The Art & Science of Bullet Casting
RBHarter

As the old saw goes close only counts in horse shoes , hand grenades ,and nuclear weapons.

A review of the history......
About 2015;
There was an ad for a $50 30 cal swage die set .
Can't pass up a deal like that.
It was a Pacific set up for 105-110 gr jacketed RNHP .
The catch I needed a Pacific Super Deluxe press........
Place an ad watch the S&S like a hawk and about 18 months later I had a Pacific Deluxe in hand and nothing fit ...... Cool it came with 6 rams 06/Mauser , 38 Special, 45 Colts , 30-30 , 222 and a universal shell holder.
A guy should have a good C press , but it would have been better if it had been the Super Deluxe.......

The ram fit fine it just didn't and doesn't work with the cam or toggle . The cam and handle fitting just does not fit at all in the press . Among other obstacles is the Deluxe having 1/4" toggle pins and the Super having 3/8" pins .

Off and on over 10 years I've messed with solutions but mostly passively searched for a Super Deluxe which about 6 weeks ago I missed in an auction sale over there by about 15 minutes on the closing bid . Stupid time zones !!!!

I commissioned an adapter from universal shell holder to 5/8 National Fine for the body and ejector rod thinking that if the RC or RCII wouldn't get it done surely the Big Max will. It would if I had a 2nd adapter from the 1.1 whatever under the RCBS bushing to 7/8-14 about 2" above the top of the bushing . No lathe soft pass .

The ram dia is also compatible with the Triple power Pacific in Hornady red but not with cam and toggles .

I spent about 2.5hr looking for the Deluxe that should have been right there . Okay maybe over here ....... What the ....... Oh yeah,well that makes sense now ....... I also found 100 more ready to load 35-250s , 75 458193s , 25 460-535 copies of the 458132 and probably 150 257312s .

It's cleaned up like a 10 yo washes for dinner, if it's clean where the food touches that's clean enough.

After some rooting around I ferreted out a grade 5 1/4" shouldered bolt , 2 files , a little bit of work space , an out of flat oil stone , and commenced making the bolt head a .375 round instead of 7/16 hex . Finished it's a light press fit in the ram hole and a minimal slop slip fit in the toggle .

The option of bushing the kit toggle to fit the cam pin is still available but would also require narrowing the toggle to clearance. There's also the possibility of just fabricating a new toggle with proper dia holes .
Unfortunately the fact remains that the press in hand isn't the one the dies were built to work with and it may not be strong enough through the pivot points to do the job long term .

At the end of the day I have a functioning dedicated light swage press short one bushing to tinker with . An 25-80 Herters makes a 93 gr with a Speer short jacket cup . The 257312 makes a 105 gr . It's basically the Speer 100 gr jacketed "Plinker" bullet . The 258312 was cast with 2400 fps in either a 257 R or 25-06' when tested it left the jacket dia at .310 so these could be used in most 32 pistols as well as rifles .

The first 2 bullets.
KIMG0818~2.JPG
The press and dies set up .
KIMG0816.JPG
RCII with the shell holder adapter.
KIMG0815.JPG


There's nothing to gain here over cast unless I need a hopped up 30-30 , a heavy HP for a 327 or 32 H&R or just want to see an 06 clock 3200 fps .

I'm now obligated to cast 500+ 257312s in roof flashing lead and/or aquire a slick side .257 RN at 95 gr .