Oops.

[Bad Karma]

I think I bulged the core seat punch. I think it's because the lead that I thought was pure lead was not. Any one know of a good source for lead wire in N. California?

[Lead pot]

LOL: You didn't read my warning did you!

[Bad Karma]

I thought I was doing OK. Live and learn. I'll order another tomorrow. When you formulate a bullet, do you weigh the jacket and core then calculate say 2 more grains in lead? As it turns out the lead is pure. It's roofing lead. I just had way too much.

Soooo....I am faily comfortable with annealing brass to make jackets. So what I'm using is a Lee 130gr .309" round nose for my cores.I want to make a bullet that uses a gas check for a base and weighing 125-130grs. Is there a risk of leading when using this method? I am looking for a load that will push it between 100-1100f/s out of my 1911 9mm.

[Lead pot]

I have two sets of C&H swage dies I haven't used for many years.
, I use the Corbin dies and press.
You have to watch that you don't get the core to long so the nose punch goes into the die enough so the side walls are supported by the die wall.
The dies are good for the 1/2 or 3/4 Jackets, they do a fine job but you must use a little caution.
I have swaged pistol bullets using #2 Lyman alloy they will handle it but you must have the core with in 2-3 tenths of your finished bullet weight. 1/10th would be better with the hard alloy.
Karma sheet lead has Arsenic in it to harden it a little so it will take solder better with out having the soldering iron fall through and also to keep the oxidation down, but it's almost pure lead. If it was alloyed the melting temperature would be lower and it would make soldering difficult.
Just be mindful that the nose punch is in the die body for sidewall support and you will get along just fine with the dies.
If you are serious swaging your bullets and been thinking about getting another loading press I would consider getting a swag press from RCE or Dave Corbin the expense is not much higher than a good quality loading press and they can be used for a loading and swage press, and your C&H dies will also work with that press so you dont have to run the die in and out so you don't have to hang on the press handle.
My RCBS A-4 Big max can be altered to have a short stroke swage option.

[deltaenterprizes]

Roofing jacks have a ring of 50/50 solder holding the round part to the flat part,if you don't remove this it ain't "pure" lead!

[Lead pot]

No most I soldered where with 95/5 solder it melts at a lower temperature.

[Bad Karma]

OK, my .35 caliber gas checks came today. I have 2000 on hand. So here's my new plan. I am going to cast up a bunch of my Lee 309 200gr bullets for cores. I will use the driving bands as my guide to cut off the excess material. I figure the bore ride shank will make a better core. The 130 gr one works fine but getting rid of the driving band seam is a bit of a trick. Also the face that the 200gr mold is a two cavity will make things go a bit faster.

OK, now to the nect question and idea. Will using a gas check instead of a jacket cause leading? Also as far as lubricants go I want to try to wrap the core in teflon tape to see if it will be presseed into the bullet. Any ideas?

[Red River Rick]

Bad Karma:

I fail to see what the purpose of all your efforts. Why are you going thru all of this trouble when you could just shoot GC cast boolits.

RRR

[Lead pot]

RRR, he is having fun

By the way RRR, I looked at one of your moulds at the Quigley last year that Dean had.

Good work.

[Red River Rick]

Lead Pot:

Having fun, eh! Well, I hate to say it, but Bad Karma is either really bored or easily amused, because there are other ways of having fun, no offense.

If your going to swage, you may just as well put a jacket on, at least a half jacket and forget the "T" tape . The "T" tape idea as been tried so many times already, with mixed results, that it's not worth the effort.

RRR

[Lead pot]

RRR I agree with you.
There was a time when I started swaging when bullets I wanted to shoot you could not buy.
Now there are quality mould makers like you and a few others that make excellent moulds that drop a quality bullet that is as good as the swaged bullet.
I have PP moulds that I cant see the mould parting line and spinning the bullet in a V block with a .0005 dial there are no deflections.
But a quality mould is no good if you don't have the knowledge how to cast a quality bullet. A swage is more forgiving.
But a swage still has a place with me for the bullets I want and shoot with the rifles I shoot. I swage more then I cast.
I gave the Teflon tape a try when that stuff first came on the market and found out early it didn't work.

[Red River Rick]

Bad Karma:

My apologies if you think I’m coming on to strong. I'm not trying to be "Mr. Crusty".

I have a Corbin Hydro Press, and have been swaging for quite a few years now. Not on a commercial basis, but rather for myself and friends. I also make all of my own tooling, and I’ve tried many combinations and possibilities there are regarding bullet swaging, some with mixed results.

What you need to do is get a “Adjustable”, multi cavity core mould or a fixed cavity core mould, at the least and some “jackets”. Having a consistent weight core is crucial when swaging bullets, otherwise you’ll have to much variation. Your method of cutting those 200 grain bullets down, isn’t very consistent, and may have contributed to you “Bulging” your die. If the excess material has nowhere to go, rather than outward when being compressed, the result is at hand.

If your wanting a “Straight Sided” swaged bullet, you should be either putting in some cannelure grooves or “Knurling” the exterior, so some sort of LA or Rooster Flood Lube can be applied. I doubt that the CG your swaging onto your bullets will help reduce leading because you’re swaging your bullets out of pure Pb. A harder medium, WW or harder, will help reduce the amount of leading, somewhat. Otherwise, you may just as well put a jacket on them

Remember, the whole intent of the jacket, weather it be “copper”, “cupro-nickle”, “brass” or “paper” is to serve one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to reduce or eliminate leading. So, I’m thinking that your above method will not resolve any leading issue, but rather add to the problem. Even with the use of the “T” tape (which will never stay on), you’ll be frustrated with your efforts and the rewards will be less than spectacular.

You need to get yourself some jackets and forget the “T” tape, you’ll be far better off.

Season’s Greetings.
RRR

[Bad Karma]

The idea I have is to save money. Jackets are too expensive. For the cost of jackets I can get a complete bullet. This is a way for me to get good deep hollow points and to use jackets, gas checks or whatever I can use to make bullets. I have used .32 ACP brass with good results thus far. It is a conflict of interest though. I have a pre war Walther PP so I am not doing myself any favors by using the brass I have. I am good at engineering things. I'll get something to work. I only bulged the core seating punch, the die is fine.
Everything Dave Corbin sells is through the roof expensive. I'll be buying another 2 sets of dies here soon from C&H.

[Red River Rick]

Bad Karma:

If you can't or don't want to spend a whole wack of money on some jackets, I have a quite a few .38 cal half jackets and I'd be willing to send you some to try out, no charge. At least give them a try.

If your interested in the "jackets", send me a PM, I'd be happy to send you some.

RRR

[flutedchamber]

Lead pot,

How did (or do) you alter your A-4 be altered to have a short stroke action??

Thanks. I'm being bitten by the swage bug..