Hello all, new user from Norway here.
I've been thinking about swaging my own bullets for use in my 460 weatherby, and when ideas like
this start to creep into my brain i can't let them go. I doubt the final product would be cheaper
(especially since i shoot very low volume) or better than factory bullets. I also know that i
probably could get all i wanted from Corbin, but doing it yourself and making it work is all the fun
for me. I might even learn a thing or two in the process.
I'd like to run some basic ideas by you guys and see if i'm way off in my thinking. I've also included some sketches to further illustrate my point.
My idea was to use 308 brass as jackets, and bond a cast or bought lead core in them.
At first i started drawing full dies in solidworks, but i soon figured out that PTG sells die blanks
for a fair price. These have a standard 7/8-14 thread and are pre-drilled with pilot
holes through the entire die. The blanks are $20 each.
1: The core swaging die would start off as a die blank with a .40 caliber pilot hole in it. I'd be
drilling lead evacuation holes in the side of the die, just like a normal core swage. The only thing
left to do would be to make a ram that fits the piston in my rock chucker, and close off the top of
the die in some way (discussed a little further down)
2. The precut 308 brass would be put on a tray and pre-treated with some sort of flux (maybe sprayed
into them), and the lead cores dropped in each of them. Then I would heat the brass to annealing
temperatures. This would also bond the lead to the brass and help it flow into the flash holes. This
can either be done with conventional methods like propane torches or oven/grill solutions, or i
could use an inductive heater on each one.
3. Clean and dry the brass with the lead bonded into them.
4. Form the bullet with a core seating die. This can be made from a die blank with a .45 caliber
pilot hole, reamed up to the correct size. The bullet enters the die backwards and is swaged with a slightly undersize
press ram, like in the images below
5. Point form the bullets. I'm thinking one could use the same die as in step 4 here. The bullet
would need to go into the die tip first this time, and be pressed into an ogive shaped insert that
would double as a pushrod to help push the bullet out. The press ram used for this would need to be a tight fit
My main concerns are:
Swaging large caliber bullets like this might put a real strain on my trusty rock chucker (and also
on my arm!). Even if i put a longer load arm on the press, it might be necessary to use a hydraulic
press of some sort.
The cap on the die would have to be really strong if it is to be screwed on from the outside, or even with inside threads.
A better solution would be to make an internal shoulder in the die for the top piston to rest against,
and then use this as a pushrod to dispense the bullet/lead core (this is the solution that is illustrated in the drawings above). The drawback is that when a bullet
is stuck in the die, it's not easy to get it out. This would also mean that i would have to buy die
blanks with smaller pilot holes before drilling and reaming the bottom of the die to the right
dimensions.
If I make a custom press, one could apply the pressure at the top of the die,
effectively eliminating the stress on any threads that hold the die top cap in place.
Bonding the lead to the brass before swaging, will this affect the bullet forming process?
|
   
   
|
|
Reply With Quote
For now it's all about reading up on machining, since my education is within acoustics and electronics.
Originally Posted by SAndy37
