Making your own FMJ Bullets for .223

[Cooleemeeedd]

Is anyone out there using the Corbin die set to make their own .223 Full-Metal Jacket bullets? I've been thinking about buying this die set. If you are doing this yourself, please let me know. If not, you may want to check it out here:

Corbin Rimfire Jacket-Maker Die Set RFJM-22

This uses common .22 long-rifle fired cases to form the .223 bullet. The cost appears to be around $800+ I figure that I'd shoot a lot more if I made my own FMJ bullets, as this is now the major cost factor for me. Primers and powder aren't very expensive. I'd have to make around 5,000 bullets to break even, but I think I'd do that fairly quickly, especially if I had friends who would like to help me make them.

So please let me know. I've heard these are pretty accurate bullets when you make them correctly.

 

[jmorris]

Try your question here, you will get a lot more action.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?41-Swaging

This is a sticky in the same forum on the exact subject.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?24952-22-rimfire-bullets-start-to-finish

 

[rondog]

I'm in the same camp of curiosity. I've actually gotten some samples from guys of several kinds of bullets made from empty brass, including the .223 from .22lr, and they're mighty impressive! Can't afford the tooling yet, but it's on my want list

 

[ku4hx]

I used Corbin products in my youth to swage pistol bullets, but for me it just wasn't worth the effort. I opted for casting and sold all my gear.

Most things perform better if you "make them correctly" and home swaged bullets are no exception. As with other things, such as casting and loading, consistency is key.

Once you get the process down, develop a routine and consistently ply your craft, the likelihood of your success is high. I just didn't find it to be my thing after a fairly short time. As is the usual case, YMMV.

 

[GooseGestapo]

You'll be much happier making soft point and hollow point bullets. More useful.
Cost will be more than you expect as you still have to come up with some lead wire to make your cores from. It adds $$$ to the formula.
I suggest casting and making your own gas checks and powder coating your bullets. $65.00 for a pc gun at Harbor Freight. A lot less $$$ than swaging equipment.

 

[otrman]

I looked at it very closely, like to be as self-sufficient as possible, but no way around the lead wire for the cores. You math is a little off, you will need to make 11,000(not including the cost of the lead wire) to break even. Widener's has 55 gr FMJ 5,000 for 373.00 shipped. Plus with casting, loading, shooting, the house, wife, dogs, and work just really didn't need another hobby to add to the list. To be honest, buddy of my father has a Corbin set up and it will make some real nice looking bullets.

 

[jmorris]

I looked at it very closely, like to be as self-sufficient as possible, but no way around the lead wire for the cores.

Look at the second link in my post above, you don't have to use lead wire.

he just used a regular bullet mold turned it upside down and drilled holes to cast the cores.

 

[Walkalong]

Most excellent solution!

 

[Elkins45]

Look at the second link in my post above, you don't have to use lead wire.

he just used a regular bullet mold turned it upside down and drilled holes to cast the cores.

I wouldn't call that 10-banger a "regular" bullet mold.

 

[Sunray]

Kind of suspect it'd be extremely time consuming. Likely far moreso than it would saving any money. And you'd have to find or shoot the .22's at about $800 per 5,000.
Midway is listing factory second 55 grain FMJ's at 10 cents each. $469.50 for 5,000.

 

[bluetopper]

Just think of the 11,000 bullets you could buy with that $800 and then spend your time loading ammo instead of picking up .22 hulls and making bullets.

 

[jmorris]

I wouldn't call that 10-banger a "regular" bullet mold.

Cores on one side and "regular" bullets on the other.

Kind of suspect it'd be extremely time consuming. Likely far moreso than it would saving any money.

Have heard the same thing about reloading in general.

 

[longdayjake]

I actually just bought the items needed to make lead cores for a .224 bullet for a project we are working on. It was $1,100 just for the press and lead swage die. To make the lead core you MUST have the press. There is no working around it. You may not have to use the wire, but you do have to swage the cores. That said, casting them yourself is probably the most economical way to do it. That way you can reuse the weepings. So, $1,100 for just the equipment to make the cores. Then you have to get the jacket draw die and the other dies to create the finished product. My guess is that you are looking at a bare minimum of $2000 to get started making a finished product out of less than ideal brass jackets. I've actually shot .22LR jacketed .224s and they work okay but for that kind of money you can buy a TON of high quality bullets made by professionals. I would only get into if I wanted a new hobby or if I was planning on making money by upgrading the equipment to high speed stuff that costs nearly $500k to get started.

 

[longdayjake]

Midway is listing factory second 55 grain FMJ's at 10 cents each. $469.50 for 5,000.

That's not even close to being competetive. Here is some seconds starting at $72 for 1000 shipped. It goes down the more you buy. Heck, our firsts are selling at $81 per 1000.

http://www.shop.rmrbullets.com/224-556-55-Grain-FMJ-2nds-1000-Ct-224-55-Grain-2nds-1000-ct.htm

 

[cfullgraf]

I like to fiddle with new-to-me stuff and bullet swaging falls right in that category.

But each time I look at swaging bullets, the capital cost is high and the raw materials are specialized (I do not shoot where dump truck loads of 22RF cases are laying around). Also, the process is somewhat time consuming.

So, as much as I would like to swage my own bullets, I do not shoot enough to keep the equipment busy.

But don't let me discourage anyone from taking the plunge.

 

[FROGO207]

IIRC member Reloader Fred uses 40 CAL brass to make 44 CAL JHP bullets and has a thread about it here somewhere. I looked into it as well and went the cast bullet with GC route as I already had casting equipment on hand.

 

[Laphroaig]

I went in with 2 other guys on a set of dies. Without going in to a lot of detail, we have made a fair amount of decent bullets. But trust me, it is time consuming and the bullets are in no way match quality. It is technology from a long gone time when bullets were expensive or impossible to get (i.e. WWII when copper was rationed) and peoples time was cheap.

As others have suggested, use that money to buy some bulk FMJ's and you'll be further ahead.

By the way, I think the bullets you make are "open point' not FMJ.

Laphroaig

 

[Laphroaig]

Here's some examples

These were made with Corbin dies with cast lead cores. They weigh about 57 grains.

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Laphroaig

 

[DM~]

I didn't read all the answers, but I started swaging bullets in the 70's, and I've made thousands of bullets from RF casings. I find the casings of today aren't as good as the old ones were.

I use Corbin and SAS dies, in the several swage press' that I have...

Anyway, when swaging i turn the jacket backwards to make thousands FMJ's for my .222 Rem., as I have a O/U .222/12ga.. that I use to use, for much of my small game hunting.

They worked pretty good, but I never loaded them to full power as it wasn't needed...

DM