A 3D printed .22 slug sizing contraption? Would it work?

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Triglav

Triglav

Member
Jun 23, 2021
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Carantania, Slovenia
Hello everyone, it has been a while since I've posted anything on these forums, but now I'm back again with an interesting question...
Would a 3D printed sizing device be actually able to size down an oversized ZAN slug from (AVG) 5,58mm to .217/ 5.51mm?

I owe you guys a little bit of background on why I need a sizing device for a batch of ZAN slugs, that I ordered a while ago... I ordered some .217/ 5.51mm caliber slugs directly from ZAN Projectiles and I've got a little bit of a problem with them; They're nowhere near 5.51mms and are actually ranging from 5.52 and all the way up to 5.59mms, or as it were in one particular instance, even to 5,60 millimeters! I'm shooting these slugs out of my Ekol Viper-550, .22 blank/air revolver, chambered in .22 caliber, that really likes .218 JSB slugs, which perform really well too, but now I wanted to try out something different and hence I ordered some .217 ZAN slugs, that just don't fit into the cylinder and so, I'm now looking for a way to size these slugs down to. 217 or .218/ 5.53mm. I've only been able to chamber some three or four of these slugs, out of tens upon tens, that I've tried.

Now, I know that the "die" for sizing the slugs down has to be crisp and sharp on the inside and should have enough material around it, to make it hard enough to be able to scratch the lead on the surface of the slug. I've made such 3D printed sizers before, but only for calibrating .177 diabolo shaped pellets, not for slugs. I'm now wondering, whether I'll even work with slugs, because slugs carry a lot more density.

So, if anyone else has had similar issues with ZAN's slugs, let me know... Also, if anyone knows how exactly ZANs bleedout technology works, or what it actually does to the shape of the slug, let me know as well.

Thank you all for reading this and have a good one!


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Here's how I see what you are trying to do. You are going from 5.58/5.59mm down to 5.51mm. It sounds like you are desiring to do this in one sizing press. With starting 5.59mm slugs to go down to 5.51mm you are squeezing the cross sectional area down by about 3.0%. the same diameter decrease starting with a nominal 45 cal slug would result in a compression of only 1.3%.

IMO you are squeezing it down too much in one pass. i recommend making a pair of dies. Say one at 5.54 or 5.55mm and a second one at the final diameter of 5.51mm. In between sizings I recommend you heat treat the slugs at around 450 degrees in an oven for 30 minutes to relieve the internal stresses from the first sizing pass. Let them air cool after the heat treatment to avoid hardening them. Once heat treated run them through a second time through the 5.51mm die.

I've done this with PB pistol bullets. Regards, Badger
 
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beerthief said:
clearly states NO shipping to USA
Click to expand...
US Customs seizes anything weapon related from the UK more than other countries for some reason. I also do 15th century medieval reenacting and tried to order some exact historical correct made longbow arrows for display purposes at our events (I actually shoot US made cheaper ones). In my emails with the UK arrowsmith/fletcher he told me US Customs seizes his ARROWS as contraband armaments and no longer ships to the US.
 
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I ordered one of these and received it without problem last week. With pellets it squeezed the entire diameter to the same size. Not sure if that's a good idea with pellets, but for slugs it might work for you.
Check out Fenton Pellet Sizers Precision CNC Made on eBay!
www.ebay.com

Fenton Pellet Sizers Precision CNC Made | eBay

Fenton Pellet Sizers. Have had all sorts of sizers these look and feel are quality . The finish is perfect notscratches dents like on other sizers on the market . To use simply place the pellet into the chamfered end of the die, push with the tapered pin down through the die the...
www.ebay.com
 
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rc4fun said:
I ordered one of these and received it without problem last week. With pellets it squeezed the entire diameter to the same size. Not sure if that's a good idea with pellets, but for slugs it might work for you.
Check out Fenton Pellet Sizers Precision CNC Made on eBay!
www.ebay.com

Fenton Pellet Sizers Precision CNC Made | eBay

Fenton Pellet Sizers. Have had all sorts of sizers these look and feel are quality . The finish is perfect notscratches dents like on other sizers on the market . To use simply place the pellet into the chamfered end of the die, push with the tapered pin down through the die the...
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...
Glad yours made it through customs. I has an airgun moderator from Poland seized last spring so I'm a little twitchy about ordering shooting related stuff if it has to go thorough customs.

OTOH That sure looks like what the OP was looking for as a tool. Even with a metal die going from 5.59mm to 5.51 mm in one pass is quite a squeeze still,.. I'm curious if that tool is intended more as a "uniforming" tool to perfectly round the skirts. Slugs may require a bit more force to get them through if the goal is to reduce the diameter. regards
 
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Hey folks,
I decided to bite the bullet and make that prototype a reality. I printed the testing sizing die yesterday and tested it immediately... IT WORKS!
I've included a couple of photos to go along with this post, so that you'll all be able to see the results. The dimensions vary a little bit, and they range from 5,48mm/ .216 to 5,51mm/ .217. Note, that the two measured slugs on the images were sized down from 5.58mm/5.59mm/.220 caliber. The die itself can be seen on the right image, just below the caliper, with a slug inserted into it.

There is however, a small problem, that seemingly exists with these kinds of 3D printed dies; They wear out rather quickly!
Whilst I was sizing the ZANs down, I noticed, that less and less material comes out with each consecutive push of a slug through the die, and after I've sized three or four down (each iteration of sizing an individual slug down took about 0.03mm of material away, which usually only took two or three passes of the slug through the die, for the process to be concluded), the tube was already depleted and worn away, so I had to print another one in order to complete the whole reducing/sizing process.

20220928_170300.jpg
20220928_170330.jpg


So, if you folks'd like to test the sizing dies yourselves, I can upload the .stl files without a problem.
...And of course, I'd like to thank you all for all of your positive advices and suggestions!
 
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badger5th said:
Here's how I see what you are trying to do. You are going from 5.58/5.59mm down to 5.51mm. It sounds like you are desiring to do this in one sizing press. With starting 5.59mm slugs to go down to 5.51mm you are squeezing the cross sectional area down by about 3.0%. the same diameter decrease starting with a nominal 45 cal slug would result in a compression of only 1.3%.

IMO you are squeezing it down too much in one pass. i recommend making a pair of dies. Say one at 5.54 or 5.55mm and a second one at the final diameter of 5.51mm. In between sizings I recommend you heat treat the slugs at around 450 degrees in an oven for 30 minutes to relieve the internal stresses from the first sizing pass. Let them air cool after the heat treatment to avoid hardening them. Once heat treated run them through a second time through the 5.51mm die.

I've done this with PB pistol bullets. Regards, Badger
Click to expand...
That's a great idea!
Not only will it help with proper dimensions and the overall integrity of the slugs, but it would also prolong the lifespan of an individual die, the dies should at least in theory, wear out more slowly this way, than they otherwise would with just a single die and with singular presses. I just found that out yesterday, when I printed a couple of testing dies and pressed some ZAN slugs through them. One of the dies was only good for some 3-4 slugs (individual, single presses), while the other lasted a little longer and was good for some 8-9 slugs.

But due to really inexpensive production costs of these dies, I'm probably going to stick with mostly singular/single press dies, because the slugs turn out good enough from them and can now be chambered in my Viper revolver, which is really all I wanted.
 
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badger5th said:
Glad yours made it through customs. I has an airgun moderator from Poland seized last spring so I'm a little twitchy about ordering shooting related stuff if it has to go thorough customs.

OTOH That sure looks like what the OP was looking for as a tool. Even with a metal die going from 5.59mm to 5.51 mm in one pass is quite a squeeze still,.. I'm curious if that tool is intended more as a "uniforming" tool to perfectly round the skirts. Slugs may require a bit more force to get them through if the goal is to reduce the diameter. regards
Click to expand...
Yeah, the thing about your suppressor from Poland getting seized by the customs actually makes sense to me... If my memory serves me right (at least I think this was the case), recently, as of '22, gun laws in the higher-council countries (Poland, Slovakia, CZR) changed a little bit. Poland for instance banned all exportation of suppressors/moderators to certain EU countries, quite possibly to the now ex-EU member, the UK as well. Poland, amidst of all other things also banned blank guns, chambered in 9mm PAK in their country and the Czechs, as well as Slovaks, also don't export blank guns to other EU members anymore. On the other hand, the Czechs removed almost all restrictions on purchases of airguns in their country, allowing their citizens to buy high-powered airguns over the counter, as soon as they reach full age (18+). However, they still ship airguns to other EU members, even the high-power ones.
 
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dannya1a said:
Why not just get some NOE sizing dies ($11.25 ea) and push rod for ($8.75). you don't need the push through body per say. if you get a few sizes, you can easily and precisely size down the slugs to what you need and never have to worry about wearing out.
NOE 22 cal airgun sizers <----click link
Click to expand...
I do not want to size down anything i want to slightly flair the skirt
 
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Triglav said:
Yeah, the thing about your suppressor from Poland getting seized by the customs actually makes sense to me... If my memory serves me right (at least I think this was the case), recently, as of '22, gun laws in the higher-council countries (Poland, Slovakia, CZR) changed a little bit. Poland for instance banned all exportation of suppressors/moderators to certain EU countries, quite possibly to the now ex-EU member, the UK as well. Poland, amidst of all other things also banned blank guns, chambered in 9mm PAK in their country and the Czechs, as well as Slovaks, also don't export blank guns to other EU members anymore. On the other hand, the Czechs removed almost all restrictions on purchases of airguns in their country, allowing their citizens to buy high-powered airguns over the counter, as soon as they reach full age (18+). However, they still ship airguns to other EU members, even the high-power ones.
Click to expand...
It's good to see that some eastern European countries appear to be significantly freer than Western Europe with regards to firearms (and air guns). The issue in my case is that the airgun business in Poland (Wolf Airguns) shipped it to me in the USA and US Customs in Miami seized it as contraband. I chose to not contest it. Happened late last spring, nothing further has come of it except I'm probably on a list... Regards
 
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Triglav said:
That's a great idea!
Not only will it help with proper dimensions and the overall integrity of the slugs, but it would also prolong the lifespan of an individual die, the dies should at least in theory, wear out more slowly this way, than they otherwise would with just a single die and with singular presses. I just found that out yesterday, when I printed a couple of testing dies and pressed some ZAN slugs through them. One of the dies was only good for some 3-4 slugs (individual, single presses), while the other lasted a little longer and was good for some 8-9 slugs.

But due to really inexpensive production costs of these dies, I'm probably going to stick with mostly singular/single press dies, because the slugs turn out good enough from them and can now be chambered in my Viper revolver, which is really all I wanted.
Click to expand...
As you wish. I would advise you consider a metal sizing die but if you can print short-life sizing dies for pennies that's a decent deal. Curious if the sizing down makes an accuracy difference for you.
 
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badger5th said:
As you wish. I would advise you consider a metal sizing die but if you can print short-life sizing dies for pennies that's a decent deal. Curious if the sizing down makes an accuracy difference for you.
Click to expand...
I'll test these sized down ZANs sometime next month, hopefully they'll turn out ok.
As far as accuracy goes with this thing of mine, you can see for yourself here:

Are there any revolvers similar to the Ekol/Voltran Viper 550 out there?

Greetings everyone, I'm about to discuss an "air" revolver, that most of you've probably never heard of and by the way, I'm not making this up, this thing actually exists and it's awesome as it can be, it's like a true S&W classic, but miniaturised in terms of its caliber, to shoot airgun...
www.airgunnation.com www.airgunnation.com

- tested with both pellets and .217 JSB Knockouts.
 
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