bullet swaging business

[easyhunter]

I'm brand new to this forum and have some questions for all of you who have far more experience than I do. I figure it's much wiser and far less costly to do some research before I get into this too seriously. Can a person earn a good income from this full or part time ,how should I start out and build up, and how good is your return on investment? I have been reloading for at least 20 years and have been shooting and hunting since I needed a stepladder to pick strawberries. I would like to get some experienced advice to help me avoid pitfalls and costly mistakes. Thank you all very much.

[talon]

easyhunter, to answer your question would take more words than this board could hold. To many 'ifs, ands and buts'. Mr Dave Corbin, in his " The Corbin Technical Bulletins... Volume 3" devotes 8 pages to that subject. In short, a dedicated, hardworking fellow can make a living doing just about anything. Making bullets is no different, except perhaps having a few more Federal/Local laws to contind with than do most other lines of work. Lets just say that several out of hundreds of swagers have made more than a little pocket money in this field, but far more have become very disappointed in achieving financial independence making bullets. As for myself, while I have Federal and State licences to manufacture bullets ( FFL, type 6) I have settled on enjoying the technology, learning to use the tools, and making a few bullets for myself and friends. True, it is an expensive hobby, but when it comes time to get out, or cut back,  the secondary market for pre-owned bullet swaging supplies and tools is quite strong. One thing for sure, to make money in this business you'll have to have a lot more going for you than just loving  outdoor sports.

[easyhunter]

Thank you Talon. I do have a CSP-1 press and some .357 & .355 dies that I have used to make bullets for myself. I have talked with two people that each have about $100,00 invested in equipment. One does this full time, the other one part-time. I was in construction, but had to quit for health reasons and was thinking of bullet making as a business. It seems like it would be pretty hard to come up with a unique style of bullet to be competitive today. Even the big boys are always announcing a "new" bullet. It's just not the custom bullet makers doing it anymore. I read awhile ago on another forum that the best way to ruin a hobby you love is to turn it into a business. Might be pretty accurate.

[BillinOregon]

Easy Hunter:
To make some money in swaging, it helps to look for niches in the market that the big boys have passed over: bullets in odd calibers, bullets for obsolete cartridges, bullets that are either especially light or heavy for caliber, etc. When you read an article in which someone praises a bullet no longer available, pay attention. For example, savvy .30/30 shooters used to make up elk loads by pulling the 190-grain flatnoses from .303 Savage cartridges. No one that I am aware of (I could be wrong) makes a .308 flatnose much heavier than 170 grains. Here's a niche.
Bill

[Reed1911]

We'd buy some 190-200g bullets in RN or FN .308 canned for the Savage.