Shiloh Rifle Forums

Is anyone here or has anyone here used Corbin's swaging equipment to make bullets?

Is this really feasable for a hobbyist?

Scott
I use Corbins press and swages to make 40 and 45 cal. bullets. I make the straight side bullet as well as a smooth side bullet which is made in his point forming die. These are pp bullets, a grease groove bullet swage will be more costly, or a cheaper route would be to roll the grooves into the bullet, that is a bullet that has been made as a pp bullet only of a larger dia.
Looking at one of his flyers for Xmas you could get a pro swage to make pp bullets in your reloading press for $138.00. I have had one of these for years and use it to make straight side pp bullets .440 dia. Over the years I have spent more money on casting equipment and bullet molds then I have on swaging equipment.
It depends on how deep one want to get in to the hobby.

I use both Dave Corbin's press and dies and Richard Corbin's press and dies. Love them both.

It is practical for a hobbiest? Well, some folks race cars for a hobby, some race planes, so bullet swaging is definitely low key next to that, but it is somewhat more expensive than casting. It is more flexible in some ways however, so sorta depends on what you want to do.

Brent

I actually had not thought of making bullets for my Sharps, I am pretty happy with what I have.

I was thinking about making a handgun bullet that I would prefer as jacketed.

I have not done handgun bullets, nor jacketed bullets - except those with paper jackets of course.

It is certainly doable, but may not be fast enough to keep you happy.

Brent

Brent, Orville, Do you guys cast cores or use the wire? Ive been using both, but the wire seems to produce a better looking bullet. While using the Corbins gang mould on scrap pure lead, the cores come out looking like melted candles, although sharp at the edges its more of a surface imperfection. Once I run these cast cores through the core forming die you can still see where the imperfections were, but they are all very consistant in weight, much more so than when I cast. ( Im no expert caster) I suppose its just an appearance thing that gets covered up with a paper patch anyway. I was just wondering if you guys cast cores and have the same deal, Or have you perfected it somehow and have glass smooth bullets like when using the wire? kamotz

Yes, the imperfections of the core mould are visible on swagings, but they are insignificant. I cast my cores in an old mold made for shooting "as is" paper patched bullets. If I swage these down to cylinders, flat on both ends, and then shape, the bullets look a little better, but they don't fly any better. All of them look better than a cast bullet.

Brent

Whose press are you using to swage with?

"Were" not "are"

D Corbin
R Corbin