Safeshot
08-01-2014, 09:46 PM
I opened a box of 500 commercial cast 200 gr. .45 cal. SWC boolits purchased many years ago at a Gunshow (unknown source, unknown company). Most of the boolits were "BAD". Less than half of the "Boolits" "appeared just fine and usable". The rest were undersize (small diameter), over size (large diameter) &/or did not appear to be sized properly, or had wrinkles or other surface defects. (My first thought was that I had "floor sweepings" or "Rejects".)
While looking for another box of boolits (to actually use), I came across an old Herters .45 cal bullet swaging die with a SWC and a WC nose punch (no Round Nose punch could be found). I installed the bullet swage die in an old Herters Press and swaged the "BAD" cast Boolits with the SWC nose punch. The swaged bullets look very nice, are very uniform in diameter (.4515) and are "close enough" in weight to use. I was able to salvage all but 4 of the "BAD" cast boolits. I also swaged a few into WC nose shape, which may be usable for .45 Auto Rim Ctgs. in a revolver.
Later I checked the good cast boolits, the ones that "appeared just fine and usable", and found that some of them were small diameter, some "OK", and some large diameter. The "OK" ones and the large diameter ones were "re-lubed" & went through the Lee bullet sizing die. The small diameter ones will get the Herters bullet swage "FIX".
In the future I will always open and check any box of commercial cast Boolits purchased at a Gunshow. I have NEVER had any problem with cast Boolits purchased from a recognized company or from the Internet.
Just one of those days, Safeshot
While looking for another box of boolits (to actually use), I came across an old Herters .45 cal bullet swaging die with a SWC and a WC nose punch (no Round Nose punch could be found). I installed the bullet swage die in an old Herters Press and swaged the "BAD" cast Boolits with the SWC nose punch. The swaged bullets look very nice, are very uniform in diameter (.4515) and are "close enough" in weight to use. I was able to salvage all but 4 of the "BAD" cast boolits. I also swaged a few into WC nose shape, which may be usable for .45 Auto Rim Ctgs. in a revolver.
Later I checked the good cast boolits, the ones that "appeared just fine and usable", and found that some of them were small diameter, some "OK", and some large diameter. The "OK" ones and the large diameter ones were "re-lubed" & went through the Lee bullet sizing die. The small diameter ones will get the Herters bullet swage "FIX".
In the future I will always open and check any box of commercial cast Boolits purchased at a Gunshow. I have NEVER had any problem with cast Boolits purchased from a recognized company or from the Internet.
Just one of those days, Safeshot