swaging cast bullets?
- Thread starter sixgunnin
- Start date
You need to measure your slugs as dropped from the mold. Different alloy combinations will shrink different amounts as they cool.
If your alloy & mold drop the slugs oversize, then run them through the sizer/lubricator. If not, running through the sizer won't change them, just lube them. (if that's the tool system you use).
If the mold drops slugs undersize, then you have different issues to work out. A different alloy mix MIGHT solve the problem, it might not. Generally speaking a mold dropping oversize slugs is not a problem, its a feature
, and sizing takes care of it. Undersize is a problem that needs a different fix, that might need having the mold honed to a slightly larger size to fix.
If your alloy & mold drop the slugs oversize, then run them through the sizer/lubricator. If not, running through the sizer won't change them, just lube them. (if that's the tool system you use).
If the mold drops slugs undersize, then you have different issues to work out. A different alloy mix MIGHT solve the problem, it might not. Generally speaking a mold dropping oversize slugs is not a problem, its a feature
, and sizing takes care of it. Undersize is a problem that needs a different fix, that might need having the mold honed to a slightly larger size to fix.If the bullets measure .452" OD when they fall out of the mold, not much will happen if they are slid through a .452" ID hole. If they have casting flash where the mold comes together or are out of round, that will change.
Many molds drop bullets slightly oversized, this is because the alloy you are using can change not only hardness but also weight and actual diameter.
For example going from pure lead to silver solder in one of my 230 grain molds I can drop bullets from 240 grains to 211 grains and their diameters can be .002" different even though they were cast in the same hole.
Mold temperature also effects bullet size.
Many molds drop bullets slightly oversized, this is because the alloy you are using can change not only hardness but also weight and actual diameter.
For example going from pure lead to silver solder in one of my 230 grain molds I can drop bullets from 240 grains to 211 grains and their diameters can be .002" different even though they were cast in the same hole.
Mold temperature also effects bullet size.
My testing back in the '70s showed that as-cast bullets were more accurate than sizing them, so I got sizing dies that were about 0.001" over the nominal as-cast size. Then I start pan lubing and then tumble lubing.
So, all a Lubri-Sizer was, to me, was a way to get lube the bullet or to seat a gas check.
I would tumble lube them and forget the bullet sizing altogether.
For LLA, you want just enough so that all the bullets have a wet/shiny look after tumbling. You do not need, or want, the bullets to be yellow/amber/brown.
I like to cast 200-500 and then lay the bullets on their sides in a glass casserole dish, squirt a "Z" over them, and then shuffle/rotate the bullets around for 30-60 seconds. If all the bullets have a wet/shiny look, I am good to go.
Finally, did you slug the barrel? The groove diameter of a SAAMI .45 Auto barrel can have a groove diameter of 0.450-0.454", and you want the bullets to be at least 0.001" larger than actual groove diameter in most cases.
So, all a Lubri-Sizer was, to me, was a way to get lube the bullet or to seat a gas check.
I would tumble lube them and forget the bullet sizing altogether.
For LLA, you want just enough so that all the bullets have a wet/shiny look after tumbling. You do not need, or want, the bullets to be yellow/amber/brown.
I like to cast 200-500 and then lay the bullets on their sides in a glass casserole dish, squirt a "Z" over them, and then shuffle/rotate the bullets around for 30-60 seconds. If all the bullets have a wet/shiny look, I am good to go.
Finally, did you slug the barrel? The groove diameter of a SAAMI .45 Auto barrel can have a groove diameter of 0.450-0.454", and you want the bullets to be at least 0.001" larger than actual groove diameter in most cases.
Pathfinder45
New member
I never size my 45 caliber bullets because Lee made my molds just right for my Vaquero. However, I also cast 30-30 bullets that I always size to .309 while seating a gas-check.
Just to ask, for so many years, I listened to people who said that sizing by swaging broke down the crystal matrix and weakened the lead, that the things should be fired as dropped, because that way, only the grooves were damaged, and anyway, the structure didn't break down until it was already out the barrel.
I don't care, that's really reaching into alchemy. I size.
Is this a ridiculous assertion put forth by guys who were living in a distorted reality?
I don't care, that's really reaching into alchemy. I size.
Is this a ridiculous assertion put forth by guys who were living in a distorted reality?
condor bravo
New member
We're talking about bullet sizing rather than swaging which is a different process.
To begin with, do you have a sizer/lubricating tool? If not, rather than go to the expense of buying a tool and die right away, try the bullets sized as they came to see if additional sizing is really necessary. Or, if buying bullets and the groove diameter is known, find a distributor where you can order bullets at different sizes to better conform to groove diameter if really needed.
It doesn't make too much sense to buy a sizing tool and die if you are not casting bullets also. But I guess you must be since you have the mold. But mike your bullets first. You indicate they are .452 so chances are they are good to go. If you end up sizing, sizing diameter is normally .001 over groove diameter.
But to answer the question, there wouldn't be much point in running a .452 bullet through a .452 sizing die unless the bullet is out of round or needs to be lubed.
To begin with, do you have a sizer/lubricating tool? If not, rather than go to the expense of buying a tool and die right away, try the bullets sized as they came to see if additional sizing is really necessary. Or, if buying bullets and the groove diameter is known, find a distributor where you can order bullets at different sizes to better conform to groove diameter if really needed.
It doesn't make too much sense to buy a sizing tool and die if you are not casting bullets also. But I guess you must be since you have the mold. But mike your bullets first. You indicate they are .452 so chances are they are good to go. If you end up sizing, sizing diameter is normally .001 over groove diameter.
But to answer the question, there wouldn't be much point in running a .452 bullet through a .452 sizing die unless the bullet is out of round or needs to be lubed.
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