Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Lanc County, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    I'm not sure I'm even using the term correctly, or if it can mean more than one thing, but what I'm asking about is if anyone makes their own bullets with a press, usually with some copper/brass tubing or discs. I'm not talking about casting (though I'm interested in that as well, what the options are for jacketed bullets, maybe starting with cast "plugs").

    I've seen a number of video's of people making 9mm & 223 rounds and even making some rounds from the cases of 9mm IIRC (I think into a 308 bullet??). I'd be interested in any of these options.

    I've looked at the Corbin website and I think it looked like a $3K investment to be able to start making 1 kind of bullet, which seemed outrageously high for what I saw in the videos. Maybe I'm mistaken in what is required or the level (of production possible) with the $3K, and maybe there are less expensive options.

    I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with experience in this field. Also, if you have an interest or desire in doing this and you live close enough to travel here (Lancaster), I might be interested in some kind of arrangement to obtain and/or use the equipment to do this (I have some fair ideas on how to split/share a setup between different parties).

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    Piney twp, Pennsylvania
    (Clarion County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    FYI. A forum I visit has a section on it: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...php?41-Swaging
    It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
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    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    I cast and did some research into swaging.

    The cost to get started is outrageous. I just couldn't justify the cost.

    I will stick to a 40 dollar lee mould and lead.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    State College, Pennsylvania
    (Centre County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    Speer got into bullet making a long time ago (1944) making (swaging) bullets from used .22 cases because gilding material was in short supply. He also invented and made the first "Hot swaging" bullet making machine. I agree with DC above, the cost to get started is very high that's why most who make their own bullets cast them.
    Ron USAF Ret E-8 FFL01/SOT3 NRA Benefactor Member

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Brookville, Pennsylvania
    (Jefferson County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    I've never used one of those expensive machines, but I've had to swage .385" castings down to .375" before. Just used my RCBS Jr press, a machined bullet pusher, and a die that I had a machine shop make.

    Just pushed the bullets up thru the die to swage them down to smaller diameter.

    Stupid mold I had bought produced a tad too big, back before the internet times. And was too late to return before I started using it to find out. Machine shop only charged me about $30 to make the pusher and die. I think I still have them out in a box in the garage somewhere. Sold the mold to a guy who specifically wanted .385" bullets.
    RIP: SFN, 1861, twoeggsup, Lambo, jamesjo, JayBell, 32 Magnum, Pro2A, mrwildroot, dregan, Frenchy, Fragger, ungawa, Mtn Jack, Grapeshot, R.W.J., PennsyPlinker, Statkowski, Deanimator, roland, aubie515

    Don't end up in my signature!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
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    Douglassville, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    I believe that Abner is a tool and die guy.
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Johnstown, Pennsylvania
    (Cambria County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    Been swagging 40 and 45 cal . bullets for 10 + years using 380 and 40s&w empty cartridge cases . When I got into swagging , dies were about a quarter of today’s cost and a RCBS Rockchucker was the only press needed . Bullets were cheap then compared to today's prices so few people swaged , more as a hobby or for cheap sates like me who had lots of time on there hands in the winter months . Fast foreword to today , fewer die makers catering to a small market of hobbyist = HIGHER PRICES ( my first set of dies cost in the neighbourhood of $ 250 )
    DAN

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Richboro, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    Anyone shoot 44 mag? You can make jacketed bullets from trimmed 40 S&W cases, cast 40 lead bullets, and a Mauser die. Interesting concept but WARNING: This video is hard to get thru because the guy rambles and talks to way much


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania
    (Luzerne County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    I have been casting for a few decades and swaging as well. I started with a Corbin die set on my Rockchucker. Then, as a retirement present to myself, I purchased a Corbin CSP-1 S-press. Pricey then and more so now. And dies for .452 and .458. Pricey.
    I use it to make SWCs for my 1911 and paperpatch bullets for a Martini-Henry longlever. It also gives me bullets for two 45-70s.
    One unexpected use is reforming bullets. I was given a few thousand commercial swaged 240 grain .429 HPs. I do not use them for my .44. I resize them to .452 and drop the weight to 210 grains.
    “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.”Hemingway ...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Lanc County, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Re: Anyone here swage their own bullets?

    I've seen the bullet resizing dies that you mention. Basically it just pushes the cast bullet up through a round die so all the bullets have exact identical diameter. A lot of people suggest getting bullet molds .002-.005" larger than what you need and then resize them all with these bullet dies and in doing so, the accuracy increases A LOT between all of your bullets b/c cast bullets supposedly have much more variation than bullets made by pressing lead plugs into the proper size/shape, or even putting them through a single step resizing die.

    As for the cost, I just can't see where all the cost comes from. It seems that the dies used in the presses aren't too different than reloading dies but they cost MUCH MUCH more. I guess maybe it's b/c they don't make as many of these dies as they do reloading dies?

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