Need help getting started

[tjeffords]

I want to swage boolits for my .357 sig. I was wondering what all I would need. I want an end result of a .355 JHP weight tbd. And ill probably use a lee press.

Thanks in advance,
TJ

[DukeInFlorida]

There isn't an easy way to get to jacketed 9mm bullets for your 357 Sig, using any commonly found raw materials.

My carry gun is 357 Sig, and I shoot thousands of them. If there was an easy way, I'd also be swaging them for my own use.

By the time you buy jackets (since a common source for jacket material isn't readily available), and swage, you'd be cheaper to just buy factory bullets. I use Berry's plated for practice (124 grain HP's) and Gold Dot 124 grains (Speer) for carry ammo. Hard to beat the Berry's vs buying 9mm J style jackets, etc....

Per the Corbin site, jackets for the 9mm size are $108 per thousand:
http://www.corbins.com/prices.htm

I can beat that all day long with Berry's plated.

[ReloaderFred]

I also use the Berry's 124 gr. HP for practice 357 Sig ammunition and factory Gold Dots for carry. I talked to a couple of bullet companies at the SHOT Show last week about making jackets for swagers, but they weren't interested. They're selling all the bullets they can make, so there's no incentive for selling jackets, which would have to come off their production line.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[tjeffords]

So there is nothing like the 40 and 45 swaging in http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=70121

[tjeffords]

.....

[MIBULLETS]

You could probably use 380 or 32 acp cases for jackets if you have a good source. CH makes the dies for 9mm I think that is .355 - .356 should be fine.

[ReloaderFred]

The .32 Auto cases make great .38 and 9mm bullets, but the problem is obtaining them. I've been hoarding them for over a year and only have about half a coffee can full to make .357" bullets from. The .380 acp cases have to be reduced in size first, but they do make good bullets. The problem is that they weigh so much to start with.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[TJF1]

Does dr. Blackmon still sell jackets.
His last price sheets showed them.
Terry

[MIBULLETS]

Does dr. Blackmon still sell jackets.
His last price sheets showed them.
Terry

Yes he does.

[DukeInFlorida]

BUT..........

Dr. Blackmon doesn't make them. He buys them in bulk, and resells them. They would still be expensive.

With swaging, you have two ways to go:

1) Higher quality bullets, no matter what cost, for the sake of important competitions

or

2) regular quality bullets, where cost is the most important factor.

Buying the jackets from Corbin, or Dr Blackmon would certainly put you in the first category. So if you either don't care what the bullets cost, or need such preciseness for expensive competitions, you can certainly go that route.

But, for me, the lack of cheap or free jacket material prohibits me from even considering swaging for non-competition shooting bullets. I'm not going to spend $150 a thousand for raw materials, and then go through all the swaging processes for a bullet I can buy commercially for less than $100 a thousand.

Now, with say .44 mag. I can use FREE range pickup .40 S&W brass, and almost free lead cores that I cast, and make amazing swaged equivalents of the Hornady XTP bullets. So, in that case I can make them for pennies per thousand, versus $210 a thousand:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/224132/hornady-xtp-bullets-44-caliber-430-diameter-240-grain-jacketed-hollow-point-box-of-100

Easy raw materials, and amazing savings, for essentially the same thing.

Ditto with the 9mm to .40 bullets. The 9mm cases are free range pickups.

However, trying to find something smaller than 9mm in mass quantity, as range pickups..... not so much......

Sure, you could buy once fired 32 auto cases:
http://store.brassmanbrass.com/servlet/-strse-365/%281f%29-32-Automatic--dsh-/Detail

That's $65 a thousand. In my book, that's still too close to what I can buy the Berry's for:
http://berrysmfg.com/product-i14475-c11-g8-b0-p0-9mm_124gr_FP.aspx

Not worth it.

[Reload3006]

Does dr. Blackmon still sell jackets.
His last price sheets showed them.
Terry

he still has some but not many he may not have what your looking for. He told me 3 days ago what he had he doesn't have some lengths and some calibers. Even for people selling the stuff jackets especially pistol jackets are hard to come by.

[MIBULLETS]

Last I talked to him he was only carrying .38, .44, and .45 jackets as a standard. He sometimes also gets odds and end from places like Sierra or J4, but not very often.

The .38 jackets will normally fit into the 9mm core swage dies just fine. I think the length on them was .700". Last time I bought some they were about 7 - 8 cents a piece, or about 1/2 or less the price of Corbin. I have had both jackets from Corbin and Blackmon, I think they come from the same place. They look identical.

[DukeInFlorida]

Like I said, Dr Blackmon doesn't make jackets in his garage. He buys them, and resells them. They are most likely indeed Corbin jackets.

Corbin DOES sell the machines to make jackets, and the copper strip stock, and the tools, etc.

Maybe the OP of this thread would look into buying the machinery, and making us 9mm jackets for half a penny each.

[tjeffords]

I think I might and make others.for more people

[mactool]

I also want to make bullet for the 357 SIG. I plan to use the upper part of the 223. I am trying to make drawings for the dies. There wil be a die for closing the bottom, one reducing die, one core seating die, and one forming die BEsides that I will be using BT snipers notching die. The bullet will be a 124grain truncatet cone, maybe a hollow point

[BT Sniper]

Easiest and possibly cheapest is a new 40 cal barrel for your gun. Making 180 grain 40 cal bullets from 9mm brass is by far the easiest and cheapest bullets to make and shoot.

Making 9mm bullets is possible of course, but in all my time swaging I never have made any 9mm bullets, if that says anything. I have made plenty of 357mag bullets, nearly the same diameter of course, but I always figured making 9mm bullets vs. buying cheap commercial was a tough decision.

Now making 40 cal bullets from 9mm vs. buying commercial is an easy choice for me........ Get a 40S&W barrel, or new gun for that matter, and a 40 cal one step swage die and you are set for two life times worth of shooting free bullets!

Good shooting and Swage On!

BT

[DukeInFlorida]

Hahaha, Brian.... Them's fighting words....

My 357 Sig is my bestest most favorite carry gun caliber ever. I went there from a .40 S&W. No going back.

The 357 Sig is a necked down .40 with a 9mm bullet in place. Makes that 9mm bullet fly fast, easy recoil, and very (extremely) accurate!

But making 9mm bullets is a WOT in my opinion. And, I'm one of the most frugal people you ever met.

[BT Sniper]

Yep. Nothing wrong with the 357 sig. I'm sure it is a great round.

For first time swagers though......... IMOP......... you can't beat how easy it is to make 40 cal bullets from 9mm brass!

I agree with your opinion...... buy 9mm bullets, SWAGE 40 CAL BULLETS! :)

BT

[BT Sniper]

I suppose if I was going to make 9mm bullets I would make them from cut .223 brass like posted here.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=61843

Neck down the 223 as much as possible. Cut it off at the neck. Then cut it off at desired length at shoulder. Seat a core in special core seat die twice to close then form base and last form bullet. It will work like a charm. Requires cutting brass a couple times, couple steps in the core seat die and then form bullet but completly possible. You would also get more then one bullet from a typical 223rem case.

BT

[DukeInFlorida]

The 223 case is a tapered case, however, and the further down the case you go, the brass thickness will vary.

http://ammo.ar15.com/project/Ammo_Cross_Sections/5.56_87gr_PRL_03.jpg

[Reload3006]

The best IMO long term answer to pistol jackets would be to Make or buy a set of tubing jacket dies. For your .355 bullets you can use 3/8 od copper tubing and draw it one time to .350 - .352 ans make your .355 bullets for 9mm or 357sig or 38spcl or .357mag at present the only place you can buy jackets for sure is Corbin MFG and they are very expensive. You can swage a lead bullet too you dont have to have a jacket. and you can swage gas checked lead bullets too. again you dont have to have a jacket. Or you can make or buy a draw die and draw down 9mm Luger brass to use for jackets. its not hard to do just more involved than just buying a jacket. drawing down 9mm brass would be the least expensive thing to do as well as a lot easier than copper tubing but there are lots and lots of options.