got my first real swage dies

[rmatchell]

I have a few herters swage dies that work ok but were used and abused before I picked them up. Last week I ordered a set of 38 and 45 dies from ch4d and so far im impressed. My only complaint is that I have to send the 45 set back the core punch doesnt fit, but that will be taken care of.

Today I set up the 38 dies and made a test slug even though I didn't have any jackets. Just couldnt wait.

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[ReloaderFred]

Well, there goes all your spare time........... Now your wife will know where to look for you when you've been missing for a few hours....

I was hoping to get a bunch of bullets swaged up this winter while it was raining, but the weather has been so good I've been working outside. I guess I'll just have to make time and get back to it. You're going to have fun with those dies.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[rmatchell]

Does anybody have any pointers or suggestions on these dies? They didnt come with instructions so I have been going through threads reading up. Also what are you guys doing for jackets? It looks like ill have to make my own so il leaning towards tubing only because drawing 9mm just seems like a slower process but I could be wrong.

[Pipefitter]

RCE llc has jackets at the best price I have found. I dont swage 357, but 45's can be made from cut down 40S&W cases. Making jackets from tubing is a money losing proposition unless you own a plumbing supply house (just sayin').

[midnight]

Richard Corbin at RCE has a variety of jackets for you:

45 cal - .680 long $12.65/200 355-358 cal - .660 long $12.00/200
.610 long $12.00/200 .500 long $10.61/200
.580 long $10.93/200 .380 long $9.00/200

Soon he will have an even longer 45 cal jacket for very heavy bullets. At these prices stock up now. For the price of a tubing jacket maker you can buy 8-10 thousand jackets. Then add $100 to $200 each for draw dies. That's why I make my own draw dies. To draw 9mm down to .354 or .355 should take two dies at least. Three would be better. I anneal for each draw. With three more dies you can take them down to .304. I do this with 223 brass which starts out at .375.

Bob

Can't get the spaces to show up in the post. The .680, .610, & .580 length jackets are 45 cal and the .660, .500, & .380 length jackets are 355/358 cal.

[rmatchell]

No plumbing supply house but I can get the scraps from guys at work. Might only be in small amounts but free is always nice. I do plan on using 40 cases for the 45 but ill have to wait for the die to come back.

I also planned on making the dies to make the tubing into jackets. They will be ugly but functional in still learning.

[Pipefitter]

Don't forget to factor what your time is worth into the equation. If it takes 2 hours of your time to make 100 "free" jackets from tubing, just how much are you saving vs, buying commercial jackets? Time you could have spent shooting or on family affairs?

[257]

if I figured my time for cutting cores, making jackets then swaging bullets then the actual reloading at 1.00 per hour I'm shooting the most expensive ammo in the world. but at least I can say I made most of it

[goblism]

i got a set of 45 cal jacket dies from tubing and it is a pretty neat achievement to make a bullet from a commonly available item. I really don't plan to use the dies very often but if I ever need them I have them

[rmatchell]

I got to play a lil bit tonight and was able to get the 45 dies working. I didnt have a scale with me because a buddy was using it and I didnt trim the case so I just played with a full length 40sw case till I got a decent result. Ended up with a 278.4gr bullet

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