One of "those" questions from a newbie

[Slimjim33]

I have been looking into swaging for a while. I have learns tons just by reading the threads. I would like to say thank you for the information given.

So here is the question. Is it better make jackets out of copper tube or copper strip? I would have thought that punching and pressing strip would be a easyer option. Is there any recommendations as to which dies you would need to do this?

Casting and swaging seems to be a non existant subject here in the UK. You get people look at you with great concern if you mention it.

Many thanks for the advise

Simon

[Reload3006]

Well I would say that making Copper strip jackets would make a more accurate jacket. But will cost you a pile more money than copper tube. Also you can go to your local home improvement store and buy tubing you cant just go to town and buy copper sheet.
To make a tubing jacket you cut the tube to length debur then using a stepped punch to keep the jacket you push it into a round over die that closes one end. then anneal the formed tube
then run in in a draw die to get the proper OD then with a flattening punch put it in your core seat die and flatten the end.
Sheet
you start off coining the metal into discs then you pushing into a cupping die then you draw to the caliber you want after that trim the end. sounds easy but there is quite a bit to it. and its very expensive to go there.

[sargenv]

Don't worry, in most cases when I tell people what I do here (In the states), they give me a quizzical look also.. It seems common only on these forums..

[Slimjim33]

Well I would say that making Copper strip jackets would make a more accurate jacket. But will cost you a pile more money than copper tube. Also you can go to your local home improvement store and buy tubing you cant just go to town and buy copper sheet.
To make a tubing jacket you cut the tube to length debur then using a stepped punch to keep the jacket you push it into a round over die that closes one end. then anneal the formed tube
then run in in a draw die to get the proper OD then with a flattening punch put it in your core seat die and flatten the end.
Sheet
you start off coining the metal into discs then you pushing into a cupping die then you draw to the caliber you want after that trim the end. sounds easy but there is quite a bit to it. and its very expensive to go there.

Thanks for the low down on the difference between the two. Copper tubing sounds like the play. But in some garden centres round here they sell copper strip in rolls ( it keeps slugs of the lettuces when you glue onto the pots or round the plant beds.) to be honest I am looking for the easy way. Something to do while the misses whaches telly and "wants me to be there" in stead of being in the workshop making rifle stocks.

I too have the mighty 06. So I'm thinking 5/16 fridge tube would be about right. Am I on th right track? Where could I get get a cheaper set of " starters" dies from? No one makes them in the UK.

[Slimjim33]

Don't worry, in most cases when I tell people what I do here (In the states), they give me a quizzical look also.. It seems common only on these forums..

When people find out you have a rifle over here. They instantly think there's something wrong with you. Guns are just not a common thing here unless your with other gun owners. It never used to be like that though. But that was before I was born. What a world we live in.

[runfiverun]

we have something like 10 members from the u.k., that i am aware of.
some from scotland, and a couple from france,the netherlands,latvia,italy, germany, and africa, even south and central america has a couple of members.
australia/new zealand both have quite a contigency here.
but none from ireland that i know of.

[Slimjim33]

we have something like 10 members from the u.k., that i am aware of.
some from scotland, and a couple from france,the netherlands,latvia,italy, germany, and africa, even south and central america has a couple of members.
australia/new zealand both have quite a contigency here.
but none from ireland that i know of.

10! that doesn't surprise me. Us brits seam to have lost the have a go at it your self sprit, when it comes to things like this. you only load what you get from the shop. SAD really. is there a market for second hand dies?

[gabe123]

Thanks for the low down on the difference between the two. Copper tubing sounds like the play. But in some garden centres round here they sell copper strip in rolls ( it keeps slugs of the lettuces when you glue onto the pots or round the plant beds.) to be honest I am looking for the easy way. Something to do while the misses whaches telly and "wants me to be there" in stead of being in the workshop making rifle stocks.

I too have the mighty 06. So I'm thinking 5/16 fridge tube would be about right. Am I on th right track? Where could I get get a cheaper set of " starters" dies from? No one makes them in the UK.


I have never heard of this. What happens to the slugs? Does it kill them or just repel them? What happens when the copper oxideses, is it still effective? This sound like something to test out.

[Reload3006]

the dies are available from a lot of sources but all are expensive. Best advice is find someone with a Center Lathe and have them make you a set.

[Slimjim33]

I have never heard of this. What happens to the slugs? Does it kill them or just repel them? What happens when the copper oxideses, is it still effective? This sound like something to test out.

they just seem not to want to cross it. keep it shiny though(wire wool). copper antifouling (if you can get it) works well too.

[Slimjim33]

the dies are available from a lot of sources but all are expensive. Best advice is find someone with a Center Lathe and have them make you a set.

please forgive my naïvety but what would you need to do that? i guess some m22 bolts wouldn't be a bad place to start. But then what? How do you make the ogive? What from do you give the punches ?

see i am very green to all this.

[sargenv]

I believe they get kind of a shock if they cross the copper.. something to do with their slime trail makeup..

[Slimjim33]

I believe they get kind of a shock if they cross the copper.. something to do with their slime trail makeup..

You live and learn. Shame I can't turn them into bullet jackets :lol:

[Slimjim33]

What size of Coin would I need to punch to make a 30cal bullet?
I have seen the step by step make a swage press thread.
Is there a how to make a swage die 101 thread?

[Reload3006]

the coin is a matter of math and how long you want your jacket to be. you will need at least 4 if not 5 draw dies to get to an od of .303 for making a .308 projectile.

[Slimjim33]

the coin is a matter of math and how long you want your jacket to be. you will need at least 4 if not 5 draw dies to get to an od of .303 for making a .308 projectile.

Ok I am deffeinatly dropping the copper strip idea. It's a double plus too as it will mean more lettuces to go with my venison burgers. :-D

I I'll be swaging .243 too as I have a load of 22lr cases and can get plenty more. I am following the steps to do the derimming die as described on the no tools required 22lr derimming die thread. So I guess I just need a core seat and point form is the right? I like the hawk prices. any other suggestions?

[Reload3006]

on 243 dies for a reloading press. Our own BT sniper, Dr. Blackmon, I Didn't know that Hawk dies made .224, Dan Rickard a site vendor Edge Dies are all options

[Slimjim33]

I shall pm Mr, BT sniper for a quote then. I did email hawk as they had some .243 dies on flee bay a while back but I missed them. I will check the others out too. Having looked into the 30cal jacket dies I think I will delay buying them they are to pricy for me at the moment. Swaging for .243 I think is the way to go for now. You can pick up a ton of .22lr cases ut of the bins at Bisley.

[marten]

10! that doesn't surprise me. Us brits seam to have lost the have a go at it your self sprit, when it comes to things like this. you only load what you get from the shop. SAD really. is there a market for second hand dies?

Speak for yourself!

[DAVE A]

What he said