Hey, it looks like they came out. Great! I have a presslug, Iām not sure if youāre familiar, but Iāve been looking for somewhere to get traditional Pellet style dies for competition, I can currently do 22, 25, 30, and 35 caliber, slugs, but no pellets. Iāve looked for somewhere that sells them with no luck, I thought about machining them myself. I have a CNC machine, but not sure that I have the correct type of machine or tooling to make some thing like this. I have made a lot of parts for it, but not a complete die, if you have any, that would be compatible with that I would be interested in them in 30 caliberI have access to some of the best CNC machines out there. Some time ago I made diabolo pellet casting and swaging dies, they were expensive because they had multiple machining operations involved in it.
I tried to cut the cost down but the machining operations did retain its shift charges. Being an engineer I generated my own CNC tool path that reduced machining times in half and did some spectacular machining. Yet the cost remained the primary concern.
View attachment 36854
After discussing with many airgun enthusiasts, I drilled down the following
points and requirements.
- The total set up cost should be below $200
- The projectile need not be a diabolo as there are many options available off the shelf
- The process should not include melting the lead. It should involve using lead wire or other alloy wires.
- It should be modular and easy to use.
[/LIST=1]
So I zeroed down to Making such a kit, with all the attributes as mentioned by my fellow air gunners. The mission was to make a slug swaging die. So phase 1 of the project was to determine which .22 cal is better. because you have .2165 .217 .218 .219 .220 .221 .222 and .223 chambered "Air Rifles" in .22 cal category. We selected .218, as the caliber serves a base for FX and LW Walther barrels (only for PCP). Then we machined the die set. with Inserts that seal the rifling of any barrel. The weights of slugs can be fully adjusted by cutting the core to the exact weight.
The results. Hollow point inserts didn't work as expected.
Conical heads worked fantastically well. 8 out of 10 slugs weighted in 30.8 grains while 2 weighted in at 30.4 and 30.6 grains. attributed to little lead bleeding. They were pressed using a $45 1 ton arbor press. Just enough to feel the resistance of lead and not much. Pure lead forms well.
View attachment 36862View attachment 36874View attachment 36879View attachment 36889View attachment 36900
I did have a fair share of failures. that included the semi wadcutter insert was oversized by 5 microns We stepped up into .219 instead of .218 because of it .... But that can be rectified. All I came to know is that you can make .218 cal slug for FX and .223 slug for Huben K1 from just one kit. The next move is to make a kit for low powered springers.
I would personally wait until you see the accuracy of these slugs before buying anything.
I think the confusion is the picture of the gmi slug group.
I for one can say 100% gmi is a top drawer slug die company with first class service and that 25yrd group doesn't do his slugs justice.
A slug is only as good as it is swaged and any defect will make it change poi
We're only human" I visually inspect every slug I swage and weigh them and each is identical " good old Ken
Maybe sell samples of slugs to test first before buying kit.
Your kit looks promising
I think the confusion is the picture of the gmi slug group.
I for one can say 100% gmi is a top drawer slug die company with first class service and that 25yrd group doesn't do his slugs justice.
A slug is only as good as it is swaged and any defect will make it change poi
We're only human" I visually inspect every slug I swage and weigh them and each is identical " good old Ken
Maybe sell samples of slugs to test first before buying kit.
Your kit looks promising
Upvote 0
Looking at that 25 yd group would put me off even trying any swaging or dies.
My hands would be firmly in my pocket.
Lately I've started swaging with GMI dies, it's a hobby in itself, good effort gives good results.
I'm still learning aroundlocks,
. Ken, this scrambled thread needs a reboot.
Latest GMI swage dies update please.
Upvote 0
Hereās a link to the updated GMI website as presented to me by Ken. If youāre still interested @Spinach take a look.Looking at that 25 yd group would put me off even trying any swaging or dies.
My hands would be firmly in my pocket.
Lately I've started swaging with GMI dies, it's a hobby in itself, good effort gives good results.
I'm still learning aroundlocks,
Ken, this scrambled thread needs a reboot.
Latest GMI swage dies update please.
Home | GMI Global | Swage Kits
Reliable, Affordable and Precise Swage Kits. GMI Global
www.gmiengg.com Upvote 0