Help a noob get started swaging

[GeneT]

Howdy all,

I've been fascinated with swaging for about 25 years (ever since the 2nd (I think) edition of the ABC's of Reloading), but never got around to doing it. Now I'm keenly interested, but a bit bewildered about how to get started. I have several presses that could work, or I could make another. So, if I want to make a hollow-point pistol bullet what do I need? What about a boat-tail VLD type rifle bullet?

TIA,

GsT

[bdbullets]

It is a great way to make high quality bullets at a very cheap price compared to buying them. I use a Lee classic cast press and empty 9mm brass for the jackets to make bullets for my 41 mag Desert Eagle. The best dies to make pistol bullets are the BTSniper dies.
For making rifle bullets look into either of the Corbin die sets. I would lean a little more at the RCE dies versus the Corbin dies. Here is Corbins website: http://www.corbins.com and here is RCE's site http://www.rceco.com RCE is a bit cheaper than Corbins and he usually makes them when they are ordered so it can take a while to get them.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

there is lots to read about it here. go through as many post threads as you can.
then order up some dies and start.
"bd" answered your two questions as good as I could.

BTSniper's one step dies for 40 cal (.3995") and 44 cal (.429") are about as entry level
as you can get. they come with a choice of large HP, small HP, or FN
Jon

[GeneT]

Thanks gents.

There is indeed a lot to read here, but I didn't see any stickies in the swaging area, and a lot of the posts are clearly not aimed at the new guy. I'll keep looking. In the meantime I'll see about getting some dies on order.

Thanks again,

GsT

[BT Sniper]

Here you go Gene. Good one for the 40-9mm project

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=70121

Yes it may take a while to soak up all the info here on this great sight but the good thing is you might not need to look anywhere else.

I have certainly tryied to post alot of info for the first time swagers out there. Click on my login name, view profile and then click statistics. You can then pull up all threads started by any member this way.

here is all of them
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/search.php?searchid=2346709

BT