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3/10/2013 12:36:23 PM EDT
At $45 for 10 lbs of it. and seeing that lead is about a buck a lb. Im getting tired of paying too much for having to run lead wire to make my bullet cores.

So what a guy to do? Make a mold and cast them suckers!

The lead wire that's used for 30 cal cores is .247 in dia. So I picked up a blank NOE 5 cavity mold and a .246 reamer. and after about 2 hrs for drawing up and sizing. Then running it on the mill I got this..



A 9 cavity mold to drop a core that will do a 230gr bullet. If I need lighter I can squeeze off some weight with the core sizing die..  Now I need to make one for 22/6mm cores.

OK its finished..



nice little stack of cores! they came out at 1 gr under what I calculated them to be. With jacket they are 229 Gr in weight.

3/10/2013 12:40:30 PM EDT
[#1]
You make some of the coolest things.

Keep up the good work!!
3/10/2013 12:57:00 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
You make some of the coolest things.

Keep up the good work!!


+1 Wow!

Wish I had talent like that.
3/10/2013 12:57:52 PM EDT
[#3]
Nice work.

Any trouble cutting that many sprues at once?

3/10/2013 1:04:05 PM EDT
[#4]
I am really green with envy, I know it is a sin, but a pray my Lord will forgive me my trespass.
3/10/2013 1:09:20 PM EDT
[#5]
You didn't just make your own extrusion machine?    Wimp.

3/10/2013 1:10:03 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Nice work.

Any trouble cutting that many sprues at once?



Nope just a whack with the mallet and pop. The spruce hole is only about .150 ish.
3/10/2013 1:25:58 PM EDT
[#7]
Straight lead?
3/10/2013 1:28:02 PM EDT
[#8]
Are they soft enough to swadge and bleed off?
3/10/2013 1:36:52 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
Are they soft enough to swadge and bleed off?


Yup the gear I have I can do WW lead. but right now it's regular lead.
3/10/2013 1:47:50 PM EDT
[#10]
nice work.  I strongly suggest you obtain links to your previous reloading posts and put them in a single thread so i can non-archive the thread, if not the previous posts.
3/10/2013 7:18:21 PM EDT
[#11]
Thanks for posting, I was hoping for more after the in progress pic in the "what did you do today" thread.
3/10/2013 7:25:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted:
At $45 for 10 lbs of it. and seeing that lead is about a buck a lb. Im getting tired of paying too much for having to run lead wire to make my bullet cores.

So what a guy to do? Make a mold and cast them suckers!

The lead wire that's used for 30 cal cores is .247 in dia. So I picked up a blank NOE 5 cavity mold and a .246 reamer. and after about 2 hrs for drawing up and sizing. Then running it on the mill I got this..

http://imageshack.us/a/img542/1113/img07371.jpg

A 9 cavity mold to drop a core that will do a 230gr bullet. If I need lighter I can squeeze off some weight with the core sizing die..  Now I need to make one for 22/6mm cores.

OK its finished..

http://imageshack.us/a/img201/1155/img07391.jpg

nice little stack of cores! they came out at 1 gr under what I calculated them to be. With jacket they are 229 Gr in weight.

http://imageshack.us/a/img836/1558/img07381f.jpg


That thing is bad-ass dude.  I love seeing things that have been machined by the end user.  Not only are you doing it yourself you are telling the man to get bent.  You are completely right.  There is no reason to be paying 45 bucks a pound for something when you can make it for yourself for far less.  Fact is they shouldnt be charging us a buck or more a pound for lead anyway.  That gripe is for another day.  I applaud your workmanship and your skills.  Thanks for sharing and I would love to see a pic of the finished bullet!

3/10/2013 7:53:52 PM EDT
[#13]
Very cool.
3/10/2013 9:02:57 PM EDT
[#14]
Quoted:

That thing is bad-ass dude.  I love seeing things that have been machined by the end user.  Not only are you doing it yourself you are telling the man to get bent.  You are completely right.  There is no reason to be paying 45 bucks a pound for something when you can make it for yourself for far less.  Fact is they shouldnt be charging us a buck or more a pound for lead anyway.  That gripe is for another day.  I applaud your workmanship and your skills.  Thanks for sharing and I would love to see a pic of the finished bullet!



Its like 4.50 a LB for the lead wire..

as for the bullets.. here a few pics..





and yes that is a .223 case jacket.
3/10/2013 9:03:26 PM EDT
[#15]
Quoted:
nice work.  I strongly suggest you obtain links to your previous reloading posts and put them in a single thread so i can non-archive the thread, if not the previous posts.


I IM'ed ya..
3/10/2013 9:25:38 PM EDT
[#16]
Do you anneal the cases you use for jackets?
3/10/2013 10:04:41 PM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
Do you anneal the cases you use for jackets?


Yup. In the oven on self clean for 3 hrs.
3/11/2013 6:01:21 AM EDT
[#18]
So since they are coming out 1gr short, do you plan to just drill out a touch more to bring them up or are you just going to leave them as is? Either way, nice work.
3/11/2013 6:12:29 AM EDT
[#19]
Pretty damn cool.

I want a swaging press BAD.

Since obammo is stealing more of my paycheck I guess I'll just have to wait even longer.

3/11/2013 7:33:24 AM EDT
[#20]
Quoted:
So since they are coming out 1gr short, do you plan to just drill out a touch more to bring them up or are you just going to leave them as is? Either way, nice work.


As is.. im trying to keep the finished product around 220 Grs. with the bit longer core I can run a thinner jacket and have the core take up the weight.
3/11/2013 7:49:54 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Quoted:

That thing is bad-ass dude.  I love seeing things that have been machined by the end user.  Not only are you doing it yourself you are telling the man to get bent.  You are completely right.  There is no reason to be paying 45 bucks a pound for something when you can make it for yourself for far less.  Fact is they shouldnt be charging us a buck or more a pound for lead anyway.  That gripe is for another day.  I applaud your workmanship and your skills.  Thanks for sharing and I would love to see a pic of the finished bullet!



Its like 4.50 a LB for the lead wire..

as for the bullets.. here a few pics..

http://imageshack.us/a/img138/714/img0736k.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img89/3493/img07171f.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img526/9650/img0703at.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img651/1995/img0675q.jpg
and yes that is a .223 case jacket.
http://imageshack.us/a/img211/3061/img0684fg.jpg


I would love to test those out
3/11/2013 8:35:01 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:

That thing is bad-ass dude.  I love seeing things that have been machined by the end user.  Not only are you doing it yourself you are telling the man to get bent.  You are completely right.  There is no reason to be paying 45 bucks a pound for something when you can make it for yourself for far less.  Fact is they shouldnt be charging us a buck or more a pound for lead anyway.  That gripe is for another day.  I applaud your workmanship and your skills.  Thanks for sharing and I would love to see a pic of the finished bullet!



Its like 4.50 a LB for the lead wire..

as for the bullets.. here a few pics..

http://imageshack.us/a/img138/714/img0736k.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img89/3493/img07171f.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img526/9650/img0703at.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img651/1995/img0675q.jpg
and yes that is a .223 case jacket.
http://imageshack.us/a/img211/3061/img0684fg.jpg


I would love to test those out


I would too.. between 2 jobs and swaging, I have very little time for range trips..

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