floodgate
01-01-2008, 12:39 PM
Guys:
After checking out the C-H Swag-O-Matic (thanks, Sundog) and Herters Bullet Maker (thanks, ldh!) swaging presses, dies and accessories gleaned fom this Board and elsewhere, I have decided to go with the C-H setup, and therefore will be offering a complete swaging "starter kit" based on the Herters "Super Bullet Maker" (with Xeroxed instructions) for .38/.357 half-jacket bullets, including the press, a heavy-duty Herters micrometer core cutter, one die set, and enough Speer copper half jackets and .300" lead wire to make approximately 250 bullets, as seen here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/floodgate/P1010001.jpg
The 10-lb cast iron press, though it has a 7/8" x 14 thread, is NOT also suitable for reloading, due to the ram configuration and the relatively short stroke. It has been disassembled. cleaned, inspected and checked out to be in good, serviceable condition (someday, for extended use, the roll pins used as toggle pivots could stand to be replaced by solid, hardened dowels). It can be used with the C-H Swag-O-Matic die sets (I have checked this out with the actual hardware) in .30, 9mm (.355"), .38/.357, .44, .45ACP (.452") and .45Colt (.454") (some of which are still available from C-H/4-D, and are also frequently found on eBay), as well as the somewhat scarcer original Herters dies, though I would not recommend mixing parts - e.g., a Herters base die and ejector with a C-H nose punch, or vice-versa. The Herters dies supplied with this set produce a stubby RN with a SWC shoulder:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/floodgate/P1010002-2.jpg
and length and weight are adjustable over a considerable range. (A second, home-made nose punch for a "button-nose" SWC will be included, it fits the base die OK, but needs work to make it release the bullet freely, probably requiring careful setup in a 4-jaw chuck, as it is machined slightly off-center - this is a "freebie", just for fun).
The Herters core cutter is a massive (5-lb.) unit that feeds from above, is micrometer adjustable for core length/weight, and mounts to the edge of the bench (as shown to the left in the first photo) with the handle swinging from center to 45* left to cut the cores; there is a screw from which a metal or plastic cup can be hung to catch the cut cores, but this is not included. The cutter die set is marked "6.5[mm?]", but has been professionally opened out to freely accept 0.300" wire and cuts very cleanly. The set includes an opened box of 250+/- Speer copper half-jackets in .38 caliber, .240" long, and enough of the .300" wire (approx. 7+/- lbs.) to make approximately 250 bullets in the 150-175 grain range. Because these are single-stage dies, the excess lead bleed hole in the side of the base die limits jacket height in this die set to about .250"; other sets may differ in this respect. (Of course, you could also use this setup to REALLY seat gas checks!). A small bottle of C-H die lube will be included (not shown in the photos), to be applied VERY sparingly to jacket exterior and core, and not at all to the nose punch interior. Because of the exposed lead above the HJ, some leading can occur with these bullets; perhaps LLA or JPW would be of benefit here, and other sources recommend the similar "rooster jacket" lube or equivalent from C-H or the Corbins.
Price: I will set a minimum of $90.00 (to include shipping of approx. 30 lbs. via Priority Mail, insured), and will accept bids starting from this figure until midnight, Board time (GMT) Saturday, January 12. All bids are to be made TO THIS THREAD POST, and posting times will be the bid screening factor (but I will accept questions or requests for further info via PM). The winner's payment is to be sent direct to GunLoad Master Willy, for him to distribute as he sees fit between Board expenses and support to 45Nut (Board owner chevyken); I will ship on Willy's notification that payment has been received - we will NOT hold for check clearance (if we can't trust you-all, who inny'ell CAN we trust?).
Sorry to be so "bureaucratic" (but then, I WAS a bureaucrat in my previous incarnation!); I just want to get everything up front, so nobody gets stuck with a "pig in a poke".
Doug Elliott / aka "floodgate"
After checking out the C-H Swag-O-Matic (thanks, Sundog) and Herters Bullet Maker (thanks, ldh!) swaging presses, dies and accessories gleaned fom this Board and elsewhere, I have decided to go with the C-H setup, and therefore will be offering a complete swaging "starter kit" based on the Herters "Super Bullet Maker" (with Xeroxed instructions) for .38/.357 half-jacket bullets, including the press, a heavy-duty Herters micrometer core cutter, one die set, and enough Speer copper half jackets and .300" lead wire to make approximately 250 bullets, as seen here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/floodgate/P1010001.jpg
The 10-lb cast iron press, though it has a 7/8" x 14 thread, is NOT also suitable for reloading, due to the ram configuration and the relatively short stroke. It has been disassembled. cleaned, inspected and checked out to be in good, serviceable condition (someday, for extended use, the roll pins used as toggle pivots could stand to be replaced by solid, hardened dowels). It can be used with the C-H Swag-O-Matic die sets (I have checked this out with the actual hardware) in .30, 9mm (.355"), .38/.357, .44, .45ACP (.452") and .45Colt (.454") (some of which are still available from C-H/4-D, and are also frequently found on eBay), as well as the somewhat scarcer original Herters dies, though I would not recommend mixing parts - e.g., a Herters base die and ejector with a C-H nose punch, or vice-versa. The Herters dies supplied with this set produce a stubby RN with a SWC shoulder:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/floodgate/P1010002-2.jpg
and length and weight are adjustable over a considerable range. (A second, home-made nose punch for a "button-nose" SWC will be included, it fits the base die OK, but needs work to make it release the bullet freely, probably requiring careful setup in a 4-jaw chuck, as it is machined slightly off-center - this is a "freebie", just for fun).
The Herters core cutter is a massive (5-lb.) unit that feeds from above, is micrometer adjustable for core length/weight, and mounts to the edge of the bench (as shown to the left in the first photo) with the handle swinging from center to 45* left to cut the cores; there is a screw from which a metal or plastic cup can be hung to catch the cut cores, but this is not included. The cutter die set is marked "6.5[mm?]", but has been professionally opened out to freely accept 0.300" wire and cuts very cleanly. The set includes an opened box of 250+/- Speer copper half-jackets in .38 caliber, .240" long, and enough of the .300" wire (approx. 7+/- lbs.) to make approximately 250 bullets in the 150-175 grain range. Because these are single-stage dies, the excess lead bleed hole in the side of the base die limits jacket height in this die set to about .250"; other sets may differ in this respect. (Of course, you could also use this setup to REALLY seat gas checks!). A small bottle of C-H die lube will be included (not shown in the photos), to be applied VERY sparingly to jacket exterior and core, and not at all to the nose punch interior. Because of the exposed lead above the HJ, some leading can occur with these bullets; perhaps LLA or JPW would be of benefit here, and other sources recommend the similar "rooster jacket" lube or equivalent from C-H or the Corbins.
Price: I will set a minimum of $90.00 (to include shipping of approx. 30 lbs. via Priority Mail, insured), and will accept bids starting from this figure until midnight, Board time (GMT) Saturday, January 12. All bids are to be made TO THIS THREAD POST, and posting times will be the bid screening factor (but I will accept questions or requests for further info via PM). The winner's payment is to be sent direct to GunLoad Master Willy, for him to distribute as he sees fit between Board expenses and support to 45Nut (Board owner chevyken); I will ship on Willy's notification that payment has been received - we will NOT hold for check clearance (if we can't trust you-all, who inny'ell CAN we trust?).
Sorry to be so "bureaucratic" (but then, I WAS a bureaucrat in my previous incarnation!); I just want to get everything up front, so nobody gets stuck with a "pig in a poke".
Doug Elliott / aka "floodgate"