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View Full Version : How hard of lead can you swage in a Swag-O-Matic?


mikenbarb
04-15-2009, 03:51 PM
I just started swaging and im wondering how hard of lead you can swage in a Swag-O-Matic without busting it? Im swaging .22, .30, .38/.357 and .45 calibers with 1/2 and 3/4 jackets and pure lead wire. I have lots of WW lead and some softer range lead thats around a 7-9BHN.
n.h.schmidt
04-15-2009, 04:49 PM
Hi
I don't know how hard you can go with this. It may be limited by your press. Here is something to experiment with. If you cast your cores,you could use unquenched WW. You would then want to swage very soon after casting as WW get harder after a while. When formed you could then oven heat them to 400 or more and water quench. You could go from about a 8 to 22 or more in hardness.
n.h.schmidt
yarro
04-15-2009, 09:24 PM
Swag-O-matic is not really that strong of a swaging press and the dies aren't that strong. Folks damage strong swaging equipment with WW, especially considering that it can vary in hardness from one batch to the next.

-yarr
454PB
04-15-2009, 09:39 PM
I use nothing but pure lead. You risk cracking a die with anything harder.
mikenbarb
04-16-2009, 12:05 AM
Ok, Pure lead it is. Thanks for the help everyone.:drinks:
TAWILDCATT
04-23-2009, 09:17 PM
I used to swedge 38 wadcutters made with range lead,and no trouble.I cast them
and lubed and then bump them.:coffee:[smilie=1:
kawalekm
04-24-2009, 06:34 PM
Here's what I just did to test this idea. The bullet set on the left is a Lyman 358477 SWC cast in Lyman #2 alloy (wheelweights +5% tin). The right set is Lyman's 358395 WC. I passed both through my .357" Swagomatic with the hollow-point punch.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/kawalekm/swagingcastbullets.jpg
The bullets swagged easily without any undo pressure. Notice how the empty crimping grooves in both bullets collapsed, but the grooves filled with Blue Angel lube didn't. I'll try shooting some to see how they perform with their new hollowpoints.
Michael
Maximilian225
04-24-2009, 09:13 PM
Sure Looks like it worked great, thx for the pic!

I've been contemplating some swaging, but the fact most of my lead is WW has been a sticking point for me.

:drinks:

-Max