Note from Dave Corbin:
The volume of calls I get every day makes it inevitable that many people will not be able to reach me in person without
a number of tries. I apologize in advance but I find that 99.9% of the questions are already answered better,
in more detail, here on this website, with photos and examples and prices. Usually, the question is this:
How do I get started and how much does it cost?
Of course, I can't answer that without knowing what you want to make. So I ask the same questions that are found right on this
web site, in the little blue boxes. Then I provide the same answers you can read right here, depending on the caliber and
specifics of your bullet design.
Please note that, unlike reloading dies, the caliber doesn't affect the process, the tooling, or the prices except in
broad ranges. The same kind of tools and procedures that work for a 9mm pistol bullet apply to a .308 rifle bullet, and
the same procedures and kind of dies that make airgun pellets also make shotgun slugs, muzzle loader bullets, and
lead pistol bullets. Look at the style and shape, rather than specific diameter, to determine what you need.
Pin it down to caliber after you've figured out what makes the style and shape of bullet desired.
Here are a few ideas to help you decide...
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To see a summary with prices of all products, go to the secure web store by selecting "Order On-Line"
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See Prices/Place Orders on the Web Store.
The secure web store is the best place to enter your order. It gives you an instant email invoice summary with order number,
and NO CHARGES are made to your bank card automatically... I review each order first, so I can contact you if I don't think you
ordered things that work together or might have a lower cost suggestion to do the same thing.
You can use VISA or MasterCard, PayPal, wire transfer, or send a check. Or just use it as way to get a quote:
add thing you want to your cart to see the total. Bank card payment has a 4% processing fee added by the processor at check out. (Otherwise we would be forced to add 4% to the price to cover the cost).
I encourage you to use the web store because it is faster, very safe, and doesn't get "lost in the mail" or
incorrectly heard over the phone (too many guns going off by my ears without hearing protection, during my days in the Navy,
back in the 60's!). Also, the web store is there 24/7, takes no days off and doesn't step out to lunch...
you can ALWAYS place an order there, which will be reviewed carefully before it is filled.
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Select your swaging tools:
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In brief, any bullet from .120 to .458 diameter, that is 1.3 inches long or shorter, and is made of normal jacketed
or unjacketed lead or powdered metals, can be swaged using the -S type dies and the CSP-1 S-press.
Any bullet that is longer, made of harder materials, or larger in diameter, can usually be made with the CSP-2 Mega
Mite press, or the CHP-1 Hydro Press, with -H type dies.
Which set of dies?
Depends on the bullet design. Click the blue label, above, appropriate to
what you want to know. Most of the flat base lead or jacketed bullet designs use the FJFB-3-S 3-die set, or
the FJFB-3-H 3-die set.
Here's the easy way to get all your questions answered at your leisure, even if my phone is so tied up with callers
that you can't get anything but the infuriating answering system...
... just select one of the above options, to answer
your questions on how to make a bullet, what it costs, and what you need. You will find it above. It may take
a little time because there are SO many options...I've been developing this equipment for people for over 45 years.
There isn't a bullet you can imagine for which we have not made tools! Or if there is, we can probably do it anyway.
If you want to find a specific item, use the SEARCH box. Type in a key word or phrase such as "reloading press",
or "paper patch" or "50 BMG" or "Subsonic". That will bring up pages that talk about these matters, and you can
usually locate what you want if you glance through the list.
Don't feel you have to
read everything. Just focus on the kind of bullet you want to make. That will eliminate 90% of the need to look at
other pages. For an even quicker but less detailed view of equipment and prices, look at SwageDies.com,
which is our on-line webstore. It is ideal for browsing. You don't have to buy anything to use it to accumulate a
shopping cart with a total of things in it to get a quick "quote".
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Most bullets require these items:
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- A Swaging Press (which in limited instances might be your
existing reloading press).
- Press depends on (a) size of bullet and (b) degree of convenience and future expansion
- Any larger press makes the smaller calibers as well as the large ones.
- Calibers over .458, longer than 1.3 inches, or using hard to form materials need larger presses.
- One or more swaging dies in a "set" (a complete set may be
from 1 to 6 dies, used in succession).
- The number of dies in a set depends on the steps needed to make that design.
- All "sets" are for one diameter of bullet, but most can produce any weight in reason.
- Most jacketed bullets in a given caliber use a PF-1 point form die to control nose shape. This is
part of the set except for semi-wadcutter styles. They use a punch with a cavity in it for
the final nose shape. Either the final die or punch can be changed to make a different shape.
- If you click the "How to... build a swaging kit" or "How to... choose tools" above, you can follow
the flow path depending on your answer, to assemble the proper set of equipment for any bullet.
- Bullet cores - the "filling" of the bullet
- Cores are the main component or filling. Normally this is soft lead. But you can use
powdered metals, plastics, and other materials.
- Cores can most quickly be made from lead wire (LW-10 or LW-40) and a PCS-1 or PCS-2 core cutter.
- Your own scrap lead may be used with a CM-4A 4-cavity, adjustable weight core mold.
- Corbin also provides tooling for powdered metal, non lead bullets, and polymer "bullet balls" for
hyper-fast, ultra-light bullets.
- Bullet jackets - the "skin" of a bullet.
- An all-lead bullet does not use this. It can be made with 1 die in most cases.
- Jackets are available directly from Corbin in many popular calibers
- Available jackets can be "drawn down" with a JRD-1 jacket reducer to make other jackets.
- Available jackets can be trimmed to shorter length with the ET-2 jacket trim die.
- You can manufacture your own jackets from:
- Copper tubing, with the CTJM-1 tubing jacket maker
- Copper strip, with one of several JMK-1 or JMK-2 strip drawing sets
- Fired empty cases, for certain calibers (especially 224 and 243)
- Lubrication - Corbin Swage Lube CSL-2 or CSL-16 (pint size)
- Any special accessory items or components specific to a design,
such as:
- ULD Metal Tip Inserts
- Jacket trim dies
- Jacket serrators for faster expansion
- Jacket reducing dies
- Bullet reducing dies
- Polymer "bullet balls" for special balance/weight or expansion features
- Funnel die/punch units for powdered metal, lead-free designs
- Optional, additional shapes or punches for X-cut cores, hollow cavities, etc.
- Cannelure tools or knurling tools.
Armed with this basic guide, you can quickly select the tools and supplies for any given design, and then email me
to confirm and get more details. Please remember that email usually is the quickest way to reach me. I try to answer
at least 300 emails every single day, and sometimes, I even succeed!
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