First post, please be kind!

[wonderdog451]

I have been a long time lurker on this site and have found it to be a great informational resource. But, I now have a question that is not so easily answered, I have been researching swaging your own thirty caliber subsonic bullet using Corbin dies and have one nagging question, When trying to swage a bullet whose final weight is around 200 grains, do or would you prefer to buy your jackets from Corbin or make your own? I have seen several posts about people using 5.7x28mm brass as a source for bullet jacket material, but would like more details about the entire process, especially what equipment and techniques were used. The sub-sonic bullet Corbin has posted on their own website seems to be a example worth emulating.

[Reload3006]

only because you are saying subsonic I would think that you would probably want to use commercial jackets if you intend to hunt with this bullet. If you are only thinking about plinking and paper punching then cartridge brass may be the ticket for you. All that is required extra would be a core seating punch that fits your brass close enough to prevent lead blow by so that your brass jacket expands to size properly. If I were investing in a set up I would enable my self to do both. Also I dont know that I would buy my jackets from Corbin. Berger and Sierra also sell them probably a lot less expensive .. However I dont know that for a fact.

[danielk]

I've drooled over the subsonic bullet pictured on corbins website many a time. One thing to think about is that forming the rebated boat tail with re-purposed cartridges would probably present some issues with the thickness of the case head and pressure needed to form the boat tail.

[sprinkintime]

Also RCE has jacket 200@19.64 but they are only 1.150 long a little short for 200gr.

[wonderdog451]

After spending a little more time on the Corbin website,I priced out a complete setup to make subsonic 30 caliber bullets according to their directions, The cost for an amateur like me to get started making just the bullets would be in the vicinity of $3300. Which is not bad and perfectly acceptable , since I know a few people who have at least $2500 invested in at least one firearm ( a custom nighthawk to be exact) and another person has more than that invested in his M1A.

[Lizard333]

Another option is RCE. This guy is Dave Corbin brother, Richard Corbin. His equipment is less money but the quality is the same. He's a one man shop, so his overhead is less. I have his dies and press. I have a complete 224 swaging kit and press, including trim dies, for considerably less than your 3300. Richard also has dies to make your own jackets out of copper tubing. Another avenue to explore.


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[Reload3006]

I've drooled over the subsonic bullet pictured on corbins website many a time. One thing to think about is that forming the rebated boat tail with re-purposed cartridges would probably present some issues with the thickness of the case head and pressure needed to form the boat tail.

on a subsonic projectile a boat tail will give you nothing in terms of performance. If you are going to make long range bullets that you want to stay accurate as the bullet transitions from sonic to subsonic flight a boat tail is the way to go. But if your never super sonic that boat tail gives you nothing but expense.

[DukeInFlorida]

BT Sniper's tool set for making 30 caliber bullets is MUCH under the $3300 that you are talking about. And, will make bullets every bit as good as any Corbin set.
The subsonic 30 cal people are the ones building 300 aac blackout guns with suppressors. The copper tubing set from BT Sniper, or the set that uses the 5.7X28FN brass will each make very suitable subsonic bullets in the weight that you are seeking.

300 AAC BLackout is a 100 yards or less type gun.... Especially subsonic.

BT Sniper is working at having some 30 cal sets ready in the next few weeks. If I were you, I'd contact him asap.

[danielk]

Sorry Duke but I must disagree. A 300 blkout is not a 100 yard and under gun (sub sonic yes). I regularly shoot mine out to 350 yards at a 12 inch plate. Check out this video too. Skip to 7:10 on the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgKj...ature=g-user-u and he's using a 7.5 inch barrel.

Didn't mean to highjack but to call this round a 100 yard and under is totally wrong.

[DukeInFlorida]

The opening post specifically said sub-sonic.................

You aren't gonna shoot a sub-sonic 200 grain bullet, with a suppressor, ACCURATELY, at more than 100 yards.

Supersonic, with no suppressor, OK! Re-read the opening post. that's what I was replying to.

[Reload3006]

the key here is super sonic or sub sonic. Supersonic ammo is going to be ok at long ranges. Subsonic will not. Look at it as shooting a 45acp large mass great knockdown at close range. But you would not shoot a 45acp at even 100yds yes it will do it but not very well and in combat could cost you your life. The thread was talking about sub sonic. Under the speed of sound. And the reason I suggested a potentially weaker jacket so you could get good expansion Because you are talking a subsonic round. Load it up in to the full bore Blackout your talking a different animal. Like shooting a 22short in a 22lr. same bullet very effective close up but a lot quieter yet you sacrifice long range.

[Smokin7mm]

I have all RCE equipment and have been very happy with it. I am not seeing the 3300.00 to get started. On RCE's website even if you get the full up RBT Soft point. Five Die set @ $926.00 and a walnut hill press @ 449.00. and either a core cutter for wire 73.00 or core mold for casting cores 105.00 you are still around 1500.00? Are you looking at going hydraulic? On the jacket side there are only a few places to get jackets longer than the 1.150 - 1.155 which are good for about 150-165gr maybe a little heavier. Berger is one source but I just got their current price list and there prices really shot up. For a long 30cal jacket you are looking for, as of January 2012 the price for a 30cal 1.400" jacket was .2186 each, as of May 2012 the price went up to .3279 each. Options are to make you own from tubing which a tubing jacket making set of dies will run 578.00.
The equipment prices listed are from the RCE website. The berger jacket prices are from a list I received from them.
Hope this info helps.
Bret

[danielk]

I had read the opening post. And if you read my post i did agree with you that subsonic it is a short range cartridge. However in your post "300 AAC BLackout is a 100 yards or less type gun.... Especially subsonic." implies both super and subsonic are short range. That is why I had to disagree.

[wonderdog451]

I have all RCE equipment and have been very happy with it. I am not seeing the 3300.00 to get started. On RCE's website even if you get the full up RBT Soft point. Five Die set @ $926.00 and a walnut hill press @ 449.00. and either a core cutter for wire 73.00 or core mold for casting cores 105.00 you are still around 1500.00? Are you looking at going hydraulic? On the jacket side there are only a few places to get jackets longer than the 1.150 - 1.155 which are good for about 150-165gr maybe a little heavier. Berger is one source but I just got their current price list and there prices really shot up. For a long 30cal jacket you are looking for, as of January 2012 the price for a 30cal 1.400" jacket was .2186 each, as of May 2012 the price went up to .3279 each. Options are to make you own from tubing which a tubing jacket making set of dies will run 578.00.
The equipment prices listed are from the RCE website. The berger jacket prices are from a list I received from them.
Hope this info helps.
Bret

Thanks for all the good advice, my prices were based off the price list that you can download off the Corbin website, which lists the .308 die set in the $1145.00 price range, the CSP-1 swage press retails for $619 and there are several other items they recommend like the jacket serrator for $269 and the cavity punch die for $180 (I think), a table for the CSP-1 press for $500 and then I need to add in the cost of lead wire and copper jackets and I still have not added in the cost of the core punch die. I need to emphasize one again that while I am really experienced at reloading pistol, rifle and shotgun shells and cartridges. I know very little about about what equipment is truly necessary to swage the type of bullets I am looking for to use in a subsonic, suppressed or non suppressed 300 Blackout AR15( researching and then buying the suppressor I would want is another task for later). However, I would like to be able to swage a decent copper jacketed for informal target practice or if I decide to be frugal, maybe just swage a lead bullet for cheap informal shooting. I would also like the lead bullet to not be so soft that it could stand up to the feed ramps in an AR15 without becoming severely deformed.Note: I misread the price of the Corbin die RBTL-S die set and was off by $400, so it seems that a complete setup to make a .30 caliber subsonic bullet similar to what they have pictured on their website would cost me around $3000, Which would be perfectly acceptable if I still had a garage to convert into a workspace.

[Lizard333]

I had read the opening post. And if you read my post i did agree with you that subsonic it is a short range cartridge. However in your post "300 AAC BLackout is a 100 yards or less type gun.... Especially subsonic." implies both super and subsonic are short range. That is why I had to disagree.

I agree here. My buddy routinely shoot at gongs at 300 yards with his. Very accurate.

[Reload3006]

Before I sank that kind of money into Corbin MFG and waited up to 3+ years for my gear I would give Richard Corbin at RCE LLC a call. He designed most of Corbin MFG gear he is much cheaper and a lot faster on delivery.

[FatMcNasty]

Yup im waiting on a RBT die set and a jacket making setup from Corbin. Delivery time is roughly spring. If your thinking of doing the Round nose design, make sure you get the duel diameter die. Other wise you will have to seat the bullet way back to not engage the lands and groves of the barrel.

[danielk]

I would shop around before droppin serious money like that. But I ordered a set of H Dies and a Press from Corbin in August and received my order in October. Now my dies were for 224 bullet with a 6s ogive and are pretty standard equipment. Before you assume a 3 year wait I'd check on it.

Wonderdog, your last post stated "I would like to be able to swage a decent copper jacketed for informal target practice or if I decide to be frugal, maybe just swage a lead bullet for cheap informal shooting". The dies are designed to give you a precise .308 jacketed bullet. If you are going to shoot a lead bullet you would be better off casting it and sizing it to your specific bore plus a thousandth, probably .309. Swaging a lead bullet in those dies would produce a lead bullet with no lube grooves that will most likely be too small.

[Smokin7mm]

When I looked into my equipment I looked at both Corbin and RCE. I went with RCE (Richard Corbin) He was the Die maker at Corbin until he and his brother Dave parted. His equipment was less costly. Also for what you are doing I would say start basic add from there. You can get a basic 3 die set for an Flat Base open tip bullet for 542.00. There are alot of add on accessories you can get as you go but the basics are the press and dies and a way to make cores, wire or cast. That is all you really need to start making bullets. I have built my collect over the last 10+ years to include multiple calibers (22, 6mm, 6.5mm, 270, 7mm) and special operation dies (jacket reducer dies, lead tip dies, etc)
Bret

[FatMcNasty]

This is some 220's I did the other day, its a 6s ogive on the corbin 1.25 length jackets.