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making swage bullets

geeguygeeguy Member Posts: 1,047 ✭
edited May 2008 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Thinking about using a swage process for my .38 HBWC's. I see Corbin has equipment.

1. Anybody try this? Results? Cost of Equipment?
2. Any advise on where else to get equipment for "home" style process?

Thanks
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    dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    It might be less expencive in the long run [?][?] How many years do you think it will take to recoup your investment in the equipment, unless you can make enough to sell thousands of them. Check the price of the lead wire you will need, and figure the price. I think you will find it cheaper to buy them. There was a arcticle in one of the gun mags a while back on the cost of bullet swaging. I forget now which one, someone else might remember.
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    RCrosbyRCrosby Member Posts: 3,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Results can be excellent, but Dick is right on target. Unless it would be a hobby that you'd really enjoy I think it would be cheaper in the long run to just get "store boughten" bullets. Corbin equipment is first class. Hopefully some other folks who roll their own will chime in.
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    geeguygeeguy Member Posts: 1,047 ✭
    edited November -1
    To explain a little more. I like to use the .38 spec HBWC (like the speer). This is "hobby" vs. a little on the cost savings side. I have the molds and lead melting equipment to "mold" a 148 gr. DBWC (got this from an estate with other stuff), I just have always liked the swaged bullet. I realize that the ROI is low and would take years, but the main issue is to have bullets when I want them and to have them consistent.

    Just trying to determine if I am a little nuts (I know I am) to try swage vs. molding. Of course, even though I've reloaded for numerous years, I have never molded except for black powder guns in very small quantity, so that will be a new experience.

    Any input would be helpful.
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    dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    If you have the mold and a lead pot, go ahead and mold your bullets. It is a lot less expensive that investing in swaging equipment. Go to some of your local tire shops and see if you can get their old wheel weights, and melt them down. I used them for years when molding my own.If you don't have one, you will need a sizer-luber for the bullets, weather you mold or swage.
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    fire for effectfire for effect Member Posts: 121 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Corbin Does make dies that you can use in your reloading press. Since you are shooting light loads, you are probably using soft lead wich will work perfectly in the sweage dies made for Reloading presses. You cast your cores, then swage them in the dies.

    I have been swageing bulllets for over ten years. I bought all the equipment to make .308 bullets when Clinton threatened his bullet ban.

    [img][/img]BulletSwagingBench009.jpg
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