How to get started with swaged bullets?

[johnsonian09]

What equipment should I use to get started swaging boolits/ making my own j-words?

Corbin? Blackmon? Something else?

I intend to do calibers 22- 45 in diameter. But mostly 22 and 30

Would like to make slugs similar to nsa, and make jacketed soft points or HP.

Can my single stage lee handle some of the work done here or should I get a dedicated press for most of these processes?


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[reddog81]

That’s quite an ambitious project. You realize each individual die will cost more than your Lee press. Is you budget for all those various calibers and bullet types in the 4 figure or 5 figure range?

[rancher1913]

go to btsnipers vendor sponsor page and look at all the projects. yes you can swage on a lee but only small calipers, if you plan on doing 45's you will need a swage press. get ready to mortgage your house once you fall down this rabbit hole but being able to make your own is great.

[405grain]

Before you do anything else, go to the "swaging" section on this forum. In the sticky section at the top of the page you'll find the thread "Lets Make a Swage Press". It's several pages long, but read through that and you'll find a wealth of information.

[sharps4590]

How to get started? Spend a LOT of money, unless you get lucky.

[jdfoxinc]

Get a second job.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

What equipment should I use to get started swaging boolits/ making my own j-words?

Corbin? Blackmon? Something else?

I intend to do calibers 22- 45 in diameter. But mostly 22 and 30

Would like to make slugs similar to nsa, and make jacketed soft points or HP.

Can my single stage lee handle some of the work done here or should I get a dedicated press for most of these processes?


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where to start...well swaging can be expensive as most already conveyed. I started by spending less than $500 with 40 cal with BTSniper's dies and the Lee classic cast sgl stage press.
I'd suggest you try just one caliber, to make sure you'll like doing the process. Once you decide you like it, you'll surely want a heavy duty dedicated press with all the goodies.

I don't see a 40 cal option on BT's vendor page, but it is essentially the same as the 44 cal option. This thread contains all the info you'll need to get started.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...ce-and-options

[johnsonian09]

It seems I’m unable to access the 'vendors sponsors’ page. But I’ve bought and sold in the swapping and selling section.

I probably want to start with 30cal or 38. As that’s what I shoot the most. Not sure if the lee would be able to make jackets and form anything in those sizes.

I’m mainly looking for the best path to just get started. Without wasting a bunch of coin if I dont like it.


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[TyGuy]

I only recently started dabbling with swaging. I bought BTSniper’s BTSimple .224 dies and auto eject system for my RCBS press. It took about 15 months to get the dies, the swaging process is very slow and time consuming, and it will take about 10,000 bullets to break even compared to buying cheap jacketed bullets. That said, the dies work very well and the end results look good.

I haven’t had a chance to really test the performance beyond basic short range function testing but I believe they will make excellent varmint bullets, which of course are more expensive than basic FMJs. I am glad to be able to make them but I’m not sure I will delve any deeper than I am now. The .40 cal kit looks appealing but I don’t know if I can justify the cost with as little as I shoot my 10mm.

[Sasquatch-1]

Go to Dave Corbins site (www.corbins.com) to get an idea of what NEW equipment will cost. He also has a want ads section where I found my press and dies used. You can also keep an eye on ebay, equipment sometimes comes up there.

Also, commercial jackets are not cheap and dies to make jackets from copper sheeting is another expense.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

It seems I’m unable to access the 'vendors sponsors’ page. But I’ve bought and sold in the swapping and selling section.

Well, that's a problem that needs to be resolved. He has numerous threads with all the calibers and pricing.
I wonder if it's something with Tapatalk?

I can't seem to find a similar type thread in the swaging forum?
But this one is interesting.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...making-bullets

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I probably want to start with 30cal or 38. As that’s what I shoot the most. Not sure if the lee would be able to make jackets and form anything in those sizes.

I swaged some 30 cal bullets using 5.7x28 brass as a jacket, and all steps in the process was with a Lee classic cast press.
I was luckily enough to use a borrowed die set. Some of that was documented in this thread, starting at post 39

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...720-FN-5-7x308

[HATCH]

It seems I’m unable to access the 'vendors sponsors’ page. But I’ve bought and sold in the swapping and selling section.

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That is a Tapatalk setting issue in the board software.
In order for you to view it your going to either view a page as a website in Tapatalk and then navagate to the VS section or use a browser to access the board then that section.

I will attempt this week to fix this issue again.

Charles

[KAYDADOG]

I'll chime in only because I've been there. Depending on your age the investment may be worth it because of the cost of components and their availability. If you have to buy all the equipment the new the cost will be higher. If you have machines or an electrical background, you can do most of the work yourself and get a press designed for swaging. This is where I saved most of the cost because I built all my equipment. Larger pistol calibers take a lot of force to do core seating. There is a lot to consider here, many variables, and how many rounds you will be making in your lifetime.

Due to bullet making components costs today it is still almost cheaper to just buy them. It still depends on how many you are going to shoot over time.
The average pistol caliber copper jacket is now about $0.10 each. Rifle jackets around $0.25 each and they keep going up.

You will then need the following to make a bullet:

1. Start with a good swaging press, manual or what I use is hydraulic with Corbin H-dies, with a hydraulic press you will be set to make everything.
2. Pistol die set around $600-$1200 for a three-die set. Rifle calibers will start around $1200 per set plus. That is per caliber. Like others said start
with the one you will mostly shoot to get started. There will be a learning curve involved.
3. Lots of Soft lead. Here you will need lead wire, or you will have to cast the cores. Something else to consider. Because I have a hydraulic press I
can extrude all the different core wire needed. Another Invesment for the extruding dies.
4. Pistol or Rifle copper jackets, I now use pistol cases for jackets, cost $0.03-$0.05 each. Using pistol cases for jackets you will then need to anneal
them. Another step and cost added to the overall investment. Read my posts under Swaging that show what's capable of making bullets using
pistol cases for jackets. My cost for all pistol calibers is less then $0.06 each or $6.00 or less per 100 bullets, very reasonable, that's why I now
swage all my pistol bullets. Just one of the components that will continue to go up in the future if you can buy them. I never got into making
.308 rifle bullets because of the die cost alone and I will never shoot that many to justify the cost and the cost of the copper jackets. This is
where over time it will easily pay for the cost of the dies alone. In the future your equipment can still be sold recovering some of your
investment.

This is a very, very, very brief overall review of what you're looking at as far as what's involved and the costs to get started in swaging bullets. It's an investment and it will be a little expensive if you do it right. Cutting corners will show up in your finished product. Using a manual swaging press will take quite a bit more time than a hydraulic press. Consider a 1000 piece lot times three, four or five operations to complete a finished round. My average time for any pistol caliber to complete 1000 bullets is between 10-12 hours which is very reasonable. On a manual press it will probably take three to four times that if not longer. No one has offered of how long it takes them to make a specific pistol caliber, 1000 piece lot, using a manual press to date.
There is a lot to consider but it is all worth it in the end if you make the investment. No different then any other hobby you get into.

Hope this helps further. If you need any further information, send me a message.

Thank You

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

SNIP...
My average time for any pistol caliber to complete 1000 bullets is between 10-12 hours which is very reasonable. On a manual press it will probably take three to four times that if not longer. No one has offered of how long it takes them to make a specific pistol caliber, 1000 piece lot, using a manual press to date.
There is a lot to consider but it is all worth it in the end if you make the investment. No different then any other hobby you get into.

Hope this helps further. If you need any further information, send me a message.

Thank You

TIME:
I've only done 200 pc lots (pistol bullets) with my Lee classic Press.
I've never added up the time, but it's a lot.

Here is a list of steps I did.
Inspect and sort Jackets.
anneal jackets.
clean jackets (citric acid bath and short tumble in CC media).
weight sort jackets.
cast cores.
weight sort cores.
Match core to jacket, to obtain ideal weight.
flare jacket and press in core.
lube jacket (outside only).
then if they are going to be HP, I'd run them through the XTP die for jacket serrations.
then run then through the point form die.
clean lube off of finished projectile.

Some of these steps will take an hour or two (each) for a batch of 200.

[KAYDADOG]

JonB in Glencoe, Thank you for your input. The first to give others interested in swaging what time could be involved in making a certain quantity of bullets. There are many steps in between that are not realized that have to be done, which equates to more time. As a hobby our time is free. I enjoy swaging bullets because of the cost savings and being self-sufficient. One less major component I don't have to buy.

If I were loading any rifle bullet, I would have to weigh each one to within 0.05/GR to get each one perfect. Luckily, I don't have to which would add at least five hours to make a 1000-piece lot. Swaging pistol bullets 158/GR to 400/GR I don't think anyone could notice any accuracy issues if they were several grains +/-. Usually were the ones that are not accurate.

Using a hydraulic press running 7/second cycles is fast and zero effort involved. Because it is so repetitious, I can only swage 2-3 hours per session.
I can't even imagine doing what I've done on a manual press, it would be a lot of work. For the cost per bullet and time it now takes me to make any caliber is a good balance. Working only part time I can make any 1000-piece pistol caliber in three days. If I add a core swaging operation, then that will add an additional day.

All this information gives everyone else what is involved in swaging. There is a lot involved and a continuous learning curve. I've learned over the years what can and can't be done when doing certain operations. I've scraped out several punches bending them, easily done when using hydraulics, when doing certain operations. Running an automatic press and not paying 100% attention to the operation there is little time to react before something goes wrong and eventually it does. Just have to place another order to Dave Corbin and hope it doesn't take six months to get. Punches are usually received in several weeks most of the time.

[Sasquatch-1]

When people ask about swaging at the range, the first two things I tell them is #1 EXPENSIVE, #2 EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING. I also keep examples of the steps I go through in my range bag: uncut brass, cut brass, cast bullet I use for a core, formed core, seated core and final formed slug. I also explain that I anneal each piece of brass with a torch, weigh each core and jacket then add or cut off lead to get optimum weight and then wet tumble to clean. And then I can put together finished rounds. I only do this for .44 mag that I use in my Desert Eagle. All revolvers get powder coated lead.

[BadgerShooter]

I bought a Corbin Manual press and dies about 30 years ago and have never been disappointed with my investment. I swage .224, .243, .308, .429, .452 jacketed and paper patch slugs for .358, .375, .416, .458 Shot expert scores in Hi-Power, competed successfully in long range Steel Safari matches, shot lots of game with my swaged bullets as have my customers. Swaged bullets, if done properly are extremely precise and can be very accurate. If you set up your work space properly and batch your bullets through the steps, it can be fairly fast, not as fast as casting and lubing, but you are getting a jacketed bullet that is far more accurate and consistent and can use the full potential of your rifle.

[rcslotcar]

I use BTSniper dies for several calibers and am very happy with the results. I also use his 10 cavity core mold. in .224. I have several 48 lb lead ingots that I only use for core weight consistency.

[GONRA]

johnsonian09 - 85 year olde GONRA sez - if you are already a Dedicated Gun Crazy,
get the largest Corbin hand press.
If yer short on $$$ save up until you CAN....

Its useful for Bullet Swaging and all sorts of other Gun Stuff
YOU CANNOT IMAGINE NOW but will appear in the future.
PARTICULALY if you hava Basement Machine Shop....

(If you don't, make SURE you get a "screw cutting metal lathe with LEAD SCREW"!!!
Just HATE to see ya'll wasting $$$$ on "Hobby Lathes"that can't do "Single Point Threading!)

YUK!!!!