Swaging costs

[Beekeeper]

Well I guess I have reached that point.
Do stocks, repairs,cast my own and now am thinking about swaging!
I know this is the wrong question to ask but about what would it cost to get started on the cheap?
Is there anyone out there that has tried and found it wasn't their cup of tea?
How about some for and against posts.


survivalists Dad

[shooterg]

Jacketed pistol( and some rifle) bullets can be produced with dies from CH($130) that will work in your current sturdy reloading press. Cheapest(I think) way to start making .224 bullets are the dies/press/press conversion from Larry Blackmon($520 and up). He also makes dies for about any caliber you may want at a much lower cost than Corbin dies.
It ain't cheap ! But so far it's a lotta fun - I've spent about $800 on dies and a used Corbin press, and made about $100 worth of bullets so far(figuring at 10 cents each) ! But I WILL live long enough to break even/get ahead(I hope !). The press can be justified in it's own right,as it adapts for "regular" single stage loading. Jackets are a big expense, I'm still using .22 casings for the .224 bullets, and a forum member here has shown how to use .40 S & W cases for .44 magnum jackets. Next time I break the piggy bank, it'll be to get some .30 caliber dies. Like casting, swaging quickly becomes it's own addiction.

[lunicy]

You wanna teach the rest of us how to use .40 cases for .44 jackets. I am interested.

[merrden]

Hi got a link for Larry? I know of another things started out good but our communication and relations are not doing so well at present. I have spent $1600.00 already with him, a few single purchases and another bulk buy and am barely able to start work. I need a jacket trimmer and better core source or molds. Have 7 sets of dies still need .224, .265, .285, .311/12, .323, .365. plus spitzer punches and a RN for the 30s. Please advise

[shooterg]

Merrden, Mr. Blackmon's contact info:
Bullet Swaging Supply, Inc.
PO Box 1056
West Monroe, LA 71291
leblackmon@colla.com

Lunicy, look up thread from kawalekm, he posted pics of his .40 S & W jackets. Pretty much anneal 'em, seat core, and form.

[z4lunch]

Steve here... newbee
What about the cost to get into just swaging lead pistol bullets
Thanks

[Buckshot]

Steve here... newbee
What about the cost to get into just swaging lead pistol bullets
Thanks

............Hello Steve, and welcome to the board. Swaging lead pistol boolits 'might' be less expensive then jacketed only due to the simpler equipment required, or let's say 'Less' equipment required.

What you're paying for, has $$$$ associated with it the same exact way guys seeking horsepower, speed, or accuracy pay for. In the case of swaging equipment you're paying for material, but mostly it's accurate machining. Not only do you want the die to produce a slug to the OD you want, but in the forming process you do not want lead extruding past the ram or nosepunch. Due to the pressures involved in cold forming you're talking some tight clearances.

There is in addition to swaging what I call 'Bumping'. If you want a lead pistol or rifle boolit with grease grooves to come out of a simple swage die, the boolit will have to have lube grooves on it when it goes into the die. You lube-size it first, to fill the lube grooves and then it goes into the bump, or swage die. I prefer 'Bump' as the term for this as we're really not altering much of anything other then the slug's OD. In a die such as this you could also add a HP, and on a PB slug you could add a cupped or HB.

The only way to truly swage a featureless lead slug in a simple swage die and have have lube grooves is to add them after swaging in the die. The soft lead WC's offered by various manufacturer's have the lube grooves rolled on and then they're commonly dip lubed.

.................Buckshot

[RANGER RICK]

Merrden, Mr. Blackmon's contact info:
Bullet Swaging Supply, Inc.
PO Box 1056
West Monroe, LA 71291
leblackmon@colla.com

Lunicy, look up thread from kawalekm, he posted pics of his .40 S & W jackets. Pretty much anneal 'em, seat core, and form.


Does Larry make more than gas checks like Jackets ??

RR

[shooterg]

Mr. Blackmon lists jackets in varying lengths from 7mm through .45 @$45 to $70 per 1000 on last list I have.

[RANGER RICK]

Mr. Blackmon lists jackets in varying lengths from 7mm through .45 @$45 to $70 per 1000 on last list I have.

Thanks for the information.

Where can one buy .500 DIA jackets ??
I talked to the gal at Corbins and the biggest they make is for the 45 cal but she did offer to set me up to make my own !!!! Another couple thousand and I can do it .
I have already spent a small fortune on dies , press and other goodies .

I did get some jackets from Harrell Hairfield (Butch) but can't seem to reach him on the net ??
I have tried a couple times over the last 4 months .

Any information will be great .

Thanks

RR