Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

Yes, but the swaging tools do a much better job and are alot easier on the brass and your hands.
I have the RCBS and am pleased with it but I hear good things about the Dillon.

Cap'n;
I still owe you a call!
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

When I had 1000 crimped 223 cases in front of me I did about 20 with a chamfer tool. Then I ordered a swager. The last 980 of them were not much more effort than the first 20.
laugh.gif


The pockets were a heck of alot more consistent with the swager.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

I use the RCBS because it is effective and way cheaper. The Dillon is probably the best I have tried. But I can't kick the RCBS out of bed right now.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

Well I want to load and shoot "right now" but I can't get a swaging tool "right now" but I have the chamfer tool in front of me "right now".

I'm needing to load about 200 rounds of 223.

I was not sure putting a slight chamfer on the mouth of the primer pocket would be a good thing or not.

I have never seen just how much the swaging modifies the primer pocket.
All I have ever shot up until now

I have all the time in the world (lost my job) so time is not an issue. I figure that I can whip out 200 pcs of brass WAY before I can get a swaging tool in my hands.

I fully intend on getting the proper tool (the Blue one) for the task at hand though.

But thanks for your comments.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

You'll be fine with the chamfer tool...might take you a little longer and give you carpal tunnels is all. Doesn't take much to remove the crimp.

I've done both swaging and used the chamfer tool. Neither is more / less accurate...but the Dillon Super Swager sure does make it easier to move through the bulk .223 brass.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

I use the Dillon swagger. The neck reaming tool works, but removes material from around the top of the primer pocket and creates an small unsupported edge where the primer will flow in to, possibly mimicking presssure signs for load development.

Long story short, I decided the Dillon was the way to go.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

I have been using the Hornady crimp removing tool for years. I used to use the RCBS swaging tool but found it took too long for me. I have a friend who works at a indoor range and gives me mud buckets full of brass when i need some. I chuck the tool head in a cordless drill and go to town. when you are proccesing a couple 1000 cases at a time speed is your friend.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

After collecting thousands of LC 223 crimped cases years back, I ordered a Dillon Super Swage after reading a number of positive reviews on various boards thinking it would be the holy grail of swaging solutions. It was an expensive tool (about $85 if I recall) and after using it for a season or two, was not pleased. I found that with mixed fired cases, since the Dillon SS indexes off the case web, it will tend to deform thick milspec cases (LC & WCC) and not swage thin commercial (Federal) cases making it necessary to constantly be adjusting the length of the rod on the SS. Now this tool worked well when it was adjusted perfectly to a lot of cases fired in the same rifle but when it came to mixed cases, I found the Dillon SS less than optimal.

I then switched to a standard case mouth chamfer and used that for another few years. It had the benefit of providing an even and consistent cut on the case to remove the crimp but it did take off too much brass and would eventually loosen the primer pocket prematurely. While I deemed this a better solution for my use over the Dillon, I knew there was something better.

Recently I stumbled upon the Hornady primer pocket reamer and have found the solution I was looking for. The handle was a bit rough at first but after sanding it with an emory cloth, fixed that straight away. The tool works well to consistently remove the crimp and leaves a nice curved edge in its place. It also doesn't remove as much metal as the case mouth chamfer tool so primer pockets are lasting much longer.

So in the end, the $12 Hornady tool was the best solution for me (and the Dillon SS that has been sitting in the garage for a few years will be up for sale soon). YMMV....
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

Using a deburring tool is the fastest and easiest way to go - if you put it in a drill. I have the drill adapter that make the job painless and fast Do not remember where I got i thought - maybe try Midway. Cheap and worth the effort.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

I've tried everything mentioned above and all work, but I give my vote to the Dillon. As mentioned above, it must be set for a specific lot.
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

You can always get the Lyman Pocket Reamer in the wood handle. Take the handle off and chuck it up in a drill and go to town. I have a Dillon and the RCBS unit. I use the Dillon for 99.9% of my pocket reaming. I tried the Hornady toll but was getting inconsistent cutting way to often.

Greg
 
Re: Swaged Primer Pockets- Help

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hazardus</div><div class="ubbcode-body">After collecting thousands of LC 223 crimped cases years back, I ordered a Dillon Super Swage after reading a number of positive reviews on various boards thinking it would be the holy grail of swaging solutions. It was an expensive tool (about $85 if I recall) and after using it for a season or two, was not pleased. I found that with mixed fired cases, since the Dillon SS indexes off the case web, it will tend to deform thick milspec cases (LC & WCC) and not swage thin commercial (Federal) cases making it necessary to constantly be adjusting the length of the rod on the SS. Now this tool worked well when it was adjusted perfectly to a lot of cases fired in the same rifle but when it came to mixed cases, I found the Dillon SS less than optimal.

I then switched to a standard case mouth chamfer and used that for another few years. It had the benefit of providing an even and consistent cut on the case to remove the crimp but it did take off too much brass and would eventually loosen the primer pocket prematurely. While I deemed this a better solution for my use over the Dillon, I knew there was something better.

Recently I stumbled upon the Hornady primer pocket reamer and have found the solution I was looking for. The handle was a bit rough at first but after sanding it with an emory cloth, fixed that straight away. The tool works well to consistently remove the crimp and leaves a nice curved edge in its place. It also doesn't remove as much metal as the case mouth chamfer tool so primer pockets are lasting much longer.

So in the end, the $12 Hornady tool was the best solution for me (and the Dillon SS that has been sitting in the garage for a few years will be up for sale soon). YMMV....
</div></div>

I can understand how this would happen. Whenever I acquire brass it's usually mixed head LC or other military cases. I think as long as you keep the commercial brass separate from the mil stuff you're okay.

Furthermore I've read that swaging reforms the area around the primer pocket strengthening it(rather than removing brass from the area). I think the theory was from the latest American Rifleman "reloading military 5.56 ammo."

This being said I have used the RCBS and the Dillon swagers. Cases kept getting stuck in the RCBS swager die, threw it down the driveway. The Dillon works great for me(3000+cases), I set it to swage as little as possible so the primer fits snug into the pocket.