Swaging Satisfaction

I have been reloading for over 45 years and casting my own bullets for almost as long. The main reason I got into loading and casting, like many others, was to make my shooting dollars go farther. Over the years my first single-stage RCBS Rock Chucker — which I still use for some cartridges — has morphed into much more equipment. It has become a major investment.

One of the more expensive items was a set of four swaging dies from Corbin Swaging Products which can turn fired .22 Long Rifle cases into jacketed .223 bullets. The dies are not inexpensive but they will pay for themselves many times over in the coming years. How soon will depend on how much you shoot.

For example, a box of 100 FMJ .223 bullets for reloading run about $13 per hundred, or $130 per thousand. Your cost for your homemade bullets: Free. Figuring two cents for primer and three cents for powder, the cost for 1,000 fully-loaded cartridges is only $50. If you’re lucky enough to find .223 ammo on sale, 1,000 cartridges will cost around $300 before tax and shipping costs.

The dies can be used in a standard single-stage press or one designed specifically for swaging. I use the latter.

Making Bullets In 10 Steps

Step One: Gather spent .22 LR rifle cases from the range.

Step Two: Anneal cases so they can be swaged easily. I use an oven set at 500 degrees for 45 minutes.

Step Three: Boil cases in mixture of Dawn, 1/2 cup vinegar and a pinch of salt. This removes tarnish, making them easier on the dies and also removes the caustic primer mix in the rim.

Step 4: Lubricate the cases and then run them through the Jacket Maker die. I use Dillon Case Lube as the aerosol spray that covers well. This step removes the rim and a fully formed jacket ejects from the top of the die with each pull of the handle.

Step 5: Using lead wire or cast cores, form the cores by swaging them to the appropriate weight in the Core Swage die for the bullet you want to produce when the jacket is added. I’ve settled on 60-gr. bullets. Any imperfections in the core will be forced out and excess lead will be pressed through bleed holes in the die. Another quick spray of lube makes the process easier.

Step 6: Seat a core in a jacket with just enough force so a slight lip forms inside the jacket.

Step 7: Forming the point will produce an open tip bullet. An enclosed tip, FMJ-type bullet may be formed by putting the bullet in the Point Forming die upside down but I have found this shape does not improve feeding and is less accurate. A steel pin fitting into the die pushes the bullet out when the press handle is raised.

Step 8: It’s desirable to remove any residual lube from the bullets. I use a Lyman Cyclone tumbler with water, polishing compound and small stainless steel pins for a high luster.

Step 9: (optional): If used in a bolt-action, the bullets are now ready to load. If they are going to be used in an auto-loader I suggest rolling a cannelure onto the bullet to prevent bullet setback as it is chambered. I roll the cannelure 0.246″ from the base of the bullet. This results in an overall cartridge length of 2.16″, assuming the cases have been trimmed to the suggested length of 1.75″.

Step 10: Go to the range and take satisfaction in shooting a bullet you made, basically for free minus the cost of the dies.

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