Bullet Swaging

[Hey_Allen]

MichaelK, or any others that have done it:
Where do you find the 22RF to 224 forming die on the CH4D site?

I went digging for a good bit, as the only one I was able to find was over on the other vendor's site, at the steep price of $467 for the two die set, or $803 for the kit.

I'm interested in the potential of a set of dies in the $125 range, but at the higher price, I can buy a LOT of factory bullets for that!

Thanks for all the info going around.

 

[Tilos]

Hey Allen:

I'm glad you read this thread and it tweaked your interest in making bullets.

I think MichaelK's pics show the process as one die/punch to remove(straighten out) the rim.
With another to form/size that 22 case into a usable jacket.
With that jacket, you still need the bullet forming die set to complete a bullet.
The 22LR case must be annealed 1st, before forming, but I remember that to be just putting them in an oven and running the self cleaning cycle.

He did reference the book; "The ABC's of Reloading".
I have that book but cannot quote from it because I don't have my complete library of reference books with me and I'm 3000 miles from home.

I would expect the 22LR case to jacket forming dies to be in that $125 range with the bullet forming die set to cost about the same(an adittional $125).
I've never done this, but know the tools and info are out there.

What do you pay for 1000 bullet heads?
The amount you shoot/load would determine the break even point.

I can offer only another website to wander around at this point.

http://www.handloads.com/


And you can always e-mail or call CH4D

Or these guys:
http://www.corbins.com/

 

[SpamHandler]

You might also want to check http://www.rceco.com/

 

[Tilos]

SpamHandler:
Thanks for that link, I'll never complain about too much info

 

[MichaelK]

I got my whole .224 bullet swaging kit for about 125$ in 1994! Was made by a company called "SportFlite" that has since gone out of business. The dies are designed around a modified ram fitted into a RCBS RockChucker and works well. I bought my CH 101 dies at the same time for 58$. Today's list price is 129$ plus shipping.

I believe that either a copy of this design (or maybe he bought the manufacturing rights) is still being produced by Larry Blackmon of Bullet Swaging Supply. Don't know the history here. Maybe the sportflite people copied Blackmon's design. In any case, I believe his is still in business right now and can be contacted at...

Larry E. Blackmon
Bullet Swaging Supply, INC.
P.O. Box 1056
West Monroe, Louisiana 71291

[email protected]

He can mail you his flier listing parts/prices.

 

[Tilos]

A Link to the Mother Load of Swaging Info

All right, here's a place with too much swaging info, including even more sources of equipment, etc.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Some people here make and sell 22LR case to jacket dies that work in a bench vice...so much for needing a pricey press.

 

[Bluehawk]

I had looked into bullet swaging some time back and was put off by the expense as others are. It was mentioned casting was fine for smokey, slow(er) bullets but in many cases that just isn't true...take a look at the .30-30 .45-70 .303 British .458 Win Mag .25 auto .32 auto .380. 9mm .38 Spcl .357 Magnum .45 Colt (old and new hot loads)...all of those perform with excellence with cast bullets in standard factory jacketed ammo velocity ranges!
Was mentioned also, lead for cores was free...where can you get pure lead for free??
I'll check out the links for the less expensive swaging dies though to see what is offered...maybe I'll get a chance after all to try it!

 

[Tilos]

Bluehawk:
Thanks for posting.

I started this thread looking to RE-swage a cheap bulk 9MM 115 FMJ bullet into a shorter shape with more bearing surface.

And many modern handguns have rifling that do not shoot well with lead.

What I have found:
A die that fits a std press to RE-swage...$80-$100

A FMJ bullet can be RE-swaged into a HP, by simply turning the bullet over and putting the open, lead exposed end, in the die 1st.

With 1 die and different center punches you can RE-swage FN, RN, HP from the same FMJ bullet.

Re-swage to change calibers, like 9mm bullets to 40SW.

Make 40SW jackets from 9mm cases by simply pouring molten lead into that 9mm case and swaging it into a bullet.
The heat from the molten lead anneals the 9mm brass and allows the swaging.

There is 32 pages of swaging info at that last link. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

There is a lot of inovation going on there and swaging is practical in certain applications but maybe not for what you do...now.


I agree if you have to buy a jacket that cost as much as a bulk bullet, why bother.
Re-swaging a $0.07 bullet into a shape that would cost $0.21, with 1 stroke of the press I have, has a very short payback....less than 1000 bullets.

 

[AF FAL]

I have recently started to look into swaging myself, and love the idea of making my own bullets from scratch exactly as I want them.

I just skimmed through the thread quickly, but here is some useful info maybe, in case it hasn't already been posted.

Look at Castboolits.gunloads.com, they have a whole section on swaging, LOTS of good info and brains to pick. There are a couple of guys in there that have started making dies themselves for various things, at less cost than the big outfits. I know of one screen name "BT Sniper" that is known for doing all sorts of interesting things in swaging that recently started making and selling dies. In any event there is probably someone lurking in there that does/has done exactly what you want to do and can help.

There is also a thread called "lets make a swage press" that has designs for a MONSTER hand operated press that will do about anything you want it to. Material coast is between $150-$200, plus shipping if you cannot obtain materials locally.