I am using a one year old LEE classic cast single stage reloading press. I am using a CH die to swedge a fully annealed 9mm luger case with a .356 125 gr. Lead core pressed into it. to get a 190 gr. .400 HP for 40 S&W.

I've read in some other posts here that LEE is a poor choice of a swedging press, it seems well built, granted there are no roller bearings in the linkage pins.

I plan on using only pure Lead cores, but I did do a little experimenting with W/W Lead cores just to see...they seemed to swedge just fine, though it did take more effort from the operator.

I have been Handloading Ammo for about 7 years, But as a newbie here as well as to swedging, please feel free to comment.

I figured out the photo thing here, I swedged these after an hour of playing around with the die for the first time.

Looks very good to me

There is a fellow over on the Castboolits forum that is making these same bullets.
You might want to give him a yell. He even has a video of him making them.

Now if some one will just make some .416 300 grain we might get some more interest over here.

Cheers,
John

Phatman,
yeah he is re-selling the CH dies with added parts he manufactures himself. He (BT_sniper) is my source, I bought this die setup from him and am ordering a 429 setup too. He and I are also in the middle of some modifications to the Ram from my LEE press...improvements plus a automatic bullet eject.
Jon

Looks like you are doing fine.

Bottom Line: Most Lee presses have been aluminum and entirely adequate. Aluminum has a life. So many cycles and it fails, cracks, etc. With reloading that may be several lifetimes. With swaging, much sooner. (Use good lube.) Lee Cast press of iron, no such cycle problem. Yes it may fail, but if you get thru the first 1,000 without failure, chances are you will fail first. Luck.

I believe the lee classic press is made of cast steel. I think at one time they advertised it as being made from scrap steel railroad track.

How do they shoot and funtion do they expand.

You might consider contacting Lee to see if they make a Swedging ram for the classic cast. RCBS makes one for the Rockchucker and it is basicaly a solid ram without the primer tool cutout. With that said, I swedge bullets for .358 and .458 with a standard RC press/ram. I think the Lee CC is about as strong as any "reloading" press made today. Unlesss I am mistaken I believe your press has a slightly larger diameter ram than most other presses.

I haven't visited here in quite a while.