Back to Swaged, Jacketed, 8mm Bullets

[gitano]

Got to looking at the .51 cal. swaging and since that was such a positive experience, I decided I'd make a few more. Had a dickens of a time finding the blasted pointing die that I made. Finally, after looking at pictures, thought I might have stored it with the Lee bullet sizing die that I used with it. Sure enough, there it was.

I didn't have the dedicated, beefy, swaging press when I was doing the .51s before, so I set it up. First, I can't swage those suckers in one stroke in the SWAGING press. Not enough 'arm'. (In spite of being accused of being a "gorilla" by some here at THL. ) And unfortunately, the stroke of that press is too long for me to use my technique of 'taking small bites'. I can't screw the die out far enough to get to the cam over point on the press. Back to the reloading press.

I made one bullet just to say I did. Looks like I'll need to make a different die for the swaging press. Also, I am going to have to make some pure lead cores. The Oregon Trail .458 bullets I used for a core are too hard for the "one stroke" OR "multiple stroke" method in the swaging press because of not being able to get to the cam-over point. Clearly, some 'work to do'. That's ok.

I will get to making some more 8mm bullets. However, I'm back to the reality that there are now some very good 8mm bullets commercially "available". Available in quotes, because while they are SUPPOSEDLY being made, YOU CAN'T FIND THEM IN STOCK ANYWHERE! Along with several other bullets. Back to the reason to be able to make your own bullets, even if they are supposedly commercially "available". Makes me wanna swear.

Paul