swaging on the cheap - modified Lyman/ RCBS sizer dies.

[wmitty]

Would it be practical to request from either of these manufacturers a undrilled lubesizer die ( not drilled thru the sides of the die) which had been drilled/reamed and lapped for use as a swaging die? The Perfessor makes a threaded adapter to allow using the dies as a pushthru type die, if I am not mistaken. A base punch and nose punch (es) could be purchased or machined to allow bumping a cast bullet into a hollow point or allow seating a boolit core in an annealed case and then bumping a nose shape on it. I'm not trying to take any business away from B.T.Sniper, and I realize a huge amount of machining goes into a set of dies. I was just wondering if a cheaper way of playing around with swaging could be worked out by using something already out there which are available and relatively cheap. It could be that the modified sizer dies would split wide open if internal pressure were placed on them by bumping a slug inside them; I don't know. It would seem the lapped die could be taken from production before the sides were drilled in the manufacturing process, and the cost would be slightly less than a drilled sizer die. Any thoughts?

[wmitty]

I went ahead and emailed RCBS to see if they would be willing to sell some undrilled sizer dies. If they respond I'll let you folks know.

[clodhopper]

The diameter of lubrisizer dies might be a little thin for the fatter bullets. What sot of plan do you have to hold the die while forming bullets?

[andyt53]

Instead of all that, just use regular rifle fl sizing dies. For example, a 220 swift die along with a punch from a Lee 9mm sizer can be used to seat the core in a 9mm case and form a point to make a 40 cal bullet. A 243 fl sizer die can be used the same way to make 45 acp from 40 s&w using a Lee 40 s&w punch. This is just the basics and I didnt talk about running them thru a sizer after point forming.

These bullets wont be as pretty or as neat looking as a real swage die, but they will shoot. I've made many in 45 acp before I got real swage dies.

I believe there is a thread floating around by a member here that goes by mannyca? In this thread, he links youtube videos showing the process.

[wmitty]

clodhopper - The adapter The Perfessor makes would allow holding the die body. The base punch is obvious. The nose punch will be the difficult piece to come up with if one doesn't have access to a lathe. You may be right on the wall thickness being inadequate to withstand the stress of swaging.

andyt53 - I have gone that route; making up some .44 jacketed rounds using .40 S & W brass in a 7 x 57 size die. Worked fairly well. I ran the slugs thru a .430" Lee pushthru to remove the bulges.

[clodhopper]

I'm going to check the Peferssor's offreings.

[.22-10-45]

Industrial supply houses sell drill bushings..these are hardnend and ground..in just about any size you would want..and can be polished out to larger dia. if needed.

[tenx]

i make 35 cal bullets from a ch4d die set and use 9mm brass for the jacket. i anneal the brass in a lee 20lb dip melting pot, a piece of aluminum for a lid with a hole drilled to check temp, run it to 1100F and let it cool down and tumble in ss pins to clean it up. lube and run thru a modified (cut down)) 30 carbine sizer die for the first pass and i made a drill guide purchased from mcmaster carr for the second pass. beveled the bushing and polished it to end up with a .353-.354 biameter jacket so the final swage process is a swage up to keep the core tight. used a old die body drilled out to hold the bushing. mcmaster carr is very reasonable on their pricing. use a lyman 30 carbine mold (311410) for the core ending up with a 198-199 grain boolit. lotta work but you gotta love free boolits.

[wmitty]

tenx

Thanks for posting your method; I think I see what you are describing. What is your diameter after final swaging?