.223 Core dimensions?

[Dutchman Dick]

I am in the process of putting together a set of dies for swaging .223 bullets using empty .22 shells for jackets. Thus far I have a de-rim/sizing die and a core seating die, and the point starting and finishing dies will be ready in a couple weeks.

I want to make an aluminum mold for casting my own cores - Corbin wants more for their mold (and everything else, for that matter) than I care to pay, and I really only want to make one bullet weight: 62 grains (which is what I have my rifle sighted in for). Can someone please tell me how long a .185" diameter core has to be so that the combined weight of the core and jacket comes out to 62 grains?

[marvelshooter]

.640 will get you real close. I made my core mold with adjustable pins and settled on .640 with a .187 diameter. If you are not going to make it adjustable you might want to start .010 or .015 longer and trim it as needed.

[Dutchman Dick]

Thanks! The ammo I buy is all 62 grain (with the exception of some 64 grain Winchester Super X Power Points), so to make 55 grain bullets would kind of defeat the purpose...

[customcutter]

Dutchman, I was going to say welcome to the site. Looks like you joined Dec 2010??? How about some pics of your dies and molds? Any machining tips you can offer?

CC

[fredj338]

Thanks! The ammo I buy is all 62 grain (with the exception of some 64 grain Winchester Super X Power Points), so to make 55 grain bullets would kind of defeat the purpose...
There really isn't a huge diff in say a 58gr bullet & 62gr bullet, vel wise or load wise. Since you are going from scratch, might as well get what you want.

[MUSTANG]

I am in the process of putting together a set of dies for swaging .223 bullets using empty .22 shells for jackets. Thus far I have a de-rim/sizing die and a core seating die, and the point starting and finishing dies will be ready in a couple weeks.

I want to make an aluminum mold for casting my own cores - Corbin wants more for their mold (and everything else, for that matter) than I care to pay, and I really only want to make one bullet weight: 62 grains (which is what I have my rifle sighted in for). Can someone please tell me how long a .185" diameter core has to be so that the combined weight of the core and jacket comes out to 62 grains?

80521

Looking at the Table above:

60 Grains (0.7782) minus 50 Grains (0.6485) = 0.1297
Divide 0.1297 by 10 to get one grain increments = 0.01297
So 2 grains equal = 0.02594


22 LR Jacket weight or J4 Core is approximately - 10 grains
52 Grain Core (0.6485" + 0.02594" = 0.67444inches) - 52 Grains

Total: 62 Grains

Variations:
J4 or 22LR Jackets can vary slightly in weight.
Lead alloy will cause variations in core weight.

If you are seeking a 62Grain with no variation, you will have to sort jackets into weight groups; plus adjust core lengths slightly to get precise combination of weights. The table provides a good starting point.

Mustang

[sprinkintime]

I am in the process of putting together a set of dies for swaging .223 bullets using empty .22 shells for jackets. Thus far I have a de-rim/sizing die and a core seating die, and the point starting and finishing dies will be ready in a couple weeks.

I want to make an aluminum mold for casting my own cores - Corbin wants more for their mold (and everything else, for that matter) than I care to pay, and I really only want to make one bullet weight: 62 grains (which is what I have my rifle sighted in for). Can someone please tell me how long a .185" diameter core has to be so that the combined weight of the core and jacket comes out to 62 grains?

Dutchman, I made mine using a LEE six mold blank, since it had the handles and sprue cutter already, I poured some the other day and they came out at 57gr so I think its much easier to put a set screw in the back-end and turn it down to your 185 hole dim., now you can make any size you want, watch out for that drill point if you don't use the set screws, It will throw you off about 2gr hope this helps some.
Sprink

[Dutchman Dick]

Dutchman, I made mine using a LEE six mold blank, since it had the handles and sprue cutter already, I poured some the other day and they came out at 57gr so I think its much easier to put a set screw in the back-end and turn it down to your 185 hole dim., now you can make any size you want, watch out for that drill point if you don't use the set screws, It will throw you off about 2gr hope this helps some.
SprinkCan you post some photos, please? like to see how you've got things set up.

[Dutchman Dick]

Dutchman, I was going to say welcome to the site. Looks like you joined Dec 2010??? How about some pics of your dies and molds? Any machining tips you can offer?

CCYes, I joined back then, but it looks like my earliest posts got deleted (system crash at some point?). My dies were made by an engineering student in Florida (if anyone is interested, send me a PM and I will give you his e-mail address) - I wouldn't have the foggiest idea where to begin making those - but I have a Sieg X2 mill at home that I was going to use to make my core mold. I figured on rough drilling the cavities, then fine boring them with a boring bar and head (or possibly using a 3/16" reamer, but I would have to buy one of those and I already have the boring head).

[Lizard333]

FYI. I don't know the quality of the bullets your planning on making but I don't recall a core die in your list of dies. Standard practice dictates the need to swage your cores to get an exact weight. For a 45 gn core, I will cut my lead wire into slugs that weigh about 50 gns. In your case, cast your slugs heavy, and in your core die, you will swage it down to your exact needs. Your going to find, that federal brass for instance has to distinct weights, almost a grain apart. Some, this is no big deal, me, I find that to be unacceptable. These bullets are a lot of work so I try to make the best bro duct I can.

[Dutchman Dick]

FYI. I don't know the quality of the bullets your planning on making but I don't recall a core die in your list of dies. Standard practice dictates the need to swage your cores to get an exact weight. For a 45 gn core, I will cut my lead wire into slugs that weigh about 50 gns. In your case, cast your slugs heavy, and in your core die, you will swage it down to your exact needs. Your going to find, that federal brass for instance has to distinct weights, almost a grain apart. Some, this is no big deal, me, I find that to be unacceptable. These bullets are a lot of work so I try to make the best bro duct I can.

These are mainly for cheap plinking, and if they will group 3" at 100 yards then that is acceptable to me. The person who is making the dies in my set doesn't offer a core die (at least not yet, though I suggested it), and I don't want to pay Corbin's prices. If someone offered an inexpensive core die that would screw into a standard reloading press (like the rest of my swaging dies), I'd buy it.

[ronaldod]

Or buy some lead wire on ebay. then you need to cut them on the right length. Can be expencive on the long term.

Your name suggests your from the Netherlands. But are you also living there ?

[Dutchman Dick]

Or buy some lead wire on ebay. then you need to cut them on the right length. Can be expencive on the long term.

Your name suggests your from the Netherlands. But are you also living there ?Rather cast them - I can use scrap lead that way. And no, I am not from the Netherlands, but I am of Dutch descent on my mother's side (German on my dad's, so I am "Dutch 'n' Deutsch" :D !).

[Utah Shooter]

These are mainly for cheap plinking, and if they will group 3" at 100 yards then that is acceptable to me. The person who is making the dies in my set doesn't offer a core die (at least not yet, though I suggested it), and I don't want to pay Corbin's prices. If someone offered an inexpensive core die that would screw into a standard reloading press (like the rest of my swaging dies), I'd buy it.

Talk to Lafaun. His dies are more than reasonable ! In fact great value. His product will shoot way better than 3 MOA

[Dutchman Dick]

Talk to Lafaun. His dies are more than reasonable ! In fact great value. His product will shoot way better than 3 MOA

Okay, so how do I get hold of him?

[supe47]

Go to Vendor sponsors.
A L Floyd Swaging will get you LaFaun..........I believe.

[ronaldod]

Rather cast them - I can use scrap lead that way. And no, I am not from the Netherlands, but I am of Dutch descent on my mother's side (German on my dad's, so I am "Dutch 'n' Deutsch" :D !).

Great to find some people with dutch roots. Now i need to find some more dutch people on the swaging department as i feel i'm the only one here in holland who is doing swaging.

Have fun with making cores.

[Dutchman Dick]

Great to find some people with dutch roots. Now i need to find some more dutch people on the swaging department as i feel i'm the only one here in holland who is doing swaging.

Have fun with making cores.Van Der Werff and Van Nortwick on my mother's side, BTW.