How much material do you remove from Lake City primer crimps?

[punkwood2k]

After removing too much primer crimp brass from my last batch of Lake City, I thought I would try it again.. But this time I wanted to ask your opinions regarding HOW MUCH brass to remove? I am using an RCBS Case Prep station and the Lyman Primer Pocket Reamer shown below.


But I'm not sure how much material to remove? A thin strip? a THICK strip? I know the easy answer is "as much as you need", but I'd like a little guidance. Do I just ream it for a quick couple turns, or do I bear down on it until it is reamed out as far as the tool will reach?

In the 2nd picture, I colored the primer pocket of my case blue, so you can see where the pocket is being cut.. Once on the rim, where it bevels the edge where you would expect the crimp to be.. But farther into the pocket is another cut line as well (red arrow).. Any thoughts?

last thing, using this Lyman Reamer is difficult, because I have to gorilla grip the case and put quite a bit of down-pressure to get the bit to bite.. is there an easier tool?

 

[FatherMorpheus]

I would love the answer for this one as well.

 

[BIPMaster]

I think the best answer I can give is to just set up your priming tool and be prepared to sacrifice a few primers. I don't know as there is a good objective answer to your question, but rather a subjective "remove enough so you can seat the primer." For me this means getting a good ream to ensure the primer is not getting smashed when seated. If you look at Black Hills remanufactured ammo you can see they remove quite a bit of brass in order to ensure that they are able to seat the primer. When I go to seat a primer on previously crimped brass I go slow and if I encounter resistance then I pull the case and ream a little more. So far I have only trashed three primers in about 600 cases so far.

 

[Mad_Charlie]

I just swage 'em, then run them over the Redding primer pocket uniformer.

Just part of military case prep.

 

[Ultraman550]

I have a Lyman case prep center and I go by the amount of rotations. Sounds stupid but I listen the sound and count 1....2....done. I also let the case softly fall onto the reamer and apply a little bit of pressure but not jamming it down. I test it to see if the primer seats. Its better to take of too little so you can adjust but just listening to the sound of the reamer make its rotations is what I use as a gauge.

 

[Pinecone]

Start with too little and work up.

It may cost a couple of primers, but you will learn how much.

OR, buy a Dillon 600 Super Swager and not remove any material at all.

 

[40xs]

I would think only to the deminsions of the cup/pocket. I havn't used military cases in a long time but when i did i used a hand tool that was made for either small or large primer pockets. When the resistance eased off you were through and it was a perfect cut. Are you guys saying that the newer ones keep on cutting if you don't stop? this sounds like too much guess work!!

 

[para72]

RCBS SWAGGING DIE.

Sent from my SCH-I605

 

[Big Z]

1-2 turns with a reamer, and a gentle turn with a vld deburrer.

 

[thrusty]

Use a swager and be done. With trimmers you end up cutting too much or not enough.
RCBS and Dillion make excellent ones.

 

[George63]

this is so subjective from one piece of brass to another that a clear verbal description is a fantasy -- trial and error until you get the feel is about it

the dillon swage is a better tool but still not 100% for various brass

 

[elfster1234]

there is a whole section with pictures in this thread (swage if possible):

http://www.snipershide.com/[email protected]

 

[punkwood2k]

I would think only to the deminsions of the cup/pocket. I havn't used military cases in a long time but when i did i used a hand tool that was made for either small or large primer pockets. When the resistance eased off you were through and it was a perfect cut. Are you guys saying that the newer ones keep on cutting if you don't stop? this sounds like too much guess work!!

Yeah, the hand tool reamer (which is what I use on my case prep station too) does NOT bottom out until after the case is reamed too wide.. found that out the hard way..

 

[lightman]

I use the Wilson primer pocket reamer and turn it until it bottom out. A few turn out bad, but most are about right. Its an expensive tool, though! Lightman

 

[Dan Newberry]

the Hornady reamer I have bottoms out in the primer pocket... it doesn't cut too deep. I'd rather have the Dillon swager, I believe (but I've never used one)... just heard many good reports about them.

 

[lte82]

I messed up about 100 cases before I broke down and bought a dillon swage. Now its one of the easiest steps in my case prep.

 

[Mudcat-NC]

dillon super swage or a dillon 1050. problem solved, minimal work, effort and keeps the pocket tight still, thats key

 

[leadbullet]

Remove as little material as necessary, that said staging is easier and more consistent.

 

[GhostFace]

RCBS SWAGGING DIE.



Sent from my SCH-I605

Yup, problem solved...

ETA one of the best $45 i have spent

 

[Pinecone]

the Hornady reamer I have bottoms out in the primer pocket... it doesn't cut too deep. I'd rather have the Dillon swager, I believe (but I've never used one)... just heard many good reports about them.

If you have some cases to swage, I will bring mine down next time I am there. Only caveat, you WILL want to buy one after trying it.

 

[lightman]

I've also got the Dillon tool and everyone is telling the truth. Its a great tool! Lightman

 

[softcock]

I've also got the Dillon tool and everyone is telling the truth. Its a great tool! Lightman

-
paying pretty close attention to this discussion to make good decision .

Loaded all my non-crimp 556 Brass that I been storing for few years . but I still have a Few 5 gal. buckets full with 556 brass that I been saving to the end and dreading the de-Crimp work . All are fullsized, chamfered, ss media washed . All I need to either ( Swag or Cut ??? ) all the crimp Pockets on these so I can load them and be done with it .
.

 

[para72]

Softcock

Swagging is faster, more consistent and you don't ruin your brass trying to figure out how deep to go!(RCBS SWAGGING DIE...$35)

Sent from my SCH-I605

 

[rodnocker1`]

I've got an RCBS primer pocket swaging setup........ sitting on the shelf and 2 Dillon Super Swages that I actually use. Had Dillon offered a better Warranty on the 1050, I'd be using one of those instead of a 650 and the 2 Super Swages.

Anyway, I've never cut the primer crimp out (don't like the idea of removing any metal I don't have to) although I have found alot of brass at the range that has been chamfered. Some of it they cut so deep, it looks like they were trying to flush mount a screw. I was actually surprised it even held the primer in. You're wanting to just remove the crimp ring and no more. I've noticed that on some LC '12 brass, they used 3 stakes rather than a full crimp but LC '13 appears to be back to full crimp.

 

[Pinecone]

I've got an RCBS primer pocket swaging setup........ sitting on the shelf and 2 Dillon Super Swages that I actually use.

Same here.

 

[jfields]

the Hornady reamer I have bottoms out in the primer pocket... it doesn't cut too deep. I'd rather have the Dillon swager, I believe (but I've never used one)... just heard many good reports about them.

I did 2100 pieces of range brass a couple months ago with the Hornady. I chucked it up in my cordless drill and went to work. I don't think you can go too far with it, but I had to go back and re-do all the Speer brass because it has a monster crimp on it. The Hornady is GTG.

-J