I picked up .430 and .375 swaging dies, one teensy weensy problem

[DsGrouse]

40 sw brass drawn into .375 jackets. Seated with 186 grain cores and swaged into 250ish grain .375 bullets.

The issue is due to the variance in jacket weight, as it is mixed 40SW brass.

I've got other steps to incorporate. IE. Trimming all the drawn brass. Then, facing the finished bullets/ trim to length.

[GFK]

Looks like you are enjoying yourself! Happy shooting!!

[DsGrouse]

Soon, have to get the rifle back, and pick up new powder.

I started filling my powder hopper yesterday with benchmark. Picked up the hopper to move it and flung a pound of powder across my reloading room.

So, yeah. Thats why no updates on subsonic 3030 loads....

[DsGrouse]

I dropped the core weight down to 170 grains. With the drawn-down 40sw jacket, it brings them to about 240 grains. I've got a new collet and 4 blade cutter on the way. I'll use it to square up the tips. I tried a case trimmer cutter, but with the center hole it didn't leave a clean cut.

[Vaquero]

HaHa! I've done that before also.
I bought a Marlin 45 Colt Cowboy from a friend on a different gun forum years ago.
Had it shipped to my FFL friend, we've known each other since we were kids.
While I'm there filling out the paperwork, her ole man walks in and sees the Cowboy and says,
"you like lever actions you should look at that over on the wall".
It was a Win. 92 in 25-20 with an octagon barrel 24" long.
Yep, how much? Alright, add it in.

I cast and reload that's it, I'll pass on the swaggin.
Yes, Jes's rebore is more of a 375, what dia. bullet?
I shoot mostly .380, according to the previous owner who used it long range said his best LR bullet was a 260gr. .381 over 4198.
He shot it regularly out to 660 yds. at a friend of his, and did on one occasion ring the 900 yd dinger twice.

RP

[DsGrouse]

The rebore 375 win, are suppossedly .375. We'll see how it goes.

[Vaquero]

Depends on what your shooting, cast will need to be a bit larger, maybe .377.

RP

[DsGrouse]

Depends on what your shooting, cast will need to be a bit larger, maybe .377.

RP

Because I'll be shooting suppressed, most will be jacketed. I do have 3 different molds for cast. .375, .378, and .380 IIRC

Don't quote me on the. 380, It's wrapped up in VCI paper, but next time I am in the cabinet I'll look.

For the most part I plan on Swaging 255, 275, and 300 grain bullets using .40/10mm and 556 brass.

[DsGrouse]

I couldn't wait... I walked a target through the tick-infested field and set it up. I wanted to sight in the scoped rifle with the suppressor on it.

So, how did the 375 Win Rebore do with my swaged bullets?

(You'll have to take my word, I'm not walking through that field of ticks again to take a pic of the paper)

Velocities were a bit all over the place, as in these loads, I played with both the seating depth and crimp. The average was 1553 fps, with a STD of 18.4

After sight in, I had a 9 shot 3" group at 70 yds with my test batch of 240-grain swaged bullets. If I take out the two fliers that were me, the group falls to 1.75"

It's not earth-shattering good. But... there must always be a but...
1. These were the test sample 240-grain bullets that were rough at best.

1A. A bit of quality control on a few steps will greatly improve their consistency. IE sort by head stamp.
1B. Square up the drawn-down jacket.
1C. Make use of the core swage die (I did not have the proper lead wire thickness before).
1D. Use lead shot to even out the bullet and jacket weight to 240 grains. (Variance on these bullets was 236 to 244 grains.
1E. Make use of my new trim setup to square up all the bullet tips to the same meplat size.

2. I shot factory 38-55 255 grain LRNFP bullets. (20 of them) Factory group size on a 9-shot group? 9" when counted by squares on the paper. There was no discernable grouping point.

2A. Why? Well, 38-55 is often loaded with .380 or .382 bullets, The rifle is barreled for .375.
2B. The rifle has a fast twist 1:12 for these medium-weight lead bullets. Depending on the hardness, that may have caused some issues.
2C. The rifle was hot as get out, I'd just shot 50 rounds of my 240 grain bullets.
2D. Average FPS of these rounds was between 1490 and 1515.


All in all, a very successful sight-in with the rifle. I hit steel, got decent, predictable groups out of my swaged reloads. I can't really ask for more. I'm sure the groups will shrink as I improve at swaging, have more practice loading 38-55 and 375 Win, let alone more shoulder time with the rifle.

I'm looking forward to stretching the rifle's legs with sessions out to 150 and 175yds.

[Vaquero]

I know absolutely Nothing about the swagging process, so...
How long does it take to make one projectile?
I know that in an hours time I can cast quite a few.

RP