Casting 22 rimfire bullets

[Traffer]

Before I started powder coating the bullets I did a knurl with a pair of matching files. It takes practice but if you roll the bullet between files it puts a nice knurl in the bullet that holds lube well.

[John Boy]

Haven’t tried it yet... away to lube the bullets
* Two Pyrex measuring dishes and a piece of window screen
* Melt parrifin and bees wax and graphite in one water heated Pyrex
* window screen over Empty Pyrex with bullets in it
* pour melt onto window screen and shake the bullets with excess dropping into Pyrex
Then warm the bullets with a hair dryer, dump onto wax paper and let dry
Sound like a plan?

[Gunslinger1911]

JUST what I need, another facet of reloading !!

Following this

[ncmn]

Well BP came in and got a few rounds loaded for testing. Plan on some more as my work schedule allows? As John said, I am trying Swiss Null B for my BP rounds. Have not shot BP in a few years so we will see how they work in the revolver and the lever action.

[Gunslinger1911]

This is fascinating !
I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on a bunch of primed cases, I have ideas on how to adapt a Lee FCD.
I cast now for my 22 TCM - those little boolets are a pain to cast so they are perfect (maybe I just need to perfect my technique).
With the dead soft lead, I'm thinking it would be better to swage the boolets ?
Anybody making a swage die for a regular "O" press to make a ~40g boolet ?

[Traffer]

This is fascinating !
I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on a bunch of primed cases, I have ideas on how to adapt a Lee FCD.
I cast now for my 22 TCM - those little boolets are a pain to cast so they are perfect (maybe I just need to perfect my technique).
With the dead soft lead, I'm thinking it would be better to swage the boolets ?
Anybody making a swage die for a regular "O" press to make a ~40g boolet ?

[ncmn]

Great video and I am interested in swage die set for a regular press as well, but at this time I am going to do my testing with the casted bullets. Never thought I would see this much interest in the little old 22rf. I am enjoying the process of making this work, and look forward to perfecting the process. I have made a couple mistakes, not going to lie about that, but it is sure looking better now after I have gotten everything adjusted to suit me.

[Traffer]

I am learning more every day. I recently learned that match grade rifle chambers have many different reams. Or in other words. There are many different chamber shapes out there. Found out that at least some will not chamber a bullet that has no "step" because of the shape of the chamber....SO this complicated little exercise has become even far more crazy as now I see that all of the dies will have to be custom formed for the respective match rifles. sigh. It takes about week of work to make one die system (If all goes well). Good thing it's just a hobby and I have the time to monkey around.

[ncmn]

Traffer it being a hobby is what keeps me interested. Just wish I had the knowledge to do what your doing.

[gnoahhh]

Heads up, fellas. Fedarm just got in a shipment of primed .22LR brass. If you intend to give this a whirl, don't delay. The stuff won't last long. I just ordered another 2000 pieces.

[Traffer]

Traffer it being a hobby is what keeps me interested. Just wish I had the knowledge to do what your doing.

It may seem like a lot to learn but actually it's just an accumulation of learning stuff that interests you. AND a big factor is DON"T be afraid to make mistakes. Probably the most valuable learning tool.

[Gunslinger1911]

I see that folks make their own swage dies, does anybody sell them ?

[MrWolf]

Instead of lube, would powder coating them work? Curious.

[Traffer]

Instead of lube, would powder coating them work? Curious.

If you watch my video on Swaging 22lr...I show that indeed I powdercoat them instead of lube.
My technique is to mold cores >then powder coat the cores > then swage the powdercoated cores. That way they come out to exact dimensions with powdercoat on them. (the swaging also enhances the powder coat, making it slicker and harder.
In my opinion this is far superior to lubing bullets. Just as has been proven in center fire cast bullets.
The only thing that MAY be better is to paper patch them. THAT is something beyond me...can you imagine paper patching 22lr?

[dtknowles]

If you watch my video on Swaging 22lr...I show that indeed I powdercoat them instead of lube.
My technique is to mold cores >then powder coat the cores > then swage the powdercoated cores. That way they come out to exact dimensions with powdercoat on them. (the swaging also enhances the powder coat, making it slicker and harder.
In my opinion this is far superior to lubing bullets. Just as has been proven in center fire cast bullets.
The only thing that MAY be better is to paper patch them. THAT is something beyond me...can you imagine paper patching 22lr?

What shape are your molded cores? Do your swage dies bleed any lead/powder coat?

[ncmn]

Well I have a small update, I got the range lead out of the pot and loaded up some pure lead. Did not have a lot of time to cast bullets but I did cast about 50 and they filled out beautiful and I will load up some of them to test against the range scrap. In all my casting through the years, I have never used pure lead for anything. I am looking forward to some range time. Thanks for keeping the post going, and great information for all interested in the little 22lr.

[Traffer]

[QUOTE=dtknowles;5055445]What shape are your molded cores? Do your swage dies bleed any lead/powder coat?[/Q
The cores are about .211" With a round nose made with one of the same drills that I have used to make the dies with. The powder coat stretches nicely and there is no problem that way. I have re-swaged many some several times by squishing them down so they don't scrape the powder coat off and they do fine as far as the powder coat. It is amazingly flexible. I will try to get some pictures up ...
(just got a new camera from Goodwill for $5.99...will see how it works)

[dtknowles]

[QUOTE=Traffer;5055970]

What shape are your molded cores? Do your swage dies bleed any lead/powder coat?[/Q
The cores are about .211" With a round nose made with one of the same drills that I have used to make the dies with. The powder coat stretches nicely and there is no problem that way. I have re-swaged many some several times by squishing them down so they don't scrape the powder coat off and they do fine as far as the powder coat. It is amazingly flexible. I will try to get some pictures up ...
(just got a new camera from Goodwill for $5.99...will see how it works)

I was just wondering about uniformity. I have seen swaging where the die has a bleed hole to let excess lead escape. With powder coat thickness variability I was wondering how you get them to be uniform.

Tim

[Traffer]

[QUOTE=dtknowles;5056006]

I was just wondering about uniformity. I have seen swaging where the die has a bleed hole to let excess lead escape. With powder coat thickness variability I was wondering how you get them to be uniform.

Tim

The video that I posted shows my method of solving the problem of bleed hole. Powder coat thickness variability still exists. Putting the powder coat on as uniform as possible helps...but my method swages the bullet AFTER powdercoating SO the bullet DOES NOT VARY IN DIMENSION.

[dtknowles]

[QUOTE=Traffer;5057051]

The video that I posted shows my method of solving the problem of bleed hole. Powder coat thickness variability still exists. Putting the powder coat on as uniform as possible helps...but my method swages the bullet AFTER powdercoating SO the bullet DOES NOT VARY IN DIMENSION.

Not that it would make much difference but if you have variations of the thickness of the powder coat how does it not change the size of the bullet unless you bleed of material? If you bleed off lead because of thick powder coat how does that not make the bullet lighter? I am going to look for the link to the video.

Tim