My first baby!

So, I've been busy. I heard swaging wasn't about mass production, it's about precision. Well, I ain't a good listener so I made a crap ton of jackets.
http://i.imgur.com/Pu8F86H.jpg

Before I make a crap ton of cores, I had to do some proof of concept experiments. I found that I can't make a 62gr bullet like I wanted. The problem comes when the core is longer than the jacket before seating. The seating punch will catch the lip of the jacket and create a very bad wrinkle. So I'm limited to 55gr bullets to make sure the core is just below the jacket, enough that I can just barely get it on the shaft before seating.

Here's my first two babies! I'm a proud pappa!

http://i.imgur.com/xSbZN03.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yYe16SU.jpg

Beware, steel 22 cases are out there! I got one half way in and was forced to go all the way. Damn near broke everything.

A magnet can be your friend.

A stands for Aguila? thats Mexican made ammo, nice choice

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Originally Posted by kimoleto

A stands for Aguila? thats Mexican made ammo, nice choice

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I picked up a little of everything. I've got 50 pounds of brass. Some shells are about 9.5gr and the thicker brands are a little over 10. I don't want to weigh each one and sort so I'm going to split the difference with the cores. Once all the boolits are made I may then sort by final weight, but even a spread of 1 grain is better than most of my cast boolits.

Those look good Steve.

Those are real nice!


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I've learned a lot along the way. One thing that will save you a bunch of time is using RCBS water based sizing lube for everything except for point forming. The stuff washes off with water real easy, unlike lanolin based swage lube.

The dies need to break in still so the few wrinkles you see should eventually go away.

I'm hoping to stuff Stinger hulls with enough lead to make 62gr boolits. If not I've got other specialty dies that will allow me to form a soft point. I've also got dies to derim 22WMR which will be used or everything larger. The sky is the limit with those. 100gr subsonics should be within reach if I can find load data for it.

I know what you mean about the 62s. If you have one seating punch that you sand the sharp edge off it won't catch the jacket. That's what I did.

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Originally Posted by Gew

I know what you mean about the 62s. If you have one seating punch that you sand the sharp edge off it won't catch the jacket. That's what I did.

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I thought about that but I don't want lead squirting by the punch. Is that not a problem for you?

It rises up on the wall a few thousandths but it doesn't catch the jacket mouth.

First test loads today. Unfortunately my chronograph didn't feel like working today but I got some good info anyway.

I was using CFE223 in three batches. 25.0gr, 26.0gr and 27.0 which is near max.

All rounds fed perfectly which was one big worry, they also all cycled.

Best group was with 25grains. It gave me 1.48" at 50 yards.

At 26 grains I started to see a weird stringing pattern and it opened up to 2.98".

At 27 I was getting shots off the paper. No keyholing or signs of jacket separation, but something drastic was happening and it was all bad.

I was hoping to get a little more velocity out of these, but I'm sure I'm still going faster than a cast PC boolit.

As a control I shot some steel case Red Army Standard which looks like repackaged Golden Tiger. I got a group of 0.92" which is about as good as it gets with a low power scope in my hands. Commercial 62 Hornady boolits with the same powder got me 1.83" so my swaged boolits out performed it by a little bit.

You didn't say what rifle you were using. Could it be a AR with fast twist rifling? Some are really fast. They may be spinning up too fast for the jacket strength. I have two bolt guns in 223 and a mini 14(old one). The bolt guns have a 1-14" twist and the mini has a 1-10". I can shoot up to full power loads and good targets.
n.h.schmidt

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Originally Posted by n.h.schmidt

You didn't say what rifle you were using. Could it be a AR with fast twist rifling? Some are really fast. They may be spinning up too fast for the jacket strength. I have two bolt guns in 223 and a mini 14(old one). The bolt guns have a 1-14" twist and the mini has a 1-10". I can shoot up to full power loads and good targets.
n.h.schmidt

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It's 1:7 I believe. 20" barrel. Thanks for bringing that up. I'll keep an eye out for a 1:14 barrel. The slowest twist I have is my Handi with 1:9.

In addition to avoiding steel cases (which might actually be brass plated steel, and get past the visual inspection), you also need to avoid nickel plated brass. Those don't move metal the same way as the plain brass cases do. So, as was previously mentioned, a magnet, and then good lighting to cull out any nickel plated cases.

I do not sort by headstamp. They all go through my AR's. I am not shooting 500 yards (but could if I wanted), and the non head stamped cases are as accurate as any factory bullets.

Dig through your 22 brass. Should see some that is slightly longer than the usual 0.7". I have made 62's out of those. Lead right to the tip (after point forming). Those brass weigh a little more and can hold a little more lead.

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Originally Posted by Super Sneaky Steve

I found that I can't make a 62gr bullet like I wanted. The problem comes when the core is longer than the jacket before seating. The seating punch will catch the lip of the jacket and create a very bad wrinkle.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by n.h.schmidt

You didn't say what rifle you were using. Could it be a AR with fast twist rifling? Some are really fast. They may be spinning up too fast for the jacket strength. I have two bolt guns in 223 and a mini 14(old one). The bolt guns have a 1-14" twist and the mini has a 1-10". I can shoot up to full power loads and good targets.
n.h.schmidt

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wait what? isnt the whole point of jacketing these so you can get strength that can take a full load in fast twist? isnt a brass jacket going to be stronger than a copper jacket?

there are people getting near full loads with cast + PC and similar accuracy http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ll-house-loads

If this situation is really brass jackets not withstanding fast twist AR then something weird is going on

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Originally Posted by guy_with_boolits

wait what? isnt the whole point of jacketing these so you can get strength that can take a full load in fast twist? isnt a brass jacket going to be stronger than a copper jacket?

there are people getting near full loads with cast + PC and similar accuracy http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ll-house-loads

If this situation is really brass jackets not withstanding fast twist AR then something weird is going on

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Jackets are brass but thinner than commercial copper jackets. My cast rifle boolits lead the gas system. I don't want lead fouling in my AR's. It's easier to manage in piston guns. PC won't prevent lead in the system.

The 22 RF made jackets should be considered to be like The SX type copper bullets. Very thin metal and super explosive. It nobody said the whole point of this is is to take full loads with any twist. It would be great if it was so. It wasn't all that long ago when a 1in 7 didn't exist. When I started making these The Ruger mini 14 twist of 1 in 10 was fast. My bullets worked fine in that rifle at normal 5.56 speeds.