Bullet swaging

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The title is pretty much self explanatory, but I suppose it might help to first describe where I'm already at for reloading. I own a Lee single stage Press, and I reload lots of .45 ACP, .308, and once in a while some x39.

With the shortage of ammo and ammo components lately, I've decided it would be wise to learn to construct everything but the case itself. I've found a lot of recipes for making different types of powder, but I believe a lot of that might be a violation of explosives laws, so I'm going to leave that alone unless powder gets impossible to find and I run out, but it does look pretty easy to make bullets, so I'd like to get into that.

I know that casting is faster, but swaging is better, so I'd like to go with swaging. I'd also like to be able to make jackets.

So basically, I'd like to know what would be the cheapest equipment I could purchase that would do the job well with the calibers I reload for. I've watched youtube videos about swaging, but never having had the chance to really mess around with this type of reloading gear, it's still rather confusing.

Thanks in advance for any help. :?

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Just one thing.

If the SHTF, screw complicated production techniques.

KISS.

Better to have 5 'shitty' bullets than no 'perfect' bullets.

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I'm pretty well stocked on long term storage, never to be shot unless it has to be ammo. I'm out to make some good target rounds at this point, with speed of production being an afterthought.

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Michigander wrote:

I'm pretty well stocked on long term storage, never to be shot unless it has to be ammo. I'm out to make some good target rounds at this point, with speed of production being an afterthought.

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I think the real problem will be getting primers.

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Jeffytune wrote:

I think the real problem will be getting primers.

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Primers I have thousands of. I can also refill them with match head dust.

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castboolits.gunloads.com

they have a forum for swaging.

Of course I believe that swaging is a great idea. You can use various spent brass cases that you cant reload anymore to make jacketed lead boolits.

Recycling. Also swaging by nature tends to create very consistent boolits.

Of course it is expensive to get into, whereas casting is cheaper to get into, but then you have to use lead only. If you dont use a proper alloy, temperature, pouring tempo, cooling technique, etc then you wont get consistent boolits.