What are some interesting materials you used in swaging bullets?

[Dark Vaj]

Curious as to know what you guys on here used to form some of your bullets besides just lead? It might inspire others with ideas or more interesting things that could be done with swaging bullets.

[Ajax111]

This is an interesting subject. To go along with the question.
What kind of equipment do you use to form material other than lead?

[kimoleto]

What will happen if you use something like teflon instead of lead? Not the complete projectile but a tip or rotating bands? can you swage teflon?

[Huvius]

What will happen if you use something like teflon instead of lead? Not the complete projectile but a tip or rotating bands? can you swage teflon?

Not sure about the malleability of teflon but lots of swagers use airsoft balls for plastic tips on their swaged jacketed boolits.

[kimoleto]

I tried them (airsoft projectiles), making slugs for my Condor (.30) and my Texan (.50), I couldnt make them (big cavity HP slugs), guest my technique is wrong, allways ended up with a squashed ball, also tried corbin's sugestion but did not work... the sliced slugs do wonders but I was looking for other options

[rcslotcar]

In the past Iv'e used spent primers on top of the lead core. I wasn't able to recover any of the 40 cal bullets so I have no idea if they expanded as I expected.

[405grain]

What will happen if you use something like teflon?

If you used Teflon for driving bands on a bullet it would strip out on the rifling instantly. Teflon lacks the mechanical strength to be used in this application. Also, when you melt/burn Teflon it gives off a highly toxic gas. Further, if you Google the subject it is even considered a bad idea to use Teflon containing lubricants in firearms barrels, either as a cleaner or a lubricant. The Teflon particles pack into the microscopic depressions and scratches in the steel and eventually act kinda like barrel leading (only worse). The built up Teflon scale can't be removed because it is immune to solvents, plus the heat required to degrade the Teflon would destroy the barrel. This build up degrades the firearms accuracy. Teflon based lubricants work very good for the mechanical parts on a firearm, but should not be used inside the barrel. There are even some people that tried using Teflon tape like paper on paper patched bullets, and this generally fails to work nearly as well as the paper. Sorry, but using Teflon in bullets is not really a good idea.
PS: airsoft BB's are not teflon.

[Pipefitter]

I have used cornstarch,,,, Under high pressures it turns into a form of plastic.

[Ajax111]

Pipefitter, how high are the pressures?

[Pipefitter]

Corbin megamite (hand) press with Corbin swage dies. Never tried to shoot any of them. Read about it and tried it to see if it was true.

[Dark Vaj]

That's interesting, you have samples of it?

[kimoleto]

Really interesting facts about teflon, however I used it in airguns not in firearms, also tried as tape and it works, again in pcp rifles not in firearms. Anyway thanks for the tips.

[Dark Vaj]

Has anybody tried swaging rubber bullets?

[GONRA]

Based on GONRA's experience (GOOD ! !!) with olde Dave Corbin
get a Corbin CSP-2 MegaMite HAND PRESS and blast away....

If New Corbin does NOT offer the Corbin CSP-2 MegaMite HAND PRESS anymore, yer screwed

[GONRA]

GONRA sez - best to hava Harbor Freight Arbor Press For Dangerous swaging projects.
Make yer own dies on yer Harbor Freight Screw Cutting (hasa leadscrew) metal lathe....
THINK - be careful...
DO NOT "cut corners - cheep out:"

[firefly1957]

I Found the plastic in worn out Winchester AA shot shell hulls forms a nice point under pressure when cut into a small piece and set on core before point forming . Other materials and 6mm air soft pellets* just did not form as well . I had good 100 yard accuracy with the plastic tipped bullets from .223 I did not shoot them farther . A few of them did not form well also making a very bulky point .

* the air soft were tried in pistol calibers not .22 bullets .

[Dark Vaj]

I Found the plastic in worn out Winchester AA shot shell hulls forms a nice point under pressure when cut into a small piece and set on core before point forming . Other materials and 6mm air soft pellets* just did not form as well . I had good 100 yard accuracy with the plastic tipped bullets from .223 I did not shoot them farther . A few of them did not form well also making a very bulky point .

* the air soft were tried in pistol calibers not .22 bullets .

I just did some googling and it seems that the hulls are made out of PET, the same plastics that are used for soda bottles?

[Ajax111]

The older AA cases were made by a compression process, and all one piece.

The newer cases are made from a tube, with the base wad inserted.

The material used is different in each process.

[Dark Vaj]

The older AA cases were made by a compression process, and all one piece.

The newer cases are made from a tube, with the base wad inserted.

The material used is different in each process.

Learn something new everyday.