I got an email a week or so ago, from one of the CB members, baddoglowder. He lives in KY, but has parents just 20 minutes away from me. He was visiting them for a couple of weeks, and was intrigued with my Swaging posts, and hoped to be able to come by and see my swaging operation first hand. We managed to arrange for a get together, and did that yesterday.
baddoglowder, whose first name is Brian, has already made a significant investment in swaging equipment, including one of Corbin's hydraulic swaging machines. He also has a LOT of tooling, which he's just starting to figure out.
By comparison, my RockChucker press with BT Sniper's tools is a hobby set up. His is a full blown manufacturing arrangement. He's not sure he wants to do the Class 6 license, and try to sell his bullets commercially. Even though MY OWN volumes are significant (thousands and thousands), my swaging is a hobby, and all bullets are used in my own cartridge assembly.
I was able, however, to share a bunch of my learning curve experience with the BT Sniper tools (some of his tools were made by BT Sniper, albeit for the Walnut Hill press.)
1) My recipe for my swaging lube
2) Fine tuning of the set up of the point forming dies to get the nose of the bullet as closed as possible.
3) The virtues of casting cores vs extruding them (He's currently extruding core sticks)
4) Showed him my RockChucker press modifications (grade 8 pivot pin, threaded ram, handle extension, etc)
5) Showed him a subtle way to apply the swaging lube to brass
6) Explained the importance of keeping swaging tools free of excess swaging lube, and free of dirt and debris
7) Reviewed the downsides of trying to swage too fast
We also discussed boolit casting and the history of reloading.
It was a very nice meeting of a fellow CB member, and I am sure we will stay in touch. When he left, he had a zip lock bag full of swaged bullet samples for reference.
If anyone else is ever down in the Daytona area, I'd be equally delighted to show you the swaging setup that I have.
I have a number of tools, and currently produce:
* 55 grain .224" bullets from 22 LR brass
* 150 grain and 168 grain .308" bullets from 5.7 X 28 FN brass
* 380 auto and 9mm sized bullets from 223 Rem brass
* .40 caliber bullets from 9mm Luger brass
* .44 caliber bullets from .40 S&W brass
* .45 caliber bullets from .40 S&W brass
* .500 caliber bullets from 45 ACP brass