Making a 50BMG reloading press

**suka5168** · 09-11-2009, 07:24 PM

I've been floating the idea of making a 50BMG reloading press. Buying an off the self press is "JUST NO FUN". Now I've been racking my brain lately and losing lots of sleep, coming up with a press design.
In order to obtain perfect alighment, it will be milled at a CNC shop.
It will need to handle 1-1/4 Lee dies, 7/8 ram prime and maybe swage bullets in the future.
Any suggestions?

**jarhead jim** · 09-11-2009, 08:10 PM

Buy an already made one from Midway?

But on the other hand if you're just in a creative mood, go for it! The only advice I can give you, you already have.....Make it stronger than hell and aligned 100% correct.

Jim

**suka5168** · 09-12-2009, 03:49 AM

Got me some parts from Midway and other sources: Lee dies, RCBS ram prime, Hornady shell adaptors, CH4D primer swager, bunch of taps and dies of eGay.

JJ with your free lead post, I thought about swaging, so I blame the bug on YOU. :hit

**jarhead jim** · 09-12-2009, 10:53 AM

Let us know how the swaged rounds shoot when you get that far. I've never heard of anyone shooting 50BMG lead bullets before. That would sure lessen the cost of shooting that round even though you have to use gas checks.

Jim

panaceabeachbum · 09-12-2009, 12:27 PM

technicaly any body shooting a lead core jacketed bullet is shooting a swaged bullet, accuracy can be great

Corbin has some 50 cal swaging dies that use copper tubing for the jacket, The unjacketed lead swaged bullets are limited to a velocity of 800 fps or so , and about twice that fast with a gas check,

I have a 550 gr 50 mold for gas check bullets, I have fired a number of them out of my bolt 50 with very good results at aprox 1400fps

**suka5168** · 09-12-2009, 12:40 PM

The 50 jacket making die alone from Corbins is about a little less than $500. Then I'd need the swage die and point making die. Unless I go into bullet production it is quite an investment.

The press will mainly be for reloading.

The debate now is to use all steel to make the press or to use aluminium for certain parts. (the lower pivot stroke arm).

**cpermd** · 09-29-2009, 04:44 PM

I would go for the 1.5" diameter dies.
That way you can use the much more common dies and accessories.

CP

jmorris · 10-06-2009, 10:51 AM

Quote:

The 50 jacket making die alone from Corbins is about a little less than $500. Then I'd need the swage die and point making die. Unless I go into bullet production it is quite an investment.

If you get free time on a CNC to build your press why not build dies as well? On the other hand if you have to pay for programming and CNC time your press is going to be very expensive unless you plan to build and sell a lot of them to offset the costs.

jmorris · 10-06-2009, 10:51 AM

double

echo3mike · 11-03-2009, 01:22 PM

Building a single stage press should'nt be that hard. One Marine who worked in my shop a few years before i got here did it. He didn't have cnc equitment. With cnc you should be able to use a CAD program to draft it out and the upload it straight to the computer. I know when I was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, the instructors would make "stupid-complex" parts with CAD and then cut it out with CNC. It is possible to hit a tolerence of .0002 with a CNC machine. The HAAS Tool Room series can get it. What type of machine are you using?

JaXXas · 11-03-2009, 03:22 PM

I don' t know much about making a press, but from the alignment point of view, maybe less could be more and easier? One of my presses is the Forster Co-ax press and they make a big deal about 'floating' alignment. I'll leave that for discussion among those more knowledgeable than I, but the Co-Ax is one hell of a press, with incredible leverage. (No, I don't work for them!)

http://www.forsterproducts.com/store...22&catid=19938

09-11-2009, 07:24 PM	#1
suka5168 Moderator UZI Talk Life Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Non NFA State Posts: 3,708 iTrader: 11 / 100%	Making a 50BMG reloading press I've been floating the idea of making a 50BMG reloading press. Buying an off the self press is "JUST NO FUN". Now I've been racking my brain lately and losing lots of sleep, coming up with a press design. In order to obtain perfect alighment, it will be milled at a CNC shop. It will need to handle 1-1/4 Lee dies, 7/8 ram prime and maybe swage bullets in the future. Any suggestions?

09-11-2009, 08:10 PM	#2
jarhead jim Range Brass Whore UZI Talk Life Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bartley, Nebr Posts: 6,685 iTrader: 12 / 100%	Buy an already made one from Midway? But on the other hand if you're just in a creative mood, go for it! The only advice I can give you, you already have.....Make it stronger than hell and aligned 100% correct. Jim __________________ My anger management classes are pissing me off! I was Beat by a GIRL at the UT6 SMG Match and I did not even get a lousy T-Shirt

09-12-2009, 03:49 AM	#3
suka5168 Moderator UZI Talk Life Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Non NFA State Posts: 3,708 iTrader: 11 / 100%	Got me some parts from Midway and other sources: Lee dies, RCBS ram prime, Hornady shell adaptors, CH4D primer swager, bunch of taps and dies of eGay. JJ with your free lead post, I thought about swaging, so I blame the bug on YOU. :hit Last edited by suka5168 : 09-12-2009 at 04:10 AM.

09-12-2009, 10:53 AM	#4
jarhead jim Range Brass Whore UZI Talk Life Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bartley, Nebr Posts: 6,685 iTrader: 12 / 100%	Let us know how the swaged rounds shoot when you get that far. I've never heard of anyone shooting 50BMG lead bullets before. That would sure lessen the cost of shooting that round even though you have to use gas checks. Jim __________________ My anger management classes are pissing me off! I was Beat by a GIRL at the UT6 SMG Match and I did not even get a lousy T-Shirt

09-12-2009, 12:27 PM	#5
panaceabeachbum Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,630 iTrader: 4 / 100%	technicaly any body shooting a lead core jacketed bullet is shooting a swaged bullet, accuracy can be great Corbin has some 50 cal swaging dies that use copper tubing for the jacket, The unjacketed lead swaged bullets are limited to a velocity of 800 fps or so , and about twice that fast with a gas check, I have a 550 gr 50 mold for gas check bullets, I have fired a number of them out of my bolt 50 with very good results at aprox 1400fps __________________ http://www.thompsonmachine.net/gun.htm

09-12-2009, 12:40 PM	#6
suka5168 Moderator UZI Talk Life Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Non NFA State Posts: 3,708 iTrader: 11 / 100%	The 50 jacket making die alone from Corbins is about a little less than $500. Then I'd need the swage die and point making die. Unless I go into bullet production it is quite an investment. The press will mainly be for reloading. The debate now is to use all steel to make the press or to use aluminium for certain parts. (the lower pivot stroke arm).

09-29-2009, 04:44 PM	#7
cpermd UZI Talk Supporter Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 97 iTrader: 3 / 100%	I would go for the 1.5" diameter dies. That way you can use the much more common dies and accessories. CP __________________ "You are not going to believe what health care in the USA is going to cost when it is free!"

10-06-2009, 10:51 AM	#9
jmorris Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 23 iTrader: 0 / 0%	double

11-03-2009, 01:22 PM	#10
echo3mike Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 9 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Building a single stage press should'nt be that hard. One Marine who worked in my shop a few years before i got here did it. He didn't have cnc equitment. With cnc you should be able to use a CAD program to draft it out and the upload it straight to the computer. I know when I was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, the instructors would make "stupid-complex" parts with CAD and then cut it out with CNC. It is possible to hit a tolerence of .0002 with a CNC machine. The HAAS Tool Room series can get it. What type of machine are you using?

11-03-2009, 03:22 PM	#11
JaXXas Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 20 iTrader: 2 / 100%	I don' t know much about making a press, but from the alignment point of view, maybe less could be more and easier? One of my presses is the Forster Co-ax press and they make a big deal about 'floating' alignment. I'll leave that for discussion among those more knowledgeable than I, but the Co-Ax is one hell of a press, with incredible leverage. (No, I don't work for them!) http://www.forsterproducts.com/store...22&catid=19938