Swaging bullets for the 308 & 50 bmg

[lup]

I can't speak to making hunting bullets since I don't hunt dinosaurs.

For frangibles, I've been pressing graphite coated lead and tungsten shot into the jackets, point forming and using a plastic ball to close the end.

They're far less likely to ricochet which my ranges appreciate.

[Mayor]

The frangibles sound interesting.....
No dinosaurs here but three Hogs in the last couple of months weighing from 480 to 578 pounds. Multiple shots just to stop them and more than one coup de grace

I have a blind where I regularly see large pigs and I am itching to shoot one with the AR50. Not worrying about (or at least minimizing the worry about) the projectile after it passes through is of utmost importance to me.

How do you feel about selling me enough frangibles to wotk up some data with?

[Mayor]

lup

Ya there?

[BT Sniper]

I like where this is going! 7mm mag cases with rim turned of and filled with 600 grains of lead shot should do quite the number to a large hog

[Mayor]

I like where this is going! 7mm mag cases with rim turned of and filled with 600 grains of lead shot should do quite the number to a large hog

My thought exactly but I can't get replies to any of my inquiries here.
Shot 8 more hogs last night, finished each off with 12 gauge slugs (the Lyman "pellet" shaped ones) and found that when cast of WW and pushed to about 1400FPS they will shoot all the way through a 200 pounder............Fun as hell chasing them in the jeep with three guys shooting 10 round auto loading shotguns with bucksot though

[HHI 812]

I am looking for advice and/or ideas on a .510" bullet that would expand from a subsonic velocity for hunting. My cartridge uses a 50AE case, and I now shoot M33 BMG pulled bullets at subsonic for plinking.

[Gunnut 45/454]

I'm sorry but if your wanting cheap 50 BMG rounds the only option is to cast a GC Bullet. As been noted by all here producing a swagged bullet is big money anyway you cut it. Maybe go paper patched if you must get full velocity rounds.

[HHI 812]

Would paper patch stop leading on a pure soft lead bullet?

[Gunnut 45/454]

HHI812
Pure lead? Probably, but harder alloy most definately. A 50BMG full bore load is 2700 fps a harder alloy paper patched should be doable. In an automatic questionable after you heat the barrel up. You have to shoot a pretty hard bullet.

[midnight]

My experience with cast bullets in the BMG is with conventionally lubed ones. I have used both linotype and wheelweights. My linotype bullets will shoot <1 moa at 2100 fps. When I push them to 2300 fps, groups open up to about 4 moa at 100 yds. I tried wheel weight bullets at 2100 fps but couldn't keep 10 shots on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. The wheel weight bullet does not appear to be strong enough so I'm not sure a soft lead paper patched bullet would be strong enough either. My bullets range from 833gr to 965gr. Haven't shot the cast much since I started swaging a 12 s ojive bullet with 1.770 jackets from RCE. I make either a flat base or RBT, open tip or lead tip of from about 700 to 800 gr using a soft lead core. A hydraulic press is a must on a bullet this big. I use a RCE HydraSwage. Soon I will be making copper tubing jackets for it. It is a very, very, very expensive proposition. I only do it because I want to and I can. I may try the lead shot core idea if I can get them balanced well enough to shoot well.

Bob

[Mayor]

I'm sorry but if your wanting cheap 50 BMG rounds the only option is to cast a GC Bullet. As been noted by all here producing a swagged bullet is big money anyway you cut it. Maybe go paper patched if you must get full velocity rounds.

I wasn't looking for "Cheap 50BMG rounds".........just looking for something that will expand on pigs and hopefully eliminate some richochet issues.

Maybe you are referring to someone elses post?

[HHI 812]

My cartridge(50AE opened to .510", the way it was originally designed)was developed in this case, only for subsonic suppressor velocities, with the heavy 50 BMG bullets, although been able to get lighter 460 gr bullets to 1400 fps. Don't really want more. Wanted a heavy soft bullet, to expand on game, at around 950 fps muzzle velocity. I have a fast 1:8 twist, and concerned with cast bullets taking a while before it grabs rifling fast twist.

[Mayor]

My cartridge(50AE)was developed only for subsonic suppressor velocities, with the heavy 50 BMG bullets, although been able to get lighter 460 gr bullets to 1400 fps. Don't really want more. Wanted the heavy to expand at around 950 fps muzzle velocity.

I would look into a custom Hollow Point mould for this if I were you. Bernie at Old West Moulds would be a good candidate as he likes to experiment........

[Gunnut 45/454]

Midnight so what is the twist rate of your 50? I thought they were pretty slow rates like 1:10, 12"? If they are 1:9 or faster then I could see why you'd have a problem with faster push. To much speed on a big hunk of lead. Any defect in the cast would show up as yours did .

[midnight]

I am quite sure the twist in my BMG is 1:15. Another reason I have been reluctant to use paper patched bullets is the muzzle brake. I am afraid paper would be certain to lodge in the brake and destroy accuracy of subsequent shots if not completely removed. No way am I going to shoot the beast without the brake.

Bob

[DukeInFlorida]

I'm still saving for my 50 BMG gun, but have all of the accessories to feed it:
Brass
Powder
Press with dies
Swede Nelson's amazing 830 grain group buy mold - I plan on running these in pure linotype. The other option was to water drop wheel weight alloy, but I have enough LINO to make a LOT of projectiles. They will be lubed with Ben's Red or Carnauba Red. They are also gas checked.

Several other people who fire the same cast boolit report great success with the mold.

I'm not expecting to ever be able to swage these with my RockChucker.