Swaging Hollow Points?

[32Special]

I've wondered about a die that could be used with a single stage press to swage a HP in an existing cast bullet. I've also wondered about a nose punch that could fit in a standard RCBS lube/sizer that could swage in a HP. The idea would be to push the presized/lubed bullet into the size die with a standard nose punch, then swap out the nose punch for one with a hardened/pointed tool to swage in the HP. Then, eject the bullet using the normal manner.

Anybody make anything like this? I thought of asking Lathesmith if he had ever tried to make such a thing.

Speaking of Lathesmith, I got my Star sizing dies/nose punches/die removal tool and they all work great. Will use the new size dies here in a few minutes.

[Dale53]

Corbon might be willing to make such a die set. It would cost more than a little bit, I would imagine...

Dale53

[beagle]

It's a feasible project.

Back in the old days before my HPing days, we took sized and lubed 358156s and swaged a HP in them on an old Swageomatic. Didn't take very much effort. We used the lubed bullets to keep the grooves from collapsing.

No reason a simple die couldn't be made for a single stage press to do the same thing./beagle

[MT Gianni]

Acording to Corbin's writing one of the differences between swage presses and reloading/lube presses is alignment. Much more in line and true than a load press. Wheter that is marketing or not remains to be seen. It would be neat if it worked.

[beagle]

The way the Swage-O-Matic was set up, very little alignment was involved.

No reason a Rockchucker or other single stage press couldn't be adapted. The bullet fit up into the SOM and the ram did the swaging and the bullet was ejected./beagle

[crazy mark]

I've machined top punches for my RCBS sizer that will leave a 1/8 to 3/16" depression in my cast bullets. Made properly it doesn't deform the boolit, just leaves a small hole in the end. Deeper holes rquire the TP center pin to be tapered. I have a couple that are adjustable in depth. Mark

[32Special]

Yes!! That is what I'm talking about! Seat the bullet in the lube die with a standard top punch, then switch to the HP top punch to swage in a HP!!

I think it would be best if the outside diameter of the TP barely fit inside the sizer to assure alignment. I picture a TP that is a short, say .354" cylinder with a 3/16" tapered punch end contacting the bullet nose. It could be used on any nominally 38/9mm caliber bullet.

[Castnshoot]

I wouldn't mind one of these...

[Tedbytes]

Your keys words on your question are "existing cast bullet". Cast bullets unless the alloy is dictated by you as pure soft lead , are difficult to swage or form easily without tons of pressure. This pressure cannot be replicated in any standard Lyman,RCBS or Star lubrisizer. I have had great success by using the loaded round,weighing this loaded round, and chucking it into a Forster case trimmer lathe using their "George" hollow pointing drill bit and adapter for the Forster trimmer. They make a 1/8" and 1/16" drill bit for this hand or drill powered adapter. Drill slow as heat will melt your displaced lead and not allow a decent cleanly drilled hollow cavity. After drilling,re weight the loaded round and subtracted the difference in grains from the bullet you chose.Further adjustment of additional powder charges can be altered for the new bullet weight. Record your depths. Hollowpoint molds by Lyman or Lee would be another route as swaging is too costly now and not worth the effort with today's low cost affordable Speer and Hornady pre swaged factory bullets. Today's bullet cores are more costly than jacketed bullets unless you wish to advertise the fact they are home made!

[bhn22]

It's a 6-1/2 year old thread. The OP hasn't been here in five years.