Whitworth bullet swedging dies from Dixie Gun Works

[4v50 Gary]

What's a good 50 caliber bullet to swedge into a Whitworth bolt? Can I use .50 cast round balls or should it be a .50 caliber conical?

 

[arcticap]

Dixie's swage description states bullets because:

a) the swage is open ended
b) there's less of a chance for any variation/imperfection to be caused by the manual swaging method
c) both a & b
d) none of the above

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=8084

Lyman's Parker Hale mold casts a 475 grain bullet:

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=8020

Dixie's [poorly] cast Whitworth bullets weigh 580 grains:

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=1223

 

[bonza]

Seems like a strange process. Forcing a .50 caliber bullet into the .451 die I would think you have to have a good deal of 'finning' around the edges of the bullet. Plus, if the die is open ended, as it appears to be, how do you trim the nose & base? The parent .50 caliber bullet would have to weigh more (by at least 5%) than the finished .451 bullet to ensure full displacement in the mold. Seems like an awfully complicated method to make bullets! I think you'd be better off just shooting the cylindrical .451 bullets, they've been proven to upset enough to fill the hexagonal bore.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thanks guys. Opened ended dies can't result in consistent projectiles. It would make for very diverse groups though. I can do that with my eyes closed.