RepackboxWidenersInline FabricationLoad Data
RotoMetals2Lee PrecisionReloading EverythingMidSouth Shooters Supply
Titan Reloading
Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 66

Thread: PC'd, GC'd and Swaged boolits!

  1. #1
    Vendor Sponsor


    BT Sniper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Oregon next to the river
    Posts
    5,650

    PC'd, GC'd and Swaged boolits!

    A little something I have been working on

    Brought up the idea of swaging cast lead boolits for better accuracy many years ago. Always new it worked well as I would use the lead boolits to set up my swage dies and check for proper diameters, but never got around to really testing the full potential of improving a cast boolit by swaging it in a swage die.

    I have had a few customers already doing this very thing for quite a while, swaging both powder coated (PC) as well as lubed and naked cast boolits and have reported back with excellent results vs. the unswaged boolits. Swaging these cast boolits should allow for increased accuracy as it will eliminate any voids, true the diameter around the entire bullet, eliminate any runout (bend) in the nose or entire bullet, secure a perfect gas check and even add a hollow point should one desire.

    What I have here is a 230 grain 30 cal cast boolit (I happen to use for a core in my 315 grain .375 bullets from scrap 223rem brass) that I casted with pure lead, then I powder coated it using Smoke's blue powder (vendor here) and last I swaged it with a simple 30 cal gas check in a simple 30 cal swage die.







    Good shooting and swage on!

    Brian
    BTX Star Crimp Die
    Back in stock with new low price!
    Click link below!
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Star-Crimp-Die


    also check in and say hello on my new face book page!
    https://www.facebook.com/BTSniper-153949954674572/

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    alfloyd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Logan, Utah
    Posts
    625
    Brian:
    What is the diameter of the front half of the swaged boolit?
    If it is over 0.300 inch in diameter it will not fit in my 300 Blackout.

    Lafaun
    Just staying at home and playing with multi-color boolits.

  3. #3
    Vendor Sponsor


    BT Sniper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Oregon next to the river
    Posts
    5,650
    It's full 30 cal diameter at .308 but it has a longer 10s ogive nose to it. I'll have to look into 300 black out abilities. People are shooting 220 grain Sierra match kings right? This bullet is no longer then the 220 SMK. I'll have to do some more research and certainly appreciate the info and ideas.

    What sort of luck have you had with the 300 blackout?

    Swage on!

    BT
    BTX Star Crimp Die
    Back in stock with new low price!
    Click link below!
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Star-Crimp-Die


    also check in and say hello on my new face book page!
    https://www.facebook.com/BTSniper-153949954674572/

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    alfloyd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Logan, Utah
    Posts
    625
    I am still working on the sub-sonic loads to fully cycle my AR.
    The super-sonic loads work great.

    Lafaun
    Just staying at home and playing with multi-color boolits.

  5. #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Reloading Bench
    Posts
    352
    Quote Originally Posted by BT Sniper View Post
    It's full 30 cal diameter at .308 but it has a longer 10s ogive nose to it. I'll have to look into 300 black out abilities. People are shooting 220 grain Sierra match kings right? This bullet is no longer then the 220 SMK. I'll have to do some more research and certainly appreciate the info and ideas.

    What sort of luck have you had with the 300 blackout?

    Swage on!

    BT
    You can load a BLK at 2.585 but it's going to be really close in the mag. The length isnt really the problem though. They just dont like stubby fat bullets with pig noses.

  6. #6
    Vendor Sponsor


    BT Sniper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Oregon next to the river
    Posts
    5,650
    I have read the pistol length gas system is best to cycle the 300 blackout.
    BTX Star Crimp Die
    Back in stock with new low price!
    Click link below!
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Star-Crimp-Die


    also check in and say hello on my new face book page!
    https://www.facebook.com/BTSniper-153949954674572/

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    NoZombies's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    N. Florida
    Posts
    2,493
    I've been messing with PC'ing cores and then swaging lead bullets as well. I'll have to put some examples together.

    I've also been messing with doing the same thing to cores on exposed lead bullets. They make for some pretty wicked looking soft points...
    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!

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Bozoland Mt.
    Posts
    1,698
    I never could get NOE's 249 grain bullet to work either.
    A nose swaging down to about .299 or .300 might do the trick though.
    To lazy to chase arrows.
    Clodhopper

  9. #9
    Vendor Sponsor


    BT Sniper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Oregon next to the river
    Posts
    5,650
    When you guys say "could not get to work" what do you mean? Not accurate? Did not cycle? Did not feed? seated too deep? etc....?
    BTX Star Crimp Die
    Back in stock with new low price!
    Click link below!
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Star-Crimp-Die


    also check in and say hello on my new face book page!
    https://www.facebook.com/BTSniper-153949954674572/

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Bozoland Mt.
    Posts
    1,698
    For me it was difficult chambering.

    The bullets stayed in the bore if you tried to eject a loaded cartridge.

    High pressure signs despite mild powder charge.

    Lighter, shorter bullets work just fine.
    To lazy to chase arrows.
    Clodhopper

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Faret's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    South Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    472
    Wherever the rib in the mag (for a AR) is, is what the bullet diameter that measures .250 should be seated at to allow feeding from the mag.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy M.A.D's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    365
    **** that looks nice. If gas checks werent so mind boggling expensive here, id want one.... That just says 30 Herrett metallic silhouette.
    Last edited by ReloaderFred; 04-09-2018 at 12:51 AM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    10,572
    secure a perfect gas check With a good mould and casting procedure THIS is the reason I'd go for a swage die. Push through doesn't provide enough body pressure to get a good (perfect) GC installed. Pistol gas is probably better for subs, carbine works great for supers. The AGB is 'stuck' on my 10' pistol from PB PCd, need to drip some 'cleaner' in it to remove the Pb.
    Whatever!

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Posts
    55
    Brian, what is your availability? I’d like to call you but don’t want to impose. Thanks in advance.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  15. #15
    Vendor Sponsor


    BT Sniper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Oregon next to the river
    Posts
    5,650
    Yes, pretty busy machine dies at the moment. But feel free to call and leave message, I'll get back as soon as I can.

    BT
    BTX Star Crimp Die
    Back in stock with new low price!
    Click link below!
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...Star-Crimp-Die


    also check in and say hello on my new face book page!
    https://www.facebook.com/BTSniper-153949954674572/

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
    Dragonheart's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Katy, Texas
    Posts
    2,705
    The 30 looks very interesting. I have posted a number of times I believe swaging is the only way we are going to acheive full power loads with accuracy at distance (100+ yards) with powder coating. A single die would make the process manageable. Are there any plans for dies for the bore-rider bullet designs that have already proven to be a solution?

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Posts
    995
    Decades ago GONRA swaged soft lead cast .45 ACP bullets in CH Swag-O-Matic dies
    with home made "Spring Loaded Deeeep Hollow Point Nose Punch" and
    a Hemispherical Base Ejector to seat gas checks.

    These were used for EXTREMELY effective explosive bullets that DID NOT BLOW UP IN THE BORE!
    >>> NO BORE EXPLOSIONS! <<<

    Hemispherical GAS CHECK BASE prevented Bad News "bore explosions"
    from burning powder gas creeping up thru "casting imperfections".

    (Shootin’ resulted in 1 1/8 inch holes in usual sheet metal.
    Left shards of lead and interesting "Inside Out Hemispherical Gas Check" target debris.)
    Last edited by GONRA; 04-25-2018 at 06:33 PM.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    194
    I'm getting good results doing this with 170 grainers in my FN PBR .308 but not in my Ruger RPR (yet). I cast them, reduce them to .308 and add the gas check at the same time, run them through my point former to get the profile I want and square up that gas check, then powder coat them with Eastwood powder and reduce to .309 instead of .308. 30 grains of IMR 3031 will consistently get me sub 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards with the FN. For some reason, they don't seem to like that 5R rifling in the Ruger. Perhaps I need to reduce to .310. I use hard lead alloy and swage very lightly. The profile is changed very little so the bullets are what I'd call monolithic flat noses with a 6S Ogive.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    2,862
    Brian, does the coating provide sufficient lubrication for the swaging, or do you also give them a little extra something?

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Near the Keg
    Posts
    242
    Ive been swaging PC coated bullets in Brian's dies for some time (357 Maximum, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 458 SOCOM). I have never needed any additional lube other than the PC.
    Alcohol Inventory Reduction Specialist (Journeyman Level)

Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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