dumb question ... core weight variation?

[Bullseye93]

Hi I was wondering what kind of weight variation you can have when you use a core swaging die ( like the corbins one for .224 dia bullets) ... I mean when you set your die to give an core weight of 45 gr for example ... your cores are exactly 45 gr or they vary ? like 45,3gr 45,7gr 46gr ... I just want to know what kind of accuracy you get in core weight ...

Thanks !

[Red River Rick]

I can hold less than 1/2 grain, more like 2 or 3 tenths of grain.

I all depends on your equipment. If your equipment is old and sloppy, or the dies are poorly made, you'll probably have problems holding tight tolerances on the weights.

RRR

[jixxerbill]

if you want to double swage them you can get within a tenth or 2 ....i swage mine down close the first time then swage again and make plenty extra so you can cull the ones out of your weight range....bill

[Utah Shooter]

It will but I have never seen the ones that I have done vary that much.

[MIBULLETS]

I agree with Rick, usually .1 gr. or less. If your raw cores vary alot you will see more variation after swaging them too. So, try to cut or cast you cores as close to the same as reasonably possible and you should get very accurate cores.

This may not be a problem for you, but I have heard of guys not caming their press over when swaging, but it is very important to make sure the press stroke length is the same each time, since this is what controls the volume in the die and ultimately the volume/weight of your core.

[BLASTER62]

Like the other guys said running the full stroke is important also dwell time at the end of the stroke is important so the lead can flow.

[sargenv]

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.. mostly due to my producing hundreds hopefully at a time so I can weigh each one and sort them into batches... it's what I do with my cast pistol bullets and my swaged 9 into 40 bullets also.. I suspect it will be what I do once the .22 into .224 dies are made available..

[MIBULLETS]

Not knocking your system of weighing out finished bullets, but for a pistol bullet, a few grains here or there is not noticable. In a 22 bullet a few grains could be the difference in a normal load or one that is too hot. I would hate to miss one or put it in the wrong pile and have something go bad. Plus why spend extra time weighing bullets that you could make them more consistant to start with if you can easily.

Not saying that sorting by weight is wrong or bad, just an extra step that can be helpful but maybe not in all situations.

[MightyThor]

I agree with what the folks here have said about core consistency, but I have found that the cores weight consistency is not the problem, it is the jackets that vary. Commercial jackets are one thing, but for those of us who are mass producing the rimfire jackets and the associated bullets, you almost have to sort the bullets by weight afterwords. This also allows me a second chance to cull the bullets for defects or, modify them to suit. I often will remove just a little lead to bring the weight to where I want it and or to tune a soft point into a hollow point.

[MIBULLETS]

For me, the best thing to sort is to sort the 22 brass before making bullets from them. For the most part, if you sort by manufacturer, you shouldn't have much more than 1 or 2 tenths variation and if your cores are good, you should be good.

As for defects, you can usually feel them in the point up step, but some do make it though. I look for those when I polish the finished bullets in the tumbler.

[sargenv]

Whilte it is true that handgun bullets may vary a few gr, most of the reason I sort them to + or - .5 gr (188.5 + or - .5, 187.5 + or - .5, etc.. is not so much for load consistency as much as I am concerned about when I go to pistol matches that chrono and weigh my bullets to make a specific power factor.. I don't want them to shoot something that might be up to 5 gr heavier at a low speed only to weigh a light bullet and make me shoot for no score.. I want that bullet to be within a specific tolerance for my peace of mind.. not any concern about if it will group 1" @ 50 yards.. :)

I will stick to the same procedure for the light weights of the 224 cal rifle bullets and go + or - .5 gr from a specific center and go from there.. though they generally do not chrono rifle ammo to make a specified power factor..

[Ballard]

With a good technique, and good equipment, I shoot for .1 grain variation max.

[Seth Hawkins]

I have found that dwell time has the most impact on the core's weight. When I'm trying to get a tolerance of +/- 0.1 grains, I keep an analog clock with a second hand near so I can time the amount of dwell.

[MightyThor]

I have discovered that the Gophers I shoot don't care about weight variations when the bullet gets there. It really depends on what your making bullets for. I don't shoot bench so I don't make bench bullets.