Swaging .32 S&W HBWC bullets

Greetings,

I am interested in these .32 S&W wadcutter pistols as sold by Benelli, Walther, Pardini, Matchgun, and a few others.  The trouble seems to be getting high quality lead bullets.  For whatever reason, and I have yet to investigate this, H&N sold a very good swaged bullet (no surprise there) but they have become difficult to obtain in the states. 

Being part of that 'can do' group, I have to ask... how much trouble is swaging my own lead 0.314" diameter HBWC 98 grain bullet?  After doing a cursory view of the Corbin swaging site, it seems possible.  But, I figured it would be prudent to ask if any other intrepid (i.e. foolish?) shooters have considered such an activity?

At this point, I'm looking to make a high quality swaged bullet and essentially duplicate the H&N 98 grain HBWC.  A converted reloading press can be used with dies to swage the bullets, but I'll need to get more details before coming up with a true cost.  Personally, if this can be done for ~ $1k then I'm considering it 'feasible' with regard to cost.

Any experience or thoughts on this topic would be appreciated.

Stan


p.s.  Getting lead (and lead wire) can vary the cost.  Rotometals sells 99.9% pure lead at @$2.66/lb - is that a reasonable price?

There was a thread on this last year.

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t8353-bullet-swaging-at-home?highlight=Swaging

Thanks.  I should have done more searching.  Apparently, it's an option from that thread.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?356260-WTS-Corbin-Mitey-Mite-Press-with-Core-Seat-And-6s-Point-Forming-Die-and-More

I used a borrowed swager to slightly modify a Speer Plinker HBWC into a clone of a .314 H&N Bullet.  The resulting bullets shot as well as H£N in my GSP in a Rasom Rest.  I am currently in discussion with someone to make me dies To duplicate this.

With 1.3 gr of Bulleye for SL loads, 32s are a hoot to shoot.

Dear Greg,

I've seen you on several threads relating to 32 bullets and other topics. Always informative and helpful.

I'm very new to Bullseye. I have a GSP 32, just started testing at 50 yards with factory Fiocchi ammo and am seeing signs of the bullets tumbling, I want to start reloading to produce better long line ammo. I plan to order some custom Lee dies.

Where can I buy the swaging tools you are using to produce your H&N clone bullets?

You (or someone else) mentioned Zane Mosely for "bumped" Speer plinkers - can he supply these bumped bullets? How do I contact him?

Radjag,  I'm the guy that sells the bumped Speers. You can find lots of info along with 50 yard results in my FS thread:

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t10856-fs-hn-314-swaged-32-sw-clones

If you interested with making your own it will cost about $450 to get setup up, Larry Blackmon is the guy you need to contact. I'm simply selling bullets to help cover this hefty startup cost. 


Best of luck,
Zane

Great, thanks Zane, I'd been trying to track you down.

No, I don't really want to get into the bullet swaging game. I will go to your thread now.

Radjag, the swaging tool is per this thread, this is also what Zane uses.

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t9916-sw-32long-copying-the-hn-314-hbwc-for-reloading

These bullets work well. I have also found that a faster twist, tighter barrel seems to work better than the .314 size barrel in a GSP.  I have a .308 10 twist barrel in my GSP, and it shoots excellent with the standard Speer bullets as well. Several have had excellent results with .311 size 10twist barrels. These need to be custom made, not off the shelf, but worth keeping in mind.

I have one of the bullet swage systems, but have not used it.  Where would one get a .308" 1:10" twist barrel for a GSP?

I bought mine used, it was made by Dave Wilson. I understand it actually may be  12 twist, in any case super accurate. You could ask Dave if he would make you one, (He has declined my requests for other barrels in the past due to his busy schedule).  Jon Eulette is currently making some custom barrels for me for a couple of my other 32s, but I think he is swamped as well.  I’m sure there are others who could do this as well.  One issue would be deciding exactly what size and twist, I wasn’t trying to suggest that the one I have is the best alternative. 

Probably first thing is to see how yours shoots with the bumped bullets. That was a big improvement for me.

I'm not sure whether you feel that swaging is the only way to achieve good enough bullets. If you might be satisfied with Good molds, MP Molds down in Slovenia is a highly respected CNC mold manufacturer who enjoys a very high reputation at least here in Europe, and after a friend of mine got a mold from MP, I put myself in line for getting a few myself for 32 and 38. As you were talking about 32 S&W, this might be the thing for you:

https://mp-molds.com/e-shop/molds/hb-molds/mp-314-hbwc-4-cav

You can also get it .312 or .316.

I went through all the fun of a poor shooting gsp too.

First, not all gsp barrels are oversize so slug it and measure first.

There are several issues to deal with, one is the slow twist which can be offset with higher velocity and /or lighter bullets. Hornady 90 grain hbwc were very good but no longer available. The 98 gr Speer plinkers are around and reasonably priced but run .312 to .313....as is, at 50 yards, no bueno.

Diameter is the first requisite...you can bump up plinkers in a Lee push thru sizer using an enclosed base pin and an end plug. The assembly is squeezed in a vice. The ejected bullis now tapered so use the push thru sizer as designed to size. Getting a good even base is the other requirement for ultra accuracy. This method doesn't , but could ultimately do that.

I add rooster jacket or white label 4545-10 lube.

Loading properly is another whole topic...the bullets are easily crushed during seating if you use standard resize dies. Start with unsized brass.

More later

Some guns are designed correctly and can use factory ammo at 50 yards. See what others say about that as l only know about Walthers. WTF were they thinking?

Lapua's WC ammunition runs well in the GSP as well as in Pardini and Manurhin MR32, and both their 83 gr and the 98 gr bullets are .314. Though you might want to cast or swage yourself, it might be worth considering buying their bullets for reloading yourself. It would save a substantial amount of money compared to buying their loaded cartridges, which are quite expensive.

At 50 yards, I’ve personally never had great luck with any commercially loaded cartridges, including Lapua.  Also, Have had no luck with cast bullets. For reference, good results hold the x-ring. 

Dave Wilson very recently posted the results of testing the barrel from my Matchgun MG 4.  Good results with the bumped Speers.

If you want to play with the 32 without the bullet "issues" of the SWL, try a 32 acp.  Several good bullets available in both cast and jacketed.  But it forces your choice to Pardini so far.

gregbenner wrote:At 50 yards, I’ve personally never had great luck with any commercially loaded cartridges, including Lapua.  Also, Have had no luck with cast bullets. For reference, good results hold the x-ring. 

Dave Wilson very recently posted the results of testing the barrel from my Matchgun MG 4.  Good results with the bumped Speers.

Greg, 

I was able to shoot my long line average at the time (~180) with the Fiocchi with  one of Dave's barrels in a Benelli. That was about what I was shooting with the 22 at that time and better than I shot with the 22 in that 2700. Fiocchi is not available in the US right now. 

There was no tipping but I believe that I could do better with carefully loaded ammo.

I can tell you my findings with .32 S&W L in Benelli and Hammerli:
1) unsized cases gave the best accuracy
2) Cast bullets were a total waste of time compared to any HBWC of any weight.
3) No matter the bullet, powder, case, or primer, I could not equal factory loads and factory loads around my parts are both extremely hard to find and expensive. 
Hornady 90gn with 1.7-1.9gn of Red Dot did well at 25 yards (1.1-1.25") but not quite as well as Federal Classic at 0.6-1.0" and really spread at 50 yds.So, who is going to produce a bunch of 1:8 barrels (or such) for .32 S&W Long?

Greetings,

Actually, I did machine an SP-20 barrel that was 0.308" and 1:8 twist.

It did not shoot as well as the 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, or 18 twist barrels I have made.

Perhaps I did not spend enough time testing it...

Cheers,

Dave

The only commercial ammo that I have right now is Magtech, I think. But I could put the gun in the Ransom Rest and test it at 50 out of the Benelli with replacement barrel. 

I have test group photos from the barrel from FC60 the Speer Plinkers in that case look pretty good.