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stephen perry 1
06-06-2013, 12:35 PM
If you had money for one caliber of bullet making dies for making hunting bullets for your Small Caliber what would it be. Choices would be .14, .17, .20, ,22, and 6mm.

Stephen Perry

Mntngoat
06-06-2013, 02:29 PM
an unleaded .20 since it appears that's the direction CA is going if the current bills get passed.

ML

JINGWEED
06-06-2013, 10:03 PM
No question, 14 Cal.

Bill K
06-06-2013, 10:58 PM
an unleaded .20 since it appears that's the direction CA is going if the current bills get passed.

ML

I would go with the .20 cal also. Bill K:)

sagerat
06-07-2013, 05:56 AM
Does anyone swage unleaded?

James

stephen perry 1
06-09-2013, 02:13 PM
OK
You got my interest. My small caliber centerfire is .222. If I went smaller caliber it be a .17 not sure which one. I pick the .17 because .20 is too close to .222. If I didn't have several deuces I might pick a .20. Picking up a .280 today so a .17 will have to wait.

Stephen Perry

andy221
06-09-2013, 07:42 PM
Stephen Perry your 222 is a .222? mines shoots .224:D

stephen perry 1
06-09-2013, 08:10 PM
andy
Mine are .224 barrels. If not sure one should take the gun to a smith could be a .223 dia barrel. Some/most Hornet barrels are .223 dia.

Stephen Perry

andy221
06-09-2013, 08:15 PM
Thanks Stephen, I knew what you ment, I just wanted to joke around.

TinMan
06-10-2013, 12:08 AM
Sagerat, unleaded bullets have to be made via powder metallurgy processes - press and sinter - not by swaging, as far as I know.

sagerat
06-11-2013, 04:45 AM
TinMan- wouldn't an unleaded bullet still be swaged in a conventional jacket, just using a different core- like you say sintered.

Don
06-11-2013, 07:43 AM
Hi Sagerat.Yes you can make solid copper bullets using powdered copper. I make them in.17 but there not as easy to make as lead cored. If you want a really heavy bullet you can also use powdered tungsten.

TinMan
06-11-2013, 12:13 PM
The bullets I have seen are simply a PM sintered product, no jacket. I'm not in a lead free area, so I personally haven't seen too many lead free bullets yet. I have seen a few of the 'frangible bullets' and they look like PM products also, no jackets.

BadgerBob
06-14-2013, 08:50 AM
Didnt Corbin at one time offer dies to swage #6 solid Copper wire into 17 caliber bullets? I dont know how practical it would be but it would be interesting to try.

Bob

stephen perry 1
06-14-2013, 01:09 PM
One thing to consider swaging anything without a lead core will make a lighter bullet also might require a different set of dies more cost.

Stephen Perry

Don
06-16-2013, 10:07 PM
Tinman
the ones i make use the same j4 jackets i use for lead cored bullets. I use corbin tools.You need a longer seating punch and a funnel made to suit the core seating die and jacket. Powdered copper in a .500 j4 makes a 15g ish bullet, powdered tungsten makes a bullet about 23g in the same jacket.
Don

TinMan
06-16-2013, 10:23 PM
Thanks for the info. So the copper and tungsten powders are soft enough that they can deform enough to get good fill and bullet strength? Are these powders gas atomized (spherical) or are they some other irregular shaped like a milled powder, a flake or water atomized? Also, if the 0.500" J4 jacket copper makes 15g ish and the tungsten makes a 23g, what weight does a traditional swaged lead bullet make. Just curious for the metallurgist in me.

Don
06-17-2013, 12:36 AM
Hi Tinman
Corbins call it atomised copper powder. The powder i buy in England is called 325 mesh. Corbins dont sell powdered tungsten at the moment due to its very high price. I get it in England from a golf pro shop where they use it to weight club in some way.If you look on Corbins web site rhere is quite a bit about powdered metal bullets.Don

rickiesrevenge
06-17-2013, 01:15 AM
Thanks for the info. So the copper and tungsten powders are soft enough that they can deform enough to get good fill and bullet strength? Are these powders gas atomized (spherical) or are they some other irregular shaped like a milled powder, a flake or water atomized? Also, if the 0.500" J4 jacket copper makes 15g ish and the tungsten makes a 23g, what weight does a traditional swaged lead bullet make. Just curious for the metallurgist in me.

I think the .500" jacket is used for a 20gr lead core bullet.

Aaron

aaronraad
06-17-2013, 05:12 AM
Could you use some of the lead-free solid (no flux core) soldering rods or reels of whatever diameter you need for .172 cal jackets?

http://www.kester.com/SideMenu/Products/WaveSolderingMaterials/BarSolder.aspx

If the hardness and flow are low enough (????), wouldn't the core be more consistent that a powdered product? :confused:

Don
06-17-2013, 05:00 PM
Hi Tinman
Yes a.500 j4 makes a 20g open tip bullet in my dies, sorry missed that bit last night.Arronraad i have tried unleaded solder and it does work but you have to cut the cores very accuratly because they will not bleed off the excess in the squirt die. At least not in mine. I do use leaded solder quite alot in my .17 bullets i find, especially in rebated boat tail that it leaves a sharper more defined edge than pure lead. It is also cheaper and easyer to get hold of than lead wire.

aaronraad
06-19-2013, 04:09 AM
Hi Tinman
Yes a.500 j4 makes a 20g open tip bullet in my dies, sorry missed that bit last night.Arronraad i have tried unleaded solder and it does work but you have to cut the cores very accuratly because they will not bleed off the excess in the squirt die. At least not in mine. I do use leaded solder quite alot in my .17 bullets i find, especially in rebated boat tail that it leaves a sharper more defined edge than pure lead. It is also cheaper and easyer to get hold of than lead wire.

Hi Don

Do you know roughly how many and what diameter the bleed holes are in your squirt die?

Don
06-19-2013, 11:47 PM
Hello aaronraad
The squirt die has three holes don't know there size but the lead that extrudes from them measures 0.040".
Don

george ulrich
06-22-2013, 05:37 PM
Hello aaronraad
The squirt die has three holes don't know there size but the lead that extrudes from them measures 0.040".
Don

If you are going to squirt solder or any tin mix your better served with larger squirt die holes.......george

ohnomrbillk
10-27-2013, 05:45 PM
If you had money for one caliber of bullet making dies for making hunting bullets for your Small Caliber what would it be. Choices would be .14, .17, .20, ,22, and 6mm.

Stephen Perry

Staying in your stipulations, I'd want a 17 since my next wildcat is a 17.

If I can bend the rules, I'd have a 19 so I could buy a 19 Badger and not worry about availability of projectiles.

Oleman
10-27-2013, 08:38 PM
Does anyone swage unleaded?

James

No and that is the whole idea about outlawing it.