March 2018, Contest topic: Swaging

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

March 2018
Swaging
If You Mash Lead into Cylinders ! This area dedicated to "Swagerman" James E. Evitts for his tireless pursuits in the craft. RIP Jim.


Let's see the Projectiles, the Presses, the dies, the targets?




New contest format. New rules. See link for rules.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?243175-Rules-amended-02-02-2017&p=2797390#post2797390








I am using the individual forum titles as the monthly topics (going from the top down).

[Walter Laich]

doesn't seem to be a popular topic

[Jrod]

doesn't seem to be a popular topic

Yes yes

[Liberty1776]

Okay, I'll bite.

Using a technique explained and demonstrated by mannyca on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC2Ad3k3kgg I made some 240 grain .44 jacketed bullets from .40 S&W brass.

They work. Just be sure to anneal the .40 S&W cases to make them really soft. You don't want your barrel worn out by overly hard brass. I have some Tempilaq heat-sensing paint on order that I can use to make sure the brass has reached annealing temp.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H4USIMA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I made up a process display board to explain the sequence. Use a strong press like a cast iron Rock Chucker. The process is pretty easy, really.

235473

The kicker? A guy at my local gun shop found one of my expended brass cases splayed like a daisy and brought it back to the gun shop. He asked the guys there "What is this?!"

I had told the guys what I was doing and they said, "Hey! I know who made that!"

Later I showed up at the shop and they showed me the .40 S&W case all splayed out. I showed them what I had done.

All you need is raw lead slugs from a 175-gr Lee mold ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPRDG4/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) that you swage into a .40 S&W case that's been annealed and trimmed to .700". You swage these into a 7mm Mauser sizing die that has the decapper removed using the ram from a Lee .429 push-through sizing die.

Be sure to lube the case well using a lanolin/beeswax/castor oil mix that comes out like peanut butter.

[no34570]

Okay, I'll bite.

Using a technique explained and demonstrated by mannyca on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC2Ad3k3kgg I made some 240 grain .44 jacketed bullets from .40 S&W brass.

They work. Just be sure to anneal the .40 S&W cases to make them really soft. You don't want your barrel worn out by overly hard brass. I have some Tempilaq heat-sensing paint on order that I can use to make sure the brass has reached annealing temp.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H4USIMA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I made up a process display board to explain the sequence. Use a strong press like a cast iron Rock Chucker. The process is pretty easy, really.

235473

The kicker? A guy at my local gun shop found one of my expended brass cases splayed like a daisy and brought it back to the gun shop. He asked the guys there "What is this?!"

I had told the guys what I was doing and they said, "Hey! I know who made that!"

Later I showed up at the shop and they showed me the .40 S&W case all splayed out. I showed them what I had done.

All you need is raw lead slugs from a 175-gr Lee mold ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPRDG4/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) that you swage into a .40 S&W case that's been annealed and trimmed to .700". You swage these into a 7mm Mauser sizing die that has the decapper removed using the ram from a Lee .429 push-through sizing die.

Be sure to lube the case well using a lanolin/beeswax/castor oil mix that comes out like peanut butter.

Well done,I like that.
I have a 44mag in a lever-action rifle that digests bullets like it is going out of fashion,I would love to be able to make my own like that,good one mate ;-)

[oldrodder]

I swage 3 calibres: .224" from 22 RF brass, .429" from .40S&W brass and .358" from .30M1 brass. The 3 presses are all RCBS Rock Chuckers and the .224 dies are old Ted Smith from the early '70s.
The .38's & .44's are swaged in '70s era C-H dies.

https://i.imgur.com/j1CMFfFl.jpg
The photo above shows the steps to swaging the .38 bullet, from right to left, core, trimmed .30M1 jacket, seated core and complete bullet.

https://i.imgur.com/GY5mGsrl.jpg

This photo shows the .44 bullets and the .224 slugs. For these i use full lenght brass.