Swaged GG bullets

[Dan]

I've been hearing snippets of conversation about folks swagging greasers and I'm at a loss to understand the how of doing so.

Is this BS or are folks actually doing so, and if so, how?

[bobw]

Baco does it and sells them.I suspect you gotta spend some real money for the big enuf press and tooling. Casting is cheap but effective. bobw

[Don McDowell]

At one time Kurt was messing with swaging slicks the running them thru a knurler and then lubing them. Said those bullets carried more lube than a regular greaser.

[Dan]

Having found it is not a myth I put some Google-fu to the topic and found that Buffalo Arms sells them. Looking at the pictures on the web site they do not appear to have been modified with grooves after swagging. Pretty bullets from all appearances.

I suspect at this point that as BobW said, there is some serious equipment at play for these things. Only way I can visualize the process is a two piece die that has substantial lockup mechanisms.

I've tried to find a web site for Baco without success, where do they hide out?

[Don McDowell]

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Default.aspx

[Dan]

Thanks.

[Dan]

Thanks.

Talked to BACO a few days ago. Swagged bullets with lathe cut grooves. That right there be a tedious profession. Heroic determination...

[Kurt]

At one time there were GG swage dies. I had a set for my Herters press but it was for a .45 pistol bullet.
The die was a three finger collet type of a die and it worked quite well. I have contacted both of the Corbins at one time to see if they would make a die set for the rifle and the answer was....you have enough money to pay for it??????
I might still have a picture of the GG die some place.
I have swaged GG bullets to change the diameter or the nose profile. This can be done by casting a GG bullet and filling the grooves with lube and then running them through the swage die. The lube will hold the grooves so they dont collapse.
I have also cut grooves using the lathe and I can see why they are so high priced at buffalo Arms.

Kurt

[Orville]

The lead gg bullets used by the military for the 45-70 were swaged, the grooves were rolled on, I think the whole bullet profile was on the roller and backing plate. The roller was a spinning disk which froced the bullet along a curved plate. Borchard patiented the machine.

[Lumpy Grits]

Dang "O", that had to be a hell of a machine even by todays standards.
Gary