A different way of sizing?

[UKShootist]

I have long been pondering the issues with my Marlin 1895 45/70 microgroove. I have slugger the bore and it does indeed seem a little oversize and accuracy seems disappointingly random. My need is for bullets of a slightly larger diameter, but the moulds, or indeed the bullets themselves, for oversize seem very difficult to come by in the UK.

I happened to be sitting in the gun room the other evening when my eyes fell upon a bullet left out on the work top. It was cast in plain lead. More importantly it was sitting next to a vice. I had just been watching a video about swaging bullets and how the lead expands. An idea started to form. If I put that bullet in the vice long way on and squashed it a bit, it might expand a tad. Well, not the hardest thing I have ever tried to do, and it seemed to work. I only needed an expansion in the diameter of three or four thou and that was what I got. Interestinger and interestinger. Consistency of the amount of 'squash' needed could be controlled by a steel insert sitting alongside the bullet. If they were run through an enlarged sizing die that might be even better.

I mean to settle down and try a few and will give the results as and when. I was just wondering if anyone else had heard of or tried the same?

[44man]

That should work. Long ago there was an article about swaging cast boolits to make them more uniform. Might be an idea to make a die and nose punch to fit. You might find a way to use a Lee size die.

[Tatume]

People have been "bumping up" cast bullets as you describe for many decades. Be gentle, and it will work just fine. Take care, Tom

[UKShootist]

Thanks for that, chaps.

[reddog81]

I've never tried it but I think the nose would deform before the base would. The nose being smaller in diameter and would provide less resistance. I could be wrong but that's my first thought.

[bangerjim]

The nose deformation is the thing to watch for. Depending on the shape/design, it might work for your needs.

Myself, I just buy the right size molds and dies for my guns.

You might want to consider powder coating (see the stickies in alternate coatings). PC will gain you a few thou with the coat. And you no longer need grease lube. Check it out. I use PC to "play" around like that at times. It may work for your needs!

banger

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

There have been a few members doing a little 'redneck' swaging, using modified reloading dies.

For instance, a 243 win FL size die, is about the correct size for .430 projectiles...It doesn't take much to figure out a nose punch to push the boolit back out.
I don't know what dies may work for .459 or .460 ???, but there is probably something.

[Toymaker]

Deformation of the nose and base would be the first problems. Then uneven expansion. Then consistency. Why not just "Beagle" the mold? There's lots of information here about it.
I "Beagled" a Lyman mold for my 45-70 and got fantastic results. Just run it through the proper sizing die, lube and shoot. Nice thing is, "Beagling" a mold isn't permanent.

[RU shooter]

I did a similar thing to some 35 cal bullets for my rifle (Lyman 200 gr) forget the mould number but nose was waaaay undersize on it by design . I wanted to see if making it a true bore rider would help at higher vel . I believe I used a 357 seater die with a flat WC plug and adjusted it to the proper "squish" length to bump that nose out to .350 dia . Sat the bullet on a lee push through base in my press. They shot just fine and took a small doe with one , made a nice big flat point outa that rn bullet .

[Tatume]

Bumping up a few thousandths works very well, without any of the imagined problems. Just go slow, and then run the bullets through the appropriate size die afterwards. Don't let anybody talk you out of trying it; it works.

[mdi]

If you're handy, you could make a "gauge" to limit the "squish". I'd cut a piece of appropriate ID pipe ( or drill a piece of bar stock) to just a hair shorter than the bullet. The "gauge" would keep the bullet straight and limit the amount of pressure and thus the diameter. Also you could hone/ream the ID to .003" over groove diameter and that would be your homemade swaging die.

[6622729]

[QUOTE=UKShootist;3672266]I have long been pondering the issues with my Marlin 1895 45/70 microgroove. I have slugger the bore and it does indeed seem a little oversize and accuracy seems disappointingly random. My need is for bullets of a slightly larger diameter, but the moulds, or indeed the bullets themselves, for oversize seem very difficult to come by in the UK.

I happened to be sitting in the gun room the other evening when my eyes fell upon a bullet left out on the work top. It was cast in plain lead. More importantly it was sitting next to a vice. I had just been watching a video about swaging bullets and how the lead expands. An idea started to form. If I put that bullet in the vice long way on and squashed it a bit, it might expand a tad. Well, not the hardest thing I have ever tried to do, and it seemed to work. I only needed an expansion in the diameter of three or four thou and that was what I got. Interestinger and interestinger. Consistency of the amount of 'squash' needed could be controlled by a steel insert sitting alongside the bullet. If they were run through an enlarged sizing die that might be even better.

I mean to settle down and try a few and will give the results as and when. I was just wondering if anyone else had heard of or tried the same?[/QUOTE



Sure, it's called bumping. Nothing new. As was also suggested, consider powder coating. That alone might give you the diameter you need to bring the accuracy in. You can also get a mold made in any diameter you want.

[Yodogsandman]

Powder coating brings in accuracy? When? My tests have all been failures, accuracy wise.

[6622729]

Powder coating brings in accuracy? When? My tests have all been failures, accuracy wise.

When the poor accuracy is from the need for a larger diameter boolit powder coating can be the answer. Remember, fit is king! In and of itself PC is nothing special and I don't use it but when your issue is a poor fit from being undersize, it can make an otherwise unusable mold work well.

[country gent]

I helped set up a reloading press to "swage cast bullets up a little ", this was a 30 cal bullet and the die made was 7/8 14 threaded to fit the press and bored for nose dia and driving dia. the ejector took care of the nose portion. This was set up with a simple transfer to the bar that actuated the ejector from the ram. Die was set to just cam over and swaged bullet out to dias and clean up the nose. When ejected they were very round and true both the nose dia and base, the actual nose was just cleaned up enough to remove parting lines. There was enough compression to close small voids and wrinkles even. Better would have been a nleed hole to let a little lead flow off and make forming easier. A light high pressure lube on the bullets helped. The die controlled expansion of the bullet. The ram punch was cut on a piece of 3/4" X 1" X 4" this had the mount on the bottom for the ram. and 3 holes drilled and tapped in it 1 on center for the punch and 2 ( 1 on each end to clear top of press for 3/4" 24 ready rod and a 3/4X4" piece across the top to actuate the ejector pin when ram was lowered.