Anyone ever swage jacketed 22 bullets???

[magnumwheelman]

Moving my Retired tool & die buddies equipment out of his basement to my fabricator buddies new home shop, I'm seeing / re-seeing lots of stuff... last night "retired" was trying to talk me into taking his stuff for swaging 22 bullets... he has ( I think ) a big roll of .20" - .25" soft lead wire, & several big boxes of spent 22 rim fire cases, & the tooling to stuff the lead wire into the spent 22 cases, & swage them into jacketed bullets... I'm interested to learn more, & will be back there tonight... just curious if anyone here has done similar???

[gamsek]

I use Corbin CSP-1 press and Corbin set of dies. Been using it for last 12y. Equipment is usually expensive but with it, you have unlimited supply of 40 -60grs .224” bullets.

I stoped buying lead wire, I cast my cores with MP mold. Much faster and cheaper then cutting lead wire etc. If you need some literature (Corbin manual nr 9) PM me your email and I will send it to you.

Accuracy is totally comparable to Sierra MK. But a lot to learn about. That manual will help if you are interested.

[magnumwheelman]

Thanks... I sure he made all his own dies, but the read would still be pertinent... if I decide to pick it up from him, I'll let you know...

When you're casting, are you casting pure lead or a normal casting alloy???

[gamsek]

Yes, pure lead is recommended. Can’t swage anything above BHN 10 if I remember correctly. Those 48grs cores are cast. Swage core to desired weight (or just use 48grs) add 10grs for a rimfire jacket and you get total weight.

[magnumwheelman]

Very Cool... have you noticed any difference between brands of rim fire cases???

[gamsek]

Once you set your point forming die (final step) it’s best to use one brand of cases. 90% of what I have is Lapua. Not a big difference between Lapua, RWS, CCI, Fiocchi, except Federal - has less internal volume so I use them separately.

[jgt]

Swaging dies are very expensive. You would do well to get these as they were probably made by someone who made them with precision since he made them for personal use. If you are his friend he is more than likely making you a fantastic deal on them compared to the cost on the open market. The plus is you do not have the long wait involved in receiving them.
I do not swage .22 but do swage .308 and .429 bullets. They shoot much better than bullets you can buy. My eyesight has gone south with age but I once shot one ragged hole with a Freedom Arms model 83 and my bullets. My model 700 in 30-06 will shoot well under an inch with them without any modifications done to the gun. I was using lead wire made for fly fishing weights for the .308 bullet and cast my .429 cores in a single cavity core mold before swaging the cores to final weight and dimensions. For me, it was a bucket list item. I was fascinated by making my own bullets. In those days very few people other than bench rest shooters did it and they were few and far between. I met a bench rest shooter on the job once who made his own but he would not tell me where he got his dies. He said it was too expensive for the average shooter so I had no need to invest in them. I never understood his logic. When the internet came it gave people a way to find the craftsman who could supply them with the needed tools to do what they wanted to do. He was right about the expense but not about who should be able to obtain the tools. Swaging is like any other process involving tools. If a person does not use common sense when using these tools he can break some very expensive precision tools/dies. Used as designed they will last a lifetime and provide excellent bullets to their user.

[magnumwheelman]

Pulled a whole bunch of thicker diameter lead wire out of the rafters, while pulling out steel

[nicholst55]

There's a lot of information on this subject in the Swaging subforum over at Cast Boolits. At least one member there makes and sells dies and other equipment. I have been threatening to get set up for this, but have yet to take the plunge. If you have to buy the dies and other equipment, you'll need to shoot a LOT of bullets to amortize the cost of equipment.

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

[jgt]

There is more than one way to look at bullet swaging, bullet casting, and reloading. We recently came through a period where ammunition was sky high if you could find it and non-existent in some circumstances. You can look at strictly cost. Or, you can look at it from a capability issue. When you can make your own bullets and load your cartridges, your main problem becomes primers and powder. When those are bought in bulk and stored properly, they can be rotated in a manor to keep plenty on hand to see you through such crisis.

I experienced no problems during the shortage. I might add that it was not the first time something similar happened. It was the worst, and because of the panic buying, lasted longer. Now are the days to provide for yourself in a manor that protects you from the next big one. Those of us who enjoy loading, casting, and swaging have an easier time because we would do it anyway. That in no way stops anyone else from being prudent. I have purpose made swaging dies, but given the circumstances, I could take a spent cartridge case, and a hunk of lead and make a shootable bullet using common loading dies and components. It is a skill worth learning. It is not rocket science. I am too dumb to put pictures on a computer, so if you can do that, you could do this in your sleep.

[doninnh]

Oh well so much to do and so little time to do it

I bought a bunch of swaging stuff from a passed gunsmith at auction in Raton NM a couple of years ago but did not get enough to get started we missed out on a lot of bits and parts as the lots were mixed up. Having someone who knows what goes with what is worth it 's weigh and the learning curve smoothed out. I'm Trying to get setup to do some pressure testing as I have a barn full of electronic test equipment to use .My oldest is only 2 years away from retirement also want to do pressure testing so I GUESS THATS THE ROUTE WE are going
(god I hate this old worn out machine, My first one in 1951 used telephone stepper relays) Have a nice day Don K

[buttebob]

About 1995 I bought a set of Corbin dies for 22 cal., the dies for forming 22 jackets from fired 22 LR, the old Silver press, a core mold, a couple thousand jackets, and a few hundred cores and several Corbin manuals. I've never used it. IIRC I paid $75 for the lot. I guess now that I'm retired I should get busy and start making bullets. 

[jgt]

The first time you shoot a good group with bullets you made, you will probably be hooked. Besides casting/swaging is something to do when it is too nasty outside to enjoy shooting.