Where can I get a 348 bullet swaging die?

[98s1lightning]

I'm interested in resizing the 358 Speer #2439 220gr flat nose for my 348win.

Who can I call to purchase a resizing/swaying die to go down 0.010"?
The Speer bullets are generally softer than other brands so they might make the jump down in one step.

 

[edwardware]

There's a couple folks on CastBoolits who machine custom push-through size dies. Lee and NOE will also do it.

What I did. . . is buy the next smallest Lee push-through, and spend a few hours with a selection of SilCar paper and a home made honing quill on my drill press.

 

[98s1lightning]

Where are you finding the dies? Are they listed online?

 

[Scooter22]

Sounds interesting. I have a ,348. But most of what I,ve read trying to swage down a jacketed bullet that much can cause the core to separate from the jacket.

 

[98s1lightning]

I'm thinking since "hotcor" is, from my understanding a melting poured lead core, I don't see core separation as a potential problem.

 

[Charlie98]

I’ve got a lee sizer die to .352”, if memory serves. Lee will make one in any size you want.

 

[Charlie98]

Why don’t you size .35 Rem bullets down? It would be a lot less downsizing.

 

[edwardware]

I'm thinking since "hotcor" is, from my understanding a melting poured lead core, I don't see core separation as a potential problem.

You should see it as a potential problem.

The ostensible (but tenuous) bonding of core to jacket doesn't change the fact that copper springs back more than lead, and the jacket will never be as tight on the core after sizing as it was before. It might be fine, but it's not certain.

 

[2011redrider]

Noe makes the bushings, but, you need the die kit to hold the bushings. Die is about 40 and bushings run about 9.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/sizing-tools/bushings/348cal-bushings

 

[Bwana John]

Why don’t you size .35 Rem bullets down? It would be a lot less downsizing.

????

35 Rem uses .358" diameter projectiles, Speer #2439 uses .358" projectiles, how do you figure "a lot less downsizing"?

 

[tenx100s]

I'm new to this forum and usually do not respond but I have a little experience with bullet swaging. Generally, according to Dave Corbin of Corbin Mfg. & Supply, Inc., swaging is the process of "bumping up" in diameter to fill out a die under pressure and all of his die sets work off that principle. Dave has been designing and building swaging dies since 1975. His website is http://www.corbins.com/index.htm and it is packed with information.
Now, my experience is that when you try to size a jacketed bullet down in diameter the lead core extrudes out of the jacket enough to create a strange lead exposed nose. That material has to go someplace. Dave makes point forming and lead tip dies that may correct that. So to your original question I would suggest contacting Dave for his input.
BTY, trying to swage/bumping existing jacketed bullets up like a .338 to a .348 in diameter might work by using two dies 1) a point forming die and 2) a lead tip die.
I own Great Lakes Tool & Engineering, a tool and die machine shop and while we design and build inspection gages for OEM customers, Dave is the swaging expert which is why I use Corbin dies in a Corbin S-Press.

 

[Scooter22]

Very good info. If it was as simple thing to "just" swage .358 down or bump up .338 up to .348 there would be dies readily available to do that and common. It,s not. Maybe it will work ok just to have bullets to shoot. But .348 Win is a heavy game round that you don,t want the bullets to fail imo. I just use the RCBS 200grn FP mold for shooting boolits.

 

[tenx100s]

I checked and Hornady still has the .348 Winchester ammo listed on their website but not the .348 caliber bullets. They may still make that 200 grain FTX for sale that is used in that ammunition. A couple of online retailers show them out of stock but on back order. Makes me wonder.
Several online retailers like Midsouthshooterssupply.com, LG-outdoors.com and Midwayusa.com have a .348 caliber Barnes flat point lead nose bullet listed but do not have any in stock. BUT Grafs.com does have a 200 grain .348 Swift bullet listed as being in stock.
Good Luck!

 

[Jim Watson]

Buffalo Arms has 250 gr .348 Barnes. No 220s in stock tonight.
https://www.buffaloarms.com/348-dia...ets-for-the-348-winchester-box-of-50-bbb34810

Montana Bullet Works has gas check .348s.
https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product-category/rifle/page/2/

I once read of somebody actually sizing down and shooting jacketed bullets and the dreaded jacket springback did not hurt hunting rifle accuracy.

 

[DM~]

When it comes to bullets, you use a DRAW die to get a bullet smaller in diameter and you use a SWAGE die to get a bullet to a larger diameter.

I have a number of draw dies, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the bullet will come out a bit banana shaped, also you ALWAYS loosen the lead core from the gilding metal jacket, and that's rarely a good thing.

SO, drawing a bullet down doesn't always work as well as you might want...

DM

 

[Charlie98]

????

35 Rem uses .358" diameter projectiles, Speer #2439 uses .358" projectiles, how do you figure "a lot less downsizing"?

I was t aware .35REM was .358”