Manual

How to Swage Bullets Using The
LTFB-4-H Die Set
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Type -H dies fit into the ram of the Corbin Mega-Mite manual (CSP-2), the Hydro, Jr. (CSP-2H) press,
and the Corbin Hydro-Press (CHP-1). The 4-die set consists of a CORE SWAGE (CSW--1-H), a CORE
SEAT(CS-1-H), a POINT FORM (PF-1-H) die, and a LEAD TIP (LT-1-H) die, each with one internal and
one external punch.
The external punch (1) is held in the floating punch holder (2), which comes with the press. A threaded
bushing (3) is removed from the bottom of the punch holder, placed over the external punch, and then
screwed back into the bottom of the punch holder to secure the punch. The punch holder screws into
the press head, so the punch faces the ram. (Large diameter punches, such as 600 Nitro, have their own
captive threaded bushing: do not remove this from the punch.)
The die (4) screws into the press ram, with its internal punch inside the ram. Some internal punches
require the use of spring powered retraction: they have a quarter inch diameter hole through the head
portion, through which a 1/4-inch diameter retraction pin (7) fits. The pin goes below the large spring
around the press ram, and pushes down on the pin, which then pushes the punch down when the ram
is raised, making it easier to insert material into the die.
A knock-out or ejection bar (5) goes through a slot in the press ram, below the spring and also below
the retraction pin (if one is required—not all punches have a hole through the head). The knock-out bar
contacts the head of the internal punch (6) on the down stroke, and comes to rest on the press mount-
ing plate. This stops the movement of the bar while the ram continues down, making the punch stop
and ejecting the component.
Once you have the punch holder adjusted to push the bullet just far enough to form a nice tip on the
bullet, and to allow proper ejection each time, go ahead and process all the bullets. The adjustment
and checking only has to be done on the first bullet. The open end of the jacket faces UP when you seat
the core, and it faces DOWN when you form the ogive. In every step, you want a small amount of
Corbin Swage Lube on the surface of the bullet or jacket, but not on the inside of the jacket.
If you use Corbin Core Bond, the core is swaged first, then put into the jacket by hand, and THEN
the core bond is put into the jacket (one or two drops, which should run down between jacket and
core). The core is melted quickly in the jacket, and the jacket is allowed to cool. Then, the jacket
must be boiled in hot water to which some baking soda has been added (a table spoon per quart
is sufficient). This neutralizes any remaining core bonding acid, which will destroy the surface
of the dies.
Spread the cleaned, bonded jackets out on a dry towel and let them dry from their own heat, then seat their cores using the
CS-1-H die, and form the ogive in the PF-1-H die as usual. Do not fail to clean the bonded cores in hot water and baking
soda, or you may destroy the point forming die from residual core bond, which attacks the die surfaces. (Core Bonding is an
option for jacketed bullets, not a requirement: it prevents the core and jacket from separating on impact and forces the
jacket to expand evenly with the core).
If you wish to make lead bullets, without a jacket, you can swage the core and put it directly into the point forming die.
However, if you do form it to almost finished diameter in the core seater, you will usually produce a slightly better bullet. To
do this requires a punch that seals the die bore, not the external punch which fits into a jacket. In some cases the external
point forming punch will fit. Try it by hand before inserting it with the force of the press, just in case it is too large to slip in
easily. Never insert any punch under force that will not slip in by hand!
Never try to swage a component that will not go into the die by hand. The swaging operation depends on each component
being slightly smaller than the die bore, and increases the bullet diameter a little with every step. The core seating die and
point forming die are matched to each other for a given jacket and core material to within 0.0005 to .0008 inches with the
core seater being smaller.