Extruding lead wire

[Jimmynostars]

I would like to squeeze soft lead to continue with my interest,

I was thinking about casting billets around 1/2 " diameter by 3/4 to 1" long and using around a 20t press. The housing maybe 1 1/2 diameter 4140 bar od will hold without cracking and 3" long for alignment.

Am I on the right track? (22lr jackets to 224 55 gr)

[garandsrus]

I would think you want larger billets.

[MUSTANG]

I went down the "Make your own Lead Wire" Rabbit Hole about 10 years ago. I used .429 cast (44 Spcl/44Mag) to swage .305 wire and .220 wire. From this wire, I then cut lengths of wire and swaged cores for .308 and .224 bullets.

My observations:

1. If one uses a Core Mold such as the Corbin CMa-4 Core Molds (http://www.corbins.com/prcm-4.htm ) one can get the same cores to be swaged to weight and placed in jackets. I believe that BT Sniper on this Forum makes some Lee Mold based core molds for swaging cores to use in .224's.

2. Use of a core mold provides the same range of possible weight for creation of cores that lead wire does.

3. The lead wire swaging process actually has more steps to produce cores when compared to using a core mold.

My wire mold extruder dies have sit in die boxes for at least the last 8 years unused.

[Soundguy]

Agreed.. there are a few kits for using 22lr jackets for .223 projectiles.. all of those I have seen use core molds.

I remember back in the old days swaging lead wire to make projectiles for 'not available' 8mm nambu ammo.. of course.. you had to convert and form cases too.... ugh

[Jimmynostars]

Thanks for the feedback, I have pressed on and spun up the outer reamed to 12.4 and 90mm long with a 1 1/2 by 14tpi for a nozzle.

I will make a pin with a head and 2tho? clearance and a nozzle to suit the end. While it may not be ideal it will suit proof of concept and allow progress.

I will update when I have time

[deltaenterprizes]

I made a die that’s about 12” long and 3” diameter that used 1”x6” billets.
I made interchangeable orifices and squeeze the wire in a 20 ton press.
I am using a Harbor Freight air over hydraulic jack and it squirts like toothpaste coming out of the tube!

[beechbum444]

Got any pics of the set up ???

[Jimmynostars]

Thanks delta, I will re chuck it and take it out to around 7/8 believe it or not the shop press would be worse than a harbor freight hence my concern.

Haven't made the punch or nozzle yet, let alone the billet mold, nor pot or ladle. So planning is on my side.

Thanks for the feedback

[deltaenterprizes]

Thanks delta, I will re chuck it and take it out to around 7/8 believe it or not the shop press would be worse than a harbor freight hence my concern.

Haven't made the punch or nozzle yet, let alone the billet mold, nor pot or ladle. So planning is on my side.

Thanks for the feedback

I made mine with a 1” bore and used a 3/4” x 12” grade 8 bolt for the ram. I turned down the head to match the bore.

[JRLesan]

Elaborate, please, on how a 3/4" bolt as a ram works in a 1" die.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

He said in his post that he turned down the head to match the bore. Bolt heads are always bigger than the thread diameter, otherwise they’d be called set screws.

[JRLesan]

Now I understand; kind of. How does the 'shaft' stay centered in the bore? I'd think a shop press could allow some degree of misalignment but maybe the shaft cocking to one side is not an issue.
s

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

I would think that as long as it’s a good slip fit there is plenty enough land on the bolt head to keep everything true.