The firearm thread

[Mr Merde]

Chris:

So for swaging you wouldn't be casting blanks, just using trimmed pieces of stock or something? What do you use for lead stock currently?

I've seen a couple of kits for swaging the heads of .22LR bullets for accuracy purposes, but given that you're only controlling 1 of many different variables, getting better quality .22LR ammo is probably a better step.

You use a lead wire that you can by from Corbins or buy the tool to make it yourself.

You just cut off a oiece to the required length, drop it in the press and go for it.

At the moment I am using any scrap lead I can find.

Scrap metal merchant down the road from work has just put 50 kg of lead sheet aside for me.

Mate in Thames buys his lead by the tonne.

Casting for the 45-70 I only get 30 bullets to the kg as opposed to the .44 where I get about 100 or the M1 where I get about 200.

The really good thing about swagging is its consistancy, safety and repeatability.

Too many variables with hot lead. Not being te same temperature can mean a 5 gn difference in bullet weight. Hot lead going into a mould can trap air pockets inside the bullet. The list goes on.

[ManDownUnder]

He is swagging with Corbon swagging dies in an RCBS press by the looks of it

so... backpeddling a little... I could fit dies into my Lee reloading press?

edit - 10mins homework... it seems not. The RCBS press is a lot sturdier than the Lee press....

[Mr Merde]

so... backpeddling a little... I could fit dies into my Lee reloading press?

What Lee press do you have?

A good strong "O" press is best as the swaging process geneates one hell of a lot of pressure.

From memory so dont take tis as gospel but it is somewhere around the 100,000 psi level

I've just read that article jono035 posted from the Shooting times. It gives s a really good overview of making .224 calibre bullets.

Estimate that you would need to make aboutr 5000 bullets to recover your initial costs.

Read it and enjoy.

I told you that reloading was addictive. Once you start you will always be hooked. You may go at it in fits and startsa but it is always there nagging at your mind.

Chris

[Mr Merde]

MDU,

Here is what I was trying to tell you about neck resizing cases but sort of stumbled a bit.

"Anyone who has ever used neck size only dies knows that at some point after repeated firings the cartridges become difficult to chamber. They will feed fine but closing the bolt becomes difficult and requires some pressure. The solution is to run them through a full-length die and push the shoulder back a little."

Hence you will need at some time a fl set of dies for that lovely 22-250 of yours

Chris

[ManDownUnder]

"Anyone who has ever used neck size only dies knows that at some point after repeated firings the cartridges become difficult to chamber. They will feed fine but closing the bolt becomes difficult and requires some pressure. The solution is to run them through a full-length die and push the shoulder back a little."

Worth knowing - cheers. And then I'll need someone to set off another 60 or so rounds to fire form them all again (and give me the excuse to reload 'em... )

[Mr Merde]

Worth knowing - cheers. And then I'll need someone to set off another 60 or so rounds to fire form them all again (and give me the excuse to reload 'em... )

Surely the best route would be to load a couple of hundred rounds, fireform them, batch them, and then use these cases for your reloading. When a batch starts to need a full lenght resize you still have cases available to shoot.

Involves you spending more money on cases and more time in the reloading room.

[ManDownUnder]

Involves you spending more money on cases and more time in the reloading room.

Yup!... and I don't see any problems with that... at all...

[Mr Merde]

Yup!... and I don't see any problems with that... at all...

Best to start that young lad of yours on some serious reloading training.

I was most impressed with his knowlege of shotshell reloading

For all you others

MDU's 9 year old son walked me through the procedure of reloading a shotgun shell and I couldnt find fault with it at all.

At this rate he is going to be one hell of a shooter\reloader before he is even legally allowed to own a firearm.

[Wolf]

For all you others

MDU's 9 year old son walked me through the procedure of reloading a shotgun shell and I couldnt find fault with it at all.

At this rate he is going to be one hell of a shooter\reloader before he is even legally allowed to own a firearm.

Tears. In. My. Eyes.

That kid of yours is a keeper, MDU, don't lose him, eh.

[KREWZR]

Updated today

Bombs away !

http://frommycolddeadhand.blogspot.com/

[Swoop]

Best to start that young lad of yours on some serious reloading training.

I was most impressed with his knowlege of shotshell reloading

For all you others

MDU's 9 year old son walked me through the procedure of reloading a shotgun shell and I couldnt find fault with it at all.

At this rate he is going to be one hell of a shooter\reloader before he is even legally allowed to own a firearm.

Wonderful!

A club member's son was doing the reloading of the club .38Spl ammo some years back. He was very good, and managed to earn a bit of pocket money out of it too.

[ManDownUnder]

Tears. In. My. Eyes.

That kid of yours is a keeper, MDU, don't lose him, eh.

Wonderful!

"Proud Daddy" don't begin to cut it...

[ManDownUnder]

Best to start that young lad of yours on some serious reloading training.

I just showed this to the little man in question... he thought it was great - till he Spotted Mr Merde's by line... "Contraray old bastard"... he took great delight in reading them out loud a few times and giggling.

I expect to hear those words again tonight... best I warm mum...

[jono035]

I just showed this to the little man in question... he thought it was great - till he Spotted Mr Merde's by line... "Contraray old bastard"... he took great delight in reading them out loud a few times and giggling.

I expect to hear those words again tonight... best I warm mum...

I was talking to someone else at the gun range who got his kid to sort brass and pull the handle on his progressive press once he had it set up...

Once I get my S&W 686 then I need to find a kid that I can borrow to put together a few thousand rounds of .357 magnum for me

[Mr Merde]

Sorry about the by line MDU

Hope you explained that us old people dont have all our marbles.

Hope mum understands.

I really hope that all this praise is boosting the confidence of that lad of yours. He deserves it all. I nwas honestly impressed when he was explaining to Indy how a shotgun round was made and what each stage of the press did.

You have to start him on metalic cartridge loading. get him familiar with making his own rounds and how they shoot. We couild have a worthy member of the next generation of shooters.

Chris