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Thread: Bought a Swaging press and 30 cal dies, about to go Buck Wild in this swaging thing

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Bought a Swaging press and 30 cal dies, about to go Buck Wild in this swaging thing

    Local gunshop had a corbin s press and 30 cal dies , Jackets, rolls of lead wire, 30 cal and 22 cal jackets for the last 2 years. I made an offer on it about a year ago, well yesterday they decided it was too ugly and told me to come get it for $500. I guess I did good?
    Anyway the dies I have are marked
    7mm-.258 JRD, I think its a 30 caliber jacket reducing die
    308 L 4s lead tip forming die
    308 p4 .071 point forming die 4-s
    308 c core seating die 308 j4
    308 s .258 core swage die
    .30 p6 .091 point forming die 6s

    I am trying to read on the corbin site exactly what each die is used for, and what the .071, .091 means on the point forming dies.
    Next what is a good book to learn swaging? is the Corbin book worth a darn?

    I would like to make subsonic .30 cal bullets for my 300 blackout that actually expand. Corbin lists a jacket serating die. Has anyone used one or made something comparable?

    I have a pretty good machine shop at my home, lathes, mills, surface grinder, tool post grinder, oven, etc. Was going to look into making my own dies for .224 and .378, jacket making dies, etc. What steel are most people using? I see a lot of reference to a2, is that what most people are using?

    Thanks in advance for your responses.
    NRA High Master XTC
    DR# 2125

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    NoZombies's Avatar
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    To start you off, the .071 and .091 are the wire ejector diameters on the point form dies.
    Nozombies.com Practical Zombie Survival

    Collecting .32 molds. Please let me know if you have one you don't need, cause I might "need" it!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I can’t answer any of your questions, but I do think that you did quite well on the deal.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by NoZombies View Post
    To start you off, the .071 and .091 are the wire ejector diameters on the point form dies.
    Does that mean that the tips of the bullets are that diameter? DO these dies make HP bullets and that is the diameter of the hole?
    NRA High Master XTC
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master



    MUSTANG's Avatar
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    Akajun:

    (1) These are referred to as "Open Tip" - not Hollow Point. (a Hollow point would have the lead with a hollow dimple/indentation in the lead Core. The opening you see is simply where the jacket is folded in to form a smooth tip. Process results in a small diameter hole, about equal to the diameter of the wire ejection pin/punch).

    (2) If you want to make "Exposed Lead Tips" you could get a Corbin "Tip Forming Die" that would be used after the bullet nose forming die you currently have. This additional add on die from Corbin would be used to remove the blemishes often encountered from making exposed Lead tips using a die similar to what came in your purchase.

    (3) You got a GREAT DEAL.
    Mustang

    "In the beginning... the patriot is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    ok so it makes bullets kind of like a Matchking or other hp target bullet, its a hp, but not really.
    [QUOTE=MUSTANG;4215819]Akajun:

    (1) These are referred to as "Open Tip"
    NRA High Master XTC
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  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy


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    Akajun,

    The best thing you can do is go to Corbin's website and read his book on swaging. It's partially an advertisement for his products, but it contains all the information that you need to know.

    As for the serrated jacket die, I have both the full length and the nose only version. I'd tell you to start making regular jacketed bullets and then get into subsonic bullet making. It is the hardest and most challenging of all the swaging operations to make a subsonic bullet that will expand reliably. I have been working on it for several years and am finally getting close. Just serrating the jacket and leaving a large open tip is not enough. I've experimented with a plastic ball in the nose which helps in addition to bonding the core. There just isn't a lot of energy to peel back a jacket, so you need all the help you can get. The only thing I have not yet tried is using his X punch to seat the core. You really need all those things. Also, and the real gotcha is that if you want these to feed in an autoloader AND have them be magazine length, you will need his dual diameter sizing die to make the nose of the bullet bore riding. I should have mentioned, you will also need a 1E point form die, the 4S die you have is not ever going to open up.
    Zbench

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zbench View Post
    Akajun,

    The best thing you can do is go to Corbin's website and read his book on swaging. It's partially an advertisement for his products, but it contains all the information that you need to know.

    As for the serrated jacket die, I have both the full length and the nose only version. I'd tell you to start making regular jacketed bullets and then get into subsonic bullet making. It is the hardest and most challenging of all the swaging operations to make a subsonic bullet that will expand reliably. I have been working on it for several years and am finally getting close. Just serrating the jacket and leaving a large open tip is not enough. I've experimented with a plastic ball in the nose which helps in addition to bonding the core. There just isn't a lot of energy to peel back a jacket, so you need all the help you can get. The only thing I have not yet tried is using his X punch to seat the core. You really need all those things. Also, and the real gotcha is that if you want these to feed in an autoloader AND have them be magazine length, you will need his dual diameter sizing die to make the nose of the bullet bore riding. I should have mentioned, you will also need a 1E point form die, the 4S die you have is not ever going to open up.
    Will do, has anyone done any experiments with reaming out the inside of the front of the jacket to make it thinner? I know some hunting bullets have tapered jackets but seems to me you could ream it inside to half its thickness with a chucking reamer and get the same effect since none of that touches the rifling anyway.
    NRA High Master XTC
    DR# 2125

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
    hardcase54's Avatar
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    I'll say you done real well. The press alone is worth more than you paid.
    " CANCER SUCKS" I swage .224, 6mm, 7mm, .308, 9mm, .40, .429. Also 9 to 30 jackets, and 9 to 9 jackets.

  10. #10
    Boolit Bub
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    Awesome find there. Time to start smashing some lead & copper

  11. #11
    Banned
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    Score!!!

  12. #12
    Boolit Bub D-RIG's Avatar
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    Your going to have so much fun with that press . good job on acquiring it . Swage on .

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check