Introduction

[squished]

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a few weeks now and thought I'd say hi! I'm trying to learn as much about swaging as I can. I'm interested in .224s and maybe .308s and hope to either save up for or make some dies. Most likely, I'll buy since I have no machining skills, though I did make a derim setup that is crude but seems to work.

Anyway, just thought I'd check in from New England.

Thanks!

[dbosman]

Welcome.
If you put in the work, you'll learn more here in a couple of months than you'd learn any other way in a couple of years.
Tell us - with pictures please - about your derim setup.

[squished]

Thanks!

The derim setup is an embarrassing piece of workmanship. It's simply a 7/32 hole drilled into some scrap 1/2" steel plate, then smoothed with sandpaper. The punch is 15/64 tool steel rod. I think they called it 'piano wire' at the metalworking supply store I bought it at. I turned it down a bit in a drill press to around .197 I think if my memory is right. I used a drill press and an old wood lathe chisel to reduce it, then cleaned it up a bit with 220 and 400 grit sandpaper. I didn't try to harden or temper it.

My 'press' is the drill press I turned them in.

I had 50 or so spent .22 cases which I heated to cherry red with a cheap propane torch and immediately quenched in water. I dried them with a paper towel, dabbed some case lube on them and ran them through. Most were CCIs, Winchester SuperX and Remingtons. I got about 6 failures. The ones that I checked with my reloading micrometer mic'd out at .218.

[Bo1]

Welcome aboard Squished.
Bo

[R.Ph. 380]

I'd say you passed the initiation rites. Welcome aboard from Texas. Wait'll ya see what a guy named btsniper is doing here. He's one of the vendors here and has a verrrrrrry interesting home here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?114-BT-Sniper

Bill

[plus1hdcp]

Welcome aboard, it's a fun ride

[squished]

I've been following the work of BTSniper, DanR and Cane_man. All very impressive!

[customcutter]

Squished,

Welcome to the madness. Sorry to say you've already been infected if you've made a derim die. There is no known cure. We will try to support your "addiction". [smilie=s:

CC

[DukeInFlorida]

Welcome to castboolits!

I presume I also know you from NES??

While NES has some information about reloading and such.......... Castboolits is THE place for casting information, and swaging. I don't think I have seen any other forum discuss swaging.

Where in New England are you? If you're anywhere near Southern Maine, I'd be happy to show you the swaging that I do. I always send visitors home with samples.

[R.Ph. 380]

Welcome to castboolits!

I presume I also know you from NES??

While NES has some information about reloading and such.......... Castboolits is THE place for casting information, and swaging. I don't think I have seen any other forum discuss swaging.

Where in New England are you? If you're anywhere near Southern Maine, I'd be happy to show you the swaging that I do. I always send visitors home with samples.

Hey Duke, if I forego the trip would you just send me some samples to my home here in Texas? Like the drunk said, Don't ask, don't get................................. hehehe

Bill

[squished]

Thanks, all.

Duke, I'm in MA, so not near you. I appreciate the offer though! I do read NES, but it's got a low signal to noise ratio IMO, so I don't post. I do reload though. Swaging seems the next logical step.

[dragonrider]

Hi squished and welcome, where in Ma.????

[aaronraad]

Castboolits is THE place for casting information, and swaging. I don't think I have seen any other forum discuss swaging.

Saubier is not half bad if you care to look but, I don't think the BR influence will suit everyones taste.

[Utah Shooter]

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a few weeks now and thought I'd say hi! I'm trying to learn as much about swaging as I can. I'm interested in .224s and maybe .308s and hope to either save up for or make some dies. Most likely, I'll buy since I have no machining skills, though I did make a derim setup that is crude but seems to work.

Anyway, just thought I'd check in from New England.

Thanks!

Welcome... GO SOX.... Hope you find some information here and in other places.


Saubier is not half bad if you care to look but, I don't think the BR influence will suit everyones taste.

No it sure wont Aaron. :-P

[Cane_man]

Squish, warning: swaging is highly addictive :guntootsmiley:

if you are willing to put in the time all the answers are here either in the archives or from asking members... bunch of great guys here who are willing to help... 4 months ago i knew nothing, i literally read almost all 83 pages of the archives, asked a bunch of questions, and was able to make .40SW/10mm and .224 dies at home... get busy!

i can't explain the gratification you will feel shooting swaged bullets that you made yourself, especially on dies you made - either way for me it is better than just casting :happy dance:

[Nickle]

Squished, Duke, I'm up in Vermont, about half way up on the west side if the state (Middlebury area).

I'm also on NES, have been fir quite a while now, same user name.

[squished]

Thanks, all!

DragonRider, I'm west of Worcester, so not too near you either, but it's a small state.

[lead chucker]

Hi from Alaska squished. I've been thinking how to make a de rimmed die and pretty much the way you explained yours. I'm going to try to make one. How did you do the in let part for the case rim did you bell it or drill it so you could get it started?

[customcutter]

Lead Chucker,

I made my de-imming die from a 7/8X14 bolt. I cut the head off and drilled the center out to .500 inch. Then I ordered a drill bushing with a shoulder from Grainger and inserted it into the hole. Then used a dremel tool and a burr to slightly flare the mouth of the drill bushing, so that the cases would feed easier. Other wise they will simply punch through, due to the amount of force you are using trying to start them into the die. I made the punch from a 7/16 grade 8 bolt and turned it down to the proper deminsion, also turned the head down to fit into the top of my reloading press, where the shell holder would go.

Hope this helps, sorry for the hi-jack.
CC

[lead chucker]

Thanks it does.

[squished]

I just used a counter sink to add a bevel to the hole.