50 cal Lee bullet with a larger meplat

[ndnchf]

A couple weeks ago I machined down a Lee 515-450 mold to make a lighter, 350gr bullet. Its great for single shot rifles. But the small meplat was a concern in my .50 cal Spencer and Winchester rifles.

So I made up a simple rig to swage the bullet nose down a little, enlarging the meplat. Its just a .514" bullet sizing die, a 1/2" fine thread bolt and lock nuts. Put a bullet in the die with the bolt on top. Press it down until it stops on the nut. Ta-Daa - s slightly shorter bullet with a nice wide meplat, sized and ready to load. These will be safe for use in a tubular magazine.

[ndnchf]

Here is the die and arbor pres.

[greyhawk]

Here is the die and arbor pres.

Its just a flat face on the bolt?  no fancy profiling ?
I like the result!!

[ndnchf]

Just a flat face. I trued the face on a lathe, but it could easily be done with a file too.

[greyhawk]

Just a flat face. I trued the face on a lathe, but it could easily be done with a file too.

easy   thanks!!!

[El Supremo]

Nice and thanks, Ndnchf:

The photo shows no ogive rumpling, which is great.
Please share the alloy.
Thanks,
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[ndnchf]

30-1 alloy - it swages very easily.

[El Supremo]

Thanks on 30:1:
My all-around preference. 
Kevin

[ndnchf]

Oopps. My mistake. I just swaged 25 more bullets and looking at my log, it is 20-1 alloy, not 30-1. I was casting .44wcf bullets the other day with 30-1 and had that on my brain. Sorry about that.