Odd question swaging projectiles down for use in other calibers??

[DustinP]

I'm new to reloading, and I'm looking into loading .44mag for use in a desert eagle... Jacket 45 Cal slugs are cheap enough to obtain but can they be swagged to .429 safely from .45? If so do I use regular load data from there or are their any specific things to take into account. I'd just cast some good ole lead like for my .38, but with the deagles gas system that's not an option, and I don't wanna risk damaging a $1200+ gun with powder coated boolits. Anyone here have experience with this or even desert eagles specifically?
I am and have been under the supervision of a veteran reloader that has taught me a great deal and I ran this idea by him and isn't sure what to think, he recommended just ordering jacketed .429 projectiles.

[Traffer]

One way to find out...stick one in the die and see if you can squish it.

[JimB..]

I’m no expert, but sounds like this would be a very expensive lesson.

Better to swage old .40 S&W cal brass and a pure cast lead bullet as the core.

[am44mag]

You're going to be sizing .451" bullets to .429", which is a lot for a cast bullet let alone a jacketed bullet. It is possible, but I don't think you're going to want to go down that route if you're just wanting to save a few bucks. You are going to need several different sizing dies to do it in stages, it's going to take awhile to do for each bullet, and your arm is probably going to be killing you by the time you do 100. There are certainly presses and tools that can make this easier, but the cost to get this is going to be far more than you'd probably ever save unless you shoot a LOT.

A lot of people use cast in their Desert Eagles without any issues, and I don't see how powder coated bullets would be any different. Alternatively, you can get 44 cal plated bullets for slightly more than lead, but less than jacketed. Use cast bullet data for them.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0003700207/44-caliber-point429-diameter-240-grain-flat-nose-plated-500-count

You can always get into actual jacketed bullet swaging and make your own jacketed bullets. It's expensive to get into, but it might be worth it to you.

[GhostHawk]

I'm with JimB.

And I do those regularly with nothing more expensive than an old RCBS .270 winchester die with the depriming rod removed, some cast .357 bullets from 125 to 158 gr, and old punch, and a hammer.

I will say get a Lee .430 size die, use it to size your once fired .40sw brass.

Anything that drops through with no push required is going to be a bit small, set them aside for reloading.

Anything that takes a nice push is just right to swage into .44mag/.444marlin bullets.

Last step is to run completed bullet back through the size die. Just for piece of mind.

[Texas by God]

Just purchase jacketed bullets.

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[sharps4590]

Sounds like a dollar waitin' on a dime to me.

[Wayne Smith]

Springback. Lead doesn't, brass does. You will have lose jackets on your bullets.

[country gent]

As stated the jackets will loosen do to spring back. also the force it takes to reform the solid projectile will be tremendous way past most reloading presses. It will be a several step process and even then bullets may be sub standard. once sized down to .429 the slugs will need to be ran thru the point form die to reform the point and tighten the core in the jacket again. This may or may not seat the core back out to the jacket tightly. In swaging the core is seated before the nose is formed it is pressed in tightly and the jacket slightly expanded then the nose is formed.

Given the amount of work and results It would be better to swage bullets from scratch and have full control. purchase the jackets and lead core wire and do it

[Traffer]

I had one he** of a job just swaging the rebate for 22lr on some .223 jacketed bullets. I can't imagine how hard it would be to swage that much diameter with a jacketed bullet.

[DustinP]

Alright thanks guys as I said I'm new to it, I'll probably give the 40s&w case a shot, because I has a small pile of them I don't plan to load.. looks like it might just be easier to get jacketed 429's I was kinda liking the idea of fmj 44 mag ammo though lol. Seems like the ole man was right.

[bdicki]

Before the 40 S&W and 10mm came out I got a die set to swage 41 mag bullets to 401 for a 38-40. It pushed the jacket back making a small hollow base about 1/16 inch deep. After swaging the 41 mag bullets down .010 inches I can't imagine swaging .023 inch when you can buy the correct bullets for the same price or cheaper.