Thinking about swaging and have some questions

I'm thinking again about swaging again primarily for PCP airguns and muzzle loading for long range paper patch. My initial question is after doing some searching is Corbin the go to source for presses and dies? I ran across some information about a press that's available from Europe but compared to Corbin they seem pretty pricey. What tooling do you prefer? Are the delivery times still as long as they were for Corbin dies?
It looks like I can use a basic Corbin press and dies for .30 cal so how much should I expect to spend for the initial outlay. I'm already set up for casting and have 50 plus years experience so I can cast my own blanks for swaging. Thanks for any replies and all information.

If it was me, I would make sure whatever I buy will make jacketed bullets for the calibers I shoot a lot. There may come a time when being able to make jacketed bullets will be necessary.

Most of us here already cast our lead bullets. This would include what you use. Swaging,, as noted above,, should be a set-up for making jacketed bullets as well as whatever lead bullets you'd use.

Corbin is probably the best known name,, but shopping around might get you other brands. I don't know if BT Sniper offers the stuff you need for your primary purposes.

I do not have a clue about anything from Europe. I prefer to keep my $$ here in the USA & buy USA made stuff whenever possible.

I second the idea about staying domestic on your press and die purchases because if you get trapped into something that is off shore, you might end up the proverbial creek.

Three44s

If you plan on swaging just lead and not making jacketed bullets you may be able to use a single die for a heavier duty loading press. Keep an eye on Corbin's site. He has a want ads section and you can get a good deal on used equipment sometimes. Also, keep an eye on E-Bay.

If buying new from Dave Corbin, you should expect to pay North of $1500.00, for a complete setup with a three die jacked bullet setup.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sasquatch-1

If you plan on swaging just lead and not making jacketed bullets you may be able to use a single die for a heavier duty loading press. Keep an eye on Corbin's site. He has a want ads section and you can get a good deal on used equipment sometimes. Also, keep an eye on E-Bay.

If buying new from Dave Corbin, you should expect to pay North of $1500.00, for a complete setup with a three die jacked bullet setup.

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And "Wait Time" is approaching 1 year if not currently in stock.

GONRA sez - warm up yer Cheque Book and get a basement machine shoppe....
(Screw Cutting Lathe with a LEAD SCREW.....)

Thanks GONRA,

I have a 13 x 40 gear head lathe and a mill in my shop now and was kind of hoping for another reason to buy some more tooling. LOL The input so far about the European swaging press pretty well lines up with what I have been thinking. Typically I try to spend my dollars here in the States to keep the money at home but was curious if anyone on the forum had gone this route or not? I'm certainly not opposed to buying a used Corbin press and will take a look at the want ads on the Corbin site. Once I have a die in hand wouldn't have a problem making my own. I make all of my own sizing dies for my Star lube sizer now anyway but haven't had a chance to look at a Corbin die. Thanks for the input guys and if you think of anything else to add I would appreciate it. More or less this thread has pushed me a closer to going with a Corbin or other American made press.

Investigate Larry Blackmon of Bullet Swaging and Supply in Monroe Louisiana!
Hid dies will work in a Rock Chucker press!

If you do not have an early model Rock Chucker with the large ram then it will be cheaper to get his little aluminum press. His dies screw into the ram.

I'll do some more checking around before making a decision. All of the suggestions have been great and given me dome new directions to check in. I knew this would be the place to find the answers that I have been
looking for.

David Corbin is over a $1000 for presses and about $1500 for die sets. $2500 initial setup. BT Sniper is about $1500 for die sets. . Around $2000 initial setup. They both make excellent products and I have bought from both years ago when they were a little more reasonable on prices. Certain things I still buy from them now.

Richard Corbin (RCE) is much more reasonable with pricing and ships fast if it is in stock (just like everyone else). Presses are about $400+ to $500+ and dies sets about $500+ per caliber. Some presses have a short stroke for swaging, and a long stroke for reloading. You have to check his website regularly for what is in stock. It changes, but he does publish what is in stock. Initial setup $1000 with Walnut Hill press, or about $850 if you can use a Sea Girt press. He has in stock today, Walnut Hill press $499 and full lead (no jacketed bullet) die set in 379 caliber with 2 point form dies (paper patch set) for only $275. $775 initial setup. You could add a point form die only ($230) and squish a bigger caliber, or a caliber reducing die (Lee $25) and reduce to make smaller calibers. You could have a 4 caliber setup for making lead only paper patch bullets only with 2 point form options (round nose or flat point) and an infinite selection of bullet weights for under $1000.

RCE dies are more robust than most others (7/8" thread/1" main body as opposed to Dave Corbin 5/8" thread larger body and BT Sniper more or less straight 7/8"). I find workmanship on Richard Corbin dies to be second to none, and I own dies and punches made by Dave Corbin, BT Sniper, Herters, and others. I have a RCE Walnut Hill press (available in stock now) and a set of RCE 308 dies I have had for years. RCE presses are also more robust that just about any other hand press. I just bought a 308 Rebated Boattail die set to add to my 308 set. I just purchased 375 die set with multiple point form dies, a 379 die set, a 458 die set, 223 die set, and multiple jacket makers (458, 375, 358, 355, 40, and 45acp all at around $80+ each), all shipped in less than a week or so. Richard told me last week he is working on a big batch of 308 dies. RCE often includes core seating punches with his jacket makers, often HP and Solid tip, that is a premium jacket maker die, push punch, and one or two core seat punches all for around $80, which is a GREAT value. His point form dies are around $200+. With Richard Corbin's reasonable prices (about 1/3 what others charge) and equal or superior quality compared to most others, it can make a lot of sense money wise to swage. With availability being sporadic, prices high, and sometimes selection limitations in factory bullets today, I love the fact that me and mine for generations to come can make everything from shot filled safety slugs, in any caliber, that won't over penetrate in home defense scenarios, to big bore super penetrator, welded core, high antimony solids for the biggest, baddest thick skinned dangerous game on the planet, and everything in between. I can place cannelures wherever I please along the bullet depending on load density and other factors. I can use 22lr cases for 223 jackets at a price of around $100 for 15,000 (not a typo) and other available and inexpensive fired cases for every other rifle and pistol jacket I shoot, and I shoot a lot of different calibers in both rifle and pistol. Of course the same equipment can use more expensive factory jackets, or with additional dies, copper tubing jackets.

All totaled, swaging makes all the sense in the world to me. In 10 - 20 years, there will be those who bought all the swaging gear they could while there were still people alive who knew how to make it and sell it, and those who wished they had. I am not just buying for the years I have left, but for my children and grandchildren to be assured of enjoying shooting sports I taught them to love with the firearms and equipment I leave them.

Thanks for the information rolltide999. That was a very informative write up. At this point my only interest is in projectiles for airguns and paper patched lead for a PH Whitworth and Volunteer so it would appear that by sticking to lead only the die sets are quite a bit cheaper. I was able to locate a picture of a lead forming die set and will probably make my own given the cost and I'll be checking all of those options that you mentioned. The RCE option is by far the most attractive price wise and I've read some positive reviews of his equipment. I really like the idea of self sufficiency especially now.

GONRA got the largest Corbin hand press CSP-2, waaay back before 2008 ......
>>> Hasa 1 1/2 X 12 Threaded die hole, NOT 5/8. <<<
Made a cup stripper for it,
.50 BMG INTERIOR post (WON'T SCREW UP RIMS! !!) primer pocket swage,
double acting die set for 9mm Soviet Berdan primer top foil from 3 ml Al sheet,
etc. etc.

I've been talking with Richard at RCE via email and getting some more details on a Walnut Hill-2 press and a set of dies to start making some .30 cal boolits for my PCP airguns. The Sea Girt press is not that much cheaper and for the difference in cost it looks like the WH-2 is the way to go.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GONRA

GONRA got the largest Corbin hand press CSP-2, waaay back before 2008 ......
>>> Hasa 1 1/2 X 12 Threaded die hole, NOT 5/8. <<<
Made a cup stripper for it,
.50 BMG INTERIOR post (WON'T SCREW UP RIMS! !!) primer pocket swage,
double acting die set for 9mm Soviet Berdan primer top foil from 3 ml Al sheet,
etc. etc.

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Wow, That is great. I thought those big dies were only for the hydraulic press. That is impressive.