sizing down jacketed bullet

tangolima · November 20, 2013, 11:16 PM

This could be a silly question, so don't laugh...

Is it feasible to size down a .277" (6.8mm) jacketed bullet to .267" (6.5mm Carcano)? Will a lubrisizer with a custom sizing die do the job? I'm trying to feed my over-bored Arisaka 38. Thanks.

-TL

big al hunter · November 21, 2013, 12:35 AM

I have never heard of anyone doing it....but if you have a swaging die and a press with enough leverage it could be done. The results may be less than consistent. With practice and technique you could turn out some decent bullets. Beeman ( air rifles ) used to sell a pellet swaging kit that they claimed improved accuracy. Never know until you try.

SL1 · November 21, 2013, 09:21 AM

There is an article about that on p.54 of the September 2013 issue of The American Rifleman. The amount of force needed depends on both the amount of diameter decrease and the construction of the bullet. Going down 0.010" is a lot of reduction, but that article says it is doable. I doubt that a lubrisizer has the leverage and strength to do it without breaking the sizer. The article says that Corbin provides dies that can be used in a regular reloading press or that company's bullet swaging presses. But, they are very expensive dies. And, their swaging presses are expensive as well. At some point, you are basically making a differnent bullet by reswaging an existing bullet as pre-measured feed material.

One thought is that Lee would probably make a much cheaper push-through die for you that would thread into a press you already have. You could try that with your stongest press and see if it is doable. And, if it isn't, you have not lost too much money if you intend to quit before going whole hog. But, if you are determined to succeed, then maybe it would be best to start with the Corbin die and buy a press from them if your press can't do it.

SL1

tangolima · November 21, 2013, 05:34 PM

Found this. It may work, but I may need 2 dies (0.005" each step). Die is $68 each.

http://www.ch4d.com/dies/sizing/bsd

-TL

Chaz88 · November 21, 2013, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Found this. It may work, but I may need 2 dies (0.005" each step). Die is $68 each.

That is what I was going to recommend, doing it in stages.

November 20, 2013, 11:16 PM	#1
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,816	sizing down jacketed bullet This could be a silly question, so don't laugh... Is it feasible to size down a .277" (6.8mm) jacketed bullet to .267" (6.5mm Carcano)? Will a lubrisizer with a custom sizing die do the job? I'm trying to feed my over-bored Arisaka 38. Thanks. -TL

November 21, 2013, 12:35 AM	#2
big al hunter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2011 Location: Washington state Posts: 1,558	I have never heard of anyone doing it....but if you have a swaging die and a press with enough leverage it could be done. The results may be less than consistent. With practice and technique you could turn out some decent bullets. Beeman ( air rifles ) used to sell a pellet swaging kit that they claimed improved accuracy. Never know until you try. __________________ You can't fix stupid....however ignorance can be cured through education!

November 21, 2013, 09:21 AM	#3
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	There is an article about that on p.54 of the September 2013 issue of The American Rifleman. The amount of force needed depends on both the amount of diameter decrease and the construction of the bullet. Going down 0.010" is a lot of reduction, but that article says it is doable. I doubt that a lubrisizer has the leverage and strength to do it without breaking the sizer. The article says that Corbin provides dies that can be used in a regular reloading press or that company's bullet swaging presses. But, they are very expensive dies. And, their swaging presses are expensive as well. At some point, you are basically making a differnent bullet by reswaging an existing bullet as pre-measured feed material. One thought is that Lee would probably make a much cheaper push-through die for you that would thread into a press you already have. You could try that with your stongest press and see if it is doable. And, if it isn't, you have not lost too much money if you intend to quit before going whole hog. But, if you are determined to succeed, then maybe it would be best to start with the Corbin die and buy a press from them if your press can't do it. SL1

November 21, 2013, 05:34 PM	#4
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,816	Found this. It may work, but I may need 2 dies (0.005" each step). Die is $68 each. http://www.ch4d.com/dies/sizing/bsd -TL