Swaging bullets...who does it

MoJoy99 · Apr 30, 2018

Wondering if anyone out there swages bullets. Saw some videos on .233 using 22RF cases, but most of it was from 7 years ago. Having recently started casting, swaging seems very interesting. Definitely pricey to get started. Blackmon seems to be the cheapest and a solid option.

I would love to hear success stories as well as any .223 options without a gas check.

John from MD · Apr 30, 2018

Swagging is a world apart from casting. It is also very expensive! I talked to the people who sell the stuff at the shot show many years ago and determined that it wasn't for me as I already had a slew of molds, two furnaces and a lube/sizer. I just couldn't justify the cost involved.

DanGuy48 · Apr 30, 2018

I read up a fair amount on it a few years ago. Unless you have an unusual caliber, or just like to try different things, I’m not so sure it’s worth it otherwise. I assume you ran across these guys in your readings.

http://www.corbins.com/presses.htm

Biggfoot44 · Apr 30, 2018

I have periodically looked with interest over the decades. But as noted above , to be worthwhile on a hobby basis , You have to either be highly interested in the process itself , or have a desire for bullets not available store bought. Unusual dia , unusual weight , or unusual design .

Conversely, if you lived in a jurisdiction where such things could be done without hassles, a part time/ retirement gig making smallish runs of bullets for orphan calibers not available from big mfgs .

Fox123 · Apr 30, 2018

I considered it when I saw guys taking .40sw cases and swaging them and a lead core together to make a .45 projectile.

There were others I think it was 5.7 brass into a .308 jacket?

This link is from over a year ago, but says it does what you want with any reloading press, I guess it depends on your version of expensive.
https://m.facebook.com/bt.sniper/posts/1851734761730770:0

Major03 · Apr 30, 2018

This looked pretty neat to me, I love the idea of making .224 jacketed bullets out of spent .22LR brass.

http://www.corbins.com/kit-224.htm

But the cost is pretty steep. For the same price you can buy a LOT of bullets that are high quality and don't require effort to make on your part.

MoJoy99 · Apr 30, 2018

Seems like a resounding concurrence. I thought it was pretty cool to use spent 22 cases to make jacketed .223 bullets. The cost is definitely expensive to get the dies and a press or press conversion kit.

I would really consider it if I could make full load .223 rounds and not worry about gas checks or PC.

There does not seem to be a lot of chatter out there in recent times so I assumed it was a fad that has faded.

Blacksmith101 · Apr 30, 2018

Swaging is another specialty and there are better sources of information for specialties. Take a look at the Cast Boolits Forum Swaging section:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?41-Swaging

If you are looking for higher velocities than achievable with cast bullets consider Paper Patched Bullets which require a much smaller capital investment.

km04 · Apr 30, 2018

Blacksmith101 said:
Swaging is another specialty and there are better sources of information for specialties. Take a look at the Cast Boolits Forum Swaging section:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?41-Swaging

If you are looking for higher velocities than achievable with cast bullets consider Paper Patched Bullets which require a much smaller capital investment.

"Paper patching, state of the art in 1877..."

Fox123 · Apr 30, 2018

km04 said:
"Paper patching, state of the art in 1877..."

“Still got the shovel”

Blacksmith101 · Apr 30, 2018

km04 said:
"Paper patching, state of the art in 1877..."

It is what Quigley used.

Rockzilla · Apr 30, 2018

it ain't cheap, have the Corbin 22 LR bullet making stuff, the dies,the core
molds, spools of lead wire, and a bunch of different length copper jackets.
That I had purchased years ago from Dave and his crew.
Pretty straight forward, I experimented with adding a BB to the top of the
bullet when I started to close up the hollow point, worked wonders on
varmints. Actually pretty accurate out of Rem 788 in .223, used a old CH
tool & Die cannelure tool when I loaded them for the semi's..got a couple
coffee cans laying around with processed 22LR case with the rims removed.
Just another thing to do in reloading...

-Rock

MoJoy99 · May 1, 2018

Blacksmith101 said:
Swaging is another specialty and there are better sources of information for specialties. Take a look at the Cast Boolits Forum Swaging section:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?41-Swaging

If you are looking for higher velocities than achievable with cast bullets consider Paper Patched Bullets which require a much smaller capital investment.

If I were shooting a larger bullet, paper patching might be the answer. However, I don't think anyone has the patience to do it with .223 Remington especially in a semi automatic rifle...AR-15. All that work for would gone in a flash. At least in MD 10 round mags slows you down a little. :rolleyes:

I think I am going to see how PC works first. Swaging is off the table until I win the lottery.

John from MD · May 1, 2018

I don't know how PC will work at .223 speeds but I shoot 30-06 cast bullets with GC and PC to 2300 FPS with no leading and get 1" or less groups at 100 yards.

Pinecone · May 1, 2018

The Corbin stuff for .223 made sense when bullets cost more.

But now, not sure it is worth if, unless you want to have the setup for SHTF.

10xclean · May 3, 2018

Bullet swaging... RCBS

RCBS - Rock Chucker Bullet Swager - this is how they got started. making the rock chucker press and some dies for guys to turn .22 rimfire into jackets for .24 bullets. Those old dies are worth a ton of money now. Corbin is now the way to go for this and as everyone has pointed out... not cheap.

Swaging bullets...who does it

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