any experience swaging jacketed bullets down

[Pat Brennan]

Anybody care to share their experiences with swaging down jacketed bullets. What press is needed, how far down can you go and what are realistic accuracy expectations? Couple possibly practical ones that come to mind would be 9.3 286 grain down to fit a 35 whelen, a 375 300 grain bullet to fit a 9.3 barreled rifle, or a .284 bullet down to shoot out of a 270 (like the 120 ballistic tip).

 

[mudgunner49]

But why if you can already get those same bullet weights in those calibers?? I have "heard" (read as "no first hand experience) that swaging too much can cause core/jacket separation, but Seyfried did something some years back called "centerless grinding to reduce bullet diameter - not sure who you'd speak to about that, but I can try to dig up the article...

 

[*MALICE*]

Swage up,
draw down.

 

[Raton57]

You don't need a press to do it. Drill a hole through a good piece of thick steel and bevel the hole and pound through with a hammer and punch.

 

[curseyou]

curious to see how far you can go without tearing jackets. But the real question is why?

 

['Boo]

I would be concerned the bullet jacket won't be sized evenly and will be off-centre and wobbly in flight.

 

[mudgunner49]

You don't need a press to do it. Drill a hole through a good piece of thick steel and bevel the hole and pound through with a hammer and punch.

Hmmm - that sounds like a precision technique...

 

[Chinbullco]

Bullet draw dies are available. Maximum reduction would be .006". A big bullet swage press would be minimum, a hydraulic press is better suited for drawing bullets. Hand press max pressure output is at TDC, hydraulic presses will operate at maximum pressure full stroke length. Drawing empty jackets requires hydraulic press.

 

[jamesharrison]

BTDT. A lot of times for a lot of years.

Norma .323" 196 gr. PPDC > .314" 196 gr. PPDC
Herter's .277" 160 gr. RNSP > .266" 160 gr. RNSP
Hornady .338" 250 gr. RNSP > .333" 250 gr. RNSP
Hornady .338" 250 gr. RNSP > .330" 250 gr. RNSP

Tried a lot of lubes. Best I've found is a heavy coat of LLA left to dry.

I use Z-Hat (no longer available) or custom or Lee sizing dies.

Max you want to go is 0.003"-0.004" at a time.

You want a good big press. I use a Lyman Crusher.

You also want to use roundnose bullets only, at least that's what I found. There is too much bearing surface on spire points.

Although it's been >25 years since I've done any, I've been thinking about it again for the same reason the OP has; .375" Hornady 300 gr. RNSP-IL > 9.3mm.

To: mudgunner49
Because you can't get those bullet weights in those calibers. Unless you want Woodleigh or Swift, there are NO heavy .358 bullets anymore. The 275 gr. & 300 grain RN's from Hornady, Remington, Winchester & Speer are long gone & won't be back again.

 

[jethunter]

Anybody care to share their experiences with swaging down jacketed bullets. What press is needed, how far down can you go and what are realistic accuracy expectations? Couple possibly practical ones that come to mind would be 9.3 286 grain down to fit a 35 whelen, a 375 300 grain bullet to fit a 9.3 barreled rifle, or a .284 bullet down to shoot out of a 270 (like the 120 ballistic tip).

I swaged 375 bullets down to .368". I did it in two steps. very easy to lose some concentricity.