22 rim fire cases into .224's.....

[hershey]

this is a new discovery to me, but as i researched it, i realized it has been around quite a while.

tooling up to do this looks pricey, at least on the corbin sight, tooling up to do castings has been realatively cheap so far....

my question is for the .224 boolits (i have over 10,000 empty cases right now), can i get good results from straight casting of lead into .224 boolits, then add gas checks, or am i further ahead buying pre-made boolits off gunbroker etc., or is this swaging technology worth pursueing? i saw a start up expense getting near $800 for just the tooling, do i need to keep looking as others brands have more inexpensive equiptment or is that on par for that type of product.

i do have a good source of .22 cases, a local boy scout camp has 5 gallon buckets of it that i can have at scrap brass price, and i have had good luck finding lead at less than 50 cents a pound.

i have bought the surplus (pulled) 62gr bullets in the past and found them acceptable, but i am dependent on an outside source, not self sufficient, which is not totally relavant as i am still dependent on others for primer and powder, but i am truelly curious if this is worth pursueing....

in general links to other sights would help, and your comments are very welcome, i don't see to many guys getting roughed up on this sight and i really appreciate that.

[GrizzLeeBear]

might want to check out the swaging forum below.

[HeavyMetal]

What your looking for is "justification" and "return on investment". Good luck with that.

If you do some looking ( check the swaging form) you can find "drawing tools" that are designed to fit standard 7/8 14 press's. At one time I thought Corbin had a set up for the other press's in the world but he might not any more.

I do know CH made some as did other you'll just have to look around.

The swaging guys will have the "skinny" on this.

[OLPDon]

The Price of the tooling for J 224 from Corbin is as you have noted pricey around $800.00 is just a bit tooooooo steep. Take the brass you have sell it to the junk man. Casting the little boogers takes a bit of learning, however casting is almost as fun as shooting. I liken casting 224 with sucess as to being a scrach golfer if you can keepem in the 10 ring. The money you save by casting over shelling out the big $$$$$ to corbin.

If you realy need them j boolits you can buy a lifetime with half the cost of a corbin setup.

As a short note the $$$$$ I have spent on moulds, bottom pours, sizers, ect. I have got beyond the money saving aspect surly in my lifetime but saving money when it comes to hobbies and passions don't go well together.

Well anyway welcome to your new addition, have fun with it and just remember you proly would have pissed away the money on Food Clothing, and Gas, anyway.
Don

[hershey]

thanx OLPDon, that was kinda what my thoughts were, i am still going to look into it more but i don't see a practical money reason to pursue it.

i agree, by the time i get done traveling the reloading/casting road, i will have allot of $$$ tied up, but i have bought the lee 9mm and 45 acp moulds, handles, 2 ingot molds, cut the top off an obsolete propane tank, dug the turkey fryer out of the garage, raided my wife kitchen (for a ladle etc.), i think all i need yet is a thermometer and some experience to start casting, and my wallet is not bleeding bad yet at all. i definately feel a return investment will be realized.

i asked about the practicality of casting .224 once before and did not feel allot of encouragement overflowing from people doing it sucessfully, i don't need outstanding accuracy, but want to know that if the groundhog don't fall over at 200yds its my fault, not the bullets.

[OLPDon]

Hershey

Accuracy is a goal we all Love to see on the paper target reaching out a touching a groundhog at 200 yrs is a thrill, and sure enough the misses make the hits all the more better. Boring it wont be, find out what the rifle will do on paper with cast then you can figure out if its you or the cast.

First find out what the rifle will do with the J boolits if the rifle does not perform well with them its pretty sure it wont do well with cast. Them little Boolits are affected more by wind and weather then most understand. I use to many yrs ago shoot smallbore comp. been to Camp Perry, and up and down the New England Coast. Them little Boolits can shoot fly's at 50 yrds but when you move up to Casting them and placing them ontop of a rather large container things change quite a bit. But just the sadisfaction of I did it myself is well worth the time, money, and heck the family can do it with ya the shooting part. Keep the wee ones away from the casting spilled hot lead leaves a lasting memory. Safty first and always!!!!!!

Keep us informed on the progress.
Don

[DLCTEX]

My first casting efforts in 22 cal. netted 2" groups at 100 yds with WDWW. The gas checks are a pain to seat, but this improves with experience and improvement of technique. As for tooling for swaging 22 rimfire cases, use the Lee push through die to form the case, you'll have to turn the punch down a little. Or to be proper get Lee to custom make one .223 dia. and have the pusher made to spec. This will beat Corbin's price by a country mile and will produce 10's of thousands before wearing out. You may get one of the machinists on the forum to make a swage die much cheaper than Corbin's price also. If you stick with one weight bullet, that is all thats needed besides a core cutter, which is easily fabricated from flat bar. DALE

[454PB]

I've been making my own swaged .224 bullets for about 20 years, using the Corbin jacket maker and swaging dies. The end result is not all that pretty, but they shoot as well as any commercial bullet I've tried. I've seen some people say they will "blow up" due to the thinness of fired 22 cases, but I've not had any problems up to 3600 fps in my 22/250.

The stickler is the time required. I figure about 2 hours of effort for each 100 bullets. I'm sure that could be reduced some through skipping some quality controls I use, but it a slow process. In the winter, I have a lot of time on my hands and enjoy doing this, but for a working man, he'd probably rather be hunting coyotes or gophers with his spare time.

Yes, the entire set up I have if purchased today from Corbin is right at $800. I don't do ebay, but maybe used gear could be found there. Had I not fallen into a really good price on this Corbin gear, I promise you I would not spend $800 on it to start today. I'd rather own $800 worth of moulds and casting equipment.

[HORNET]

You might want to check with the Bullshop Boys (BS Jr and crew). They were selling swaged .224's made from rimfire cases for a very reasonably price and might be open to some swapping for a steady supply of cases. Me? I cast LOTS of .22's.

[nicholst55]

Dp a bit more research - you can get set up to swage .224 bullets for less than what Dave Corbin charges. Check out his brother, RIchard's website.

http://www.rceco.com/