Swage down .416" to .411" bullets

[lgm270]

I have read about guys using a Lee sizing die to swage down .429" bullets to .423" (.006")  to use in a .404 Jeffrey for Plinkers, and swaging down .366" bullets to use in a .358"  (.006") rifle chambered for .358 Winchester.


Is is therefore feasible to swage down .416" bullets to .411" for use in such .411" caliber rifles  (.005") as the .405 Winchester and the new .400 Holland and Holland?

Considering a .411" rifle in .400 Holland and Holland, but would like to be able to swage down the far more plentiful selection of .416" bullets.


Alternatively, just use a .416" barrel and load the .400 H&H with .416" bullets.

[Drilling Man]

  Actually you "swage" a bullet UP and "draw" a bullet DOWN... At least when it comes to bullets...
 
  Why not just buy the right size bullets to begin with???  But, yes you can draw .416 down to .411.  It many times will loosen the core from the jacket, or maybe even start bananna shapeing a bullet when you go down very much, but they will still shoot plenty good enough to use.
 
  DM

[lgm270]

  Actually you "swage" a bullet UP and "draw" a bullet DOWN... At least when it comes to bullets...
 
  Why not just buy the right size bullets to begin with???  But, yes you can draw .416 down to .411.  It many times will loosen the core from the jacket, or maybe even start bananna shapeing a bullet when you go down very much, but they will still shoot plenty good enough to use.
 
  DM

A great point about buying the right size to begin with, the problem is there are almost no .411" bullets out there.  A great selection of .41 cal pistol bullets for plinkers, but that's not really the point of this rifle.  More and more I'm thinking of just using a .416" bore.  There is no factory ammo available and all shooting will be with handloads, and even if there were factory ammo, a fiew thou's under size will not present a safety problem.

[MIBullets]

If you are having a custom gun built, I would just go with the .416 barrel, of course you will need to make sure the loading dies size the neck properly to match. However going from .416 to .411 is probably fine and you shouldn't see any ill affects on the bullet. Sizing down much more that that can cause probems. If you are sizing premium bullets with a bonded core, you would definately not see any issues.
Lee sizing dies work ok for this and would be a good proof that you can do it, but you could get one of the bullet swage manufacturers like Corbin to make you one to do exactly what you want better. If you go the sizing route, get the Lee die before you get the gun and try it, then you will know. Make sure to use a good lube when doing it though.

[iiranger]

Back when I was young, long ago, there was a stink because people were buying surplus ammo to shoot in their Springfields, only the surplus ammo was 8x57... ["Don't all soldier boy rifles shoot the same ammo?  DuHHH?   Well.... NO..."] The incorrect assumption was that the 8mm/.32 bullet into a .30 bore was causing the pressure, damage, etc. Mr. Ackely rechambered some .30 barrels to 8x57 and fired many rounds with no difficulty. No accuracy either, but no pressure problems. The damage was from the shorter case, 57mm, splitting and letting gas loose in the longer, 63 mm, chamber. So I have worried little about shoving a slightly over sized bullet into a slightly undersize bore. Know a man who slugged some P14, .303 British barrels. If he and I can read a mike, the bore was about .307 (5 groove, more difficult)  for the .311 bullet, or .312... ball  I have heard some stories of .316...

The two great " high pressure" lubes are lanolin, available at any drug store, or castor oil... usually the same. Some synthetics might equal but none I have heard of exceed. Some mix the two... Suit yourself.

Mr. Corbin, Dave (has a brother Richard) on his web site has a directory of bullet makers. Corbins.com. Swage.com. bulletswage.com, etc. (He is computer skilled too.) Possibly someone is making the exact bullet you desire. Luck. Happy Trails.