The Right Equipment For Me?

[Ronin]

Hi There,

new to the forum, but not new to precision reloading and accurate rifles.


I am considering starting to make my own bullets, partly because I want to experiment and partly because I may attempt to go commercial if they are a success and I get consistent, accurate, results from my bullets.

I've already looked extensively on the Corbin web site and have contacted a custom die maker initially to seek advice about which way is best for me but now I find myself a bit confused!


My question is this:

Should I look at getting a single Hydraulic press in case I do "go commercial" or buy multiple hand presses so that each die set has its own dedicated press.

I don't reside in the US and J4 jackets are a bit difficult to obtain with any regularity so I was thinking of making my own from strip - hence the Hydraulic press.

Would I be better to have one die set in a multiple press arrangement so that I don't have to worry about setting up dies at every stage of the swaging process, or should I go hydraulic and get custom dies to suit my needs?

Thanks in advance

[talon]

Ronin,
  Can you afford to purchase a hydraulic bullet press,  and then resell it at a large loss in 6 months when you realize it's not for you? Do you live in a country where you can not import some of Mr Hairfield's bullet jackets? Do you plan on making only one caliber in only one weight of bullet? I know it's somewhat impolite to answer a question with another question, but knowing the answers to the above can greatly assist answering your 3 questions. I live in the USA, and if I were going to make bullets for myself ( and I have been for over 10 years with hydraulic and manual presses in over 30 calibers) I'd get a Corbin  'S' press, or a RCE Walnut Hill press, and dies from those companies to make the type ( caliber and point shape) of bullet I wanted for my own use. Then, I would order the specific length and wall thickness jacket I would need from those firms, or Mr harold Hairfield. From experience I know that, while it is easier to have 3, 4 or 5 of these type presses all set up at one time to perform each step of the swaging process, a single press will do just fine. As far as a hydraulic press is concerned, unless you intend to make your own jackets and support a very high start up cost, or know that you can sell several thousandspecialtyy bullets a month, I would forgo one at least until you are quite comfortable with your single manual press operation.

[Ronin]

Talon,

thanks for the reply, I don't think you've been impolite.

I would like to make bullets (match grade, high BC, VLD or RBBT) in .224", .243", .264" and .284" for my own rifles. The bullet weights I had in mind would be 75 - 80g (224), 80 - 115g (243), 140g (264) and 180 - 200g (284)

With that in mind, I am aware that the cost of dies will be high and that if I were to buy all together some discount may be forthcoming.

What I dont know is the availability of good lead wire in the diameters I would need and the availability of jackets in my country. I have done a little research about J4, but can find no contact details for Mr Hairfield, although I know the jackets he produces are good because of reports written on Long Range Hunting from users of  Wildcat Bullets.

For those two reasons, I thought that I would maybe require a hydraulic press to extrude lead into the correct diameter wire and also to make my own jackets.

If I can get both here then i wont need a hyd press.

Iv'e money set aside for this project and would like to start making bullets for myself sooner rather than later, but as this is new to me, I want to get it right first time than make a mistake buying the wrong equipment and have to re-do.

I am looking at this as a long term project and am approaching it the same as I do with reloading / rifles - I believe in getting quality first.

[iiranger]

Dave (Corbin) will hate me, but he has a brother (and they do not agree alot, surprise!) and his brother makes bullet making equipment too. Dick Corbin, Richard Corbin Engineering Company, rceco.com ... Richard has just introduced dies to make quality bullets in heavy reloading presses and a much reduced cost. It would be to your advantage to make his acquaintance. You might want to start here. No idea about demand in your area/country... the muscles are the limiting factor in heavy hand work... if you should go commercial... for yourself, plan well... save a bunch...

Lead cores can be cast or hit the boat shops. Many boating enterprises use lead wire to weight things down. Otherwise, many, many sources of lead can supply it in that form. Many diameters. Both brothers seem to agree, heavy cores for handgun and large rifle bullets are economical to cast. For smaller, lighter bullets... cut the wire.

Basically, it is all cost. I assume you have stumbled into the fact that you can make jackets from fired cases. The ones from .22 rimfire have to be held down as to velocity normal in .22's and .24's, but in competition, the loads are not "barn burners" anyway. The .22 rimfire Magnum case can be used on .26 and .28...  You may need to trim to length... Or, yes, budget permitting, get the hydraulic system (Richard has several too) and dies to make your own jackets. It is expensive. Dave (corbins.com) has a used press in the "used" ads last I looked. Dave is a bit more ready to answer questions. Long journey, but a journey begins with a single step... luck and (as Hollywood put if for us) "happy trails..."

[talon]

For jackets try emailing    harrell.hairfield@ps.ge.com.  If you are going to make tube jackets, I think 7mm is about the smallest you want to try. Tube jackets have thick walls, and you may not get the weight you want in the lesser calibers. Too, anyone with a hydraulic should have a lead wire set up. it's the only way to go for the smaller calibers. However, before you order the wire kit make sure you have the jackets you want to use so that you can get the proper wire dies. And, you can always consider jacket reducing dies and a trip saw. That way, you'll have more  flexability, especially if you can't acquire the 6.5 and .224 jackets you need.

[Ronin]

Thank you to both of you, very helpful, I will contact Mr Hairfield about the jackets and pay a visit to RCECO for an alternative producer of equipment.