, I'm sure we'd
be able to put your name on one of them.

I don't know when we'll have the presses completed. They'll be done as
quickly as they can be done and not cut any corners. I guess that's one of
two reasons why we're usually sold out, not cutting any corners to make sure
the presses are as tough, accurate, and precisely aligned as possible. We
started offering field alignment jigs a few years back, which are totally a
waste of money for most people but some benchrest folks like them just to
prove to themselves, yep, sho nuf, them presses is actually aligned like the
Corbin folks said and it only cost $50 to find out they were telling the
truth. (For some reason we sell lots of the swaging presses to benchrest
shooters just for reloading rifle cartridges...and I always thought they
used arbor presses instead).


Dave Corbin,
President
Corbin Mfg. & Supply, Inc.
PO Box 2659
White City, OR 97503 USA
[email protected]
http://www.corbins.com
Phone 541-826-5211 9am-5pm Mon-Thurs
Fax 541-826-8669 (avail. 24/7)

He was looking at getting set up to manufacture bullets in 4 different calibers. As I understand it, you can use those dies in an RCBS(?) press and save yourself some more $ right there.

There's plenty to read at the Corbin site:

http://www.swage.com/

http://www.bulletswage.com/sitemap.htm

As he did, feel perfectly free to fire off an email to Mr. Corbin. He answered the email himself and rather promptly.

His feedback comment:

This post is very informative and sure says a lot about Dave Corbin's commitment to customer service. I don't think I've ever gotten such a long, detailed and complete e-mail from anyone in response to a question.

Anyway, adding every number Mr. Corbin gave me, including the 500 count packs of jackets for all 4 calibers, you get a total of $3230.50. That sounds real steep at first, but when you consider just how expensive ammo is and just how much money you spend on it in a lifetime, it's not so expensive anymore. Besides, people pay more than that for a single rifle, and for that total, you're setting yourself up for a lifetime of free bullets that are better than the stuff you can buy. The above setup not only lets you make any type or weight of bullet for the four calibers, but also allows you to make cores for just about any bullet between .22 cal and .32 cal. (ie: you can mold and swage them without jackets, producing bullets superior to cast ones)

All in all, I'd say it's pretty cost effective! Of course, one need not blow 3 grand all at once...It'd be easy enough to get completely setup for one caliber and as soon as you've produced enough bullets that the whole rig has paid for itself, then buy another set of molds/dies, etc., continuing the process until after a couple years, you're all decked out. Personally, I'd start with the rifle bullets since they're far more expensive.

Personally, as I only cast bullets for .44 and 45 ACP, and only in one weight for each, it's not cost-effective for me to move into swaging.

Hope that helps some.

Cheers!