I am a lifelong machinist/mechanic and the first time I encountered military brass w/crimped primers the first thing I thought about was a countersink, simple, effective, inexpensive, and just plain old works. Since then (1990) I have used a countersink to quickly remove any crimp, plus I have "repaired" some brass (S&B primer pockets had no/very little chamfer on pocket mouths, and chamfering .44 Magnum brass stopped Lee Loader priming "POPS!"). https://www.mcmaster.com/#countersinks/=15es1qx
Are these primer pockets swaged?
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AR-Bossman
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Fire_Moose
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Cannibul
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I have a use a RCBS bench mount swaging tool.
I also have a 650 and since the cases need to be trimmed at least once I do the following.
Deprime on single stage, the ones that need to be swaged go in one place the rest in the bucket. It's easy to tell which is which with the single stage and Lyman universal decapping die.
Swage the stuff that needs it.
Trim all the brass.
Clean brass in wet tumbler.
Reload.
That's for raw brass. If I've already processed it and it's for the AR I use a RCBS small base X die. No more trimming! For the bolt action I neck size.
I also have a 650 and since the cases need to be trimmed at least once I do the following.
Deprime on single stage, the ones that need to be swaged go in one place the rest in the bucket. It's easy to tell which is which with the single stage and Lyman universal decapping die.
Swage the stuff that needs it.
Trim all the brass.
Clean brass in wet tumbler.
Reload.
That's for raw brass. If I've already processed it and it's for the AR I use a RCBS small base X die. No more trimming! For the bolt action I neck size.
If you are talking about the Dillon 600 Super Swage you will love it. Very easy to set up, just keep turning it a little, attempt to insert primer, turn a little more until one slides in.
Do not make the adjustment on the super Swage to stiff, the internal rod will push the floor of the primer pocket up a few thousandths and primers wont seat properly. Just enough to get the job done, then tighten the nut. Dont ask how I figured that out!
I just finished 2000 LC brass with it. I wet tumble with no pins for an hour just to get the dirt and black off the cases...much more pleasant to handle and keeps filth out of dies and so forth. I dry the cases, deprime them on a single stage with universal decapping die. Then 3 hours in the wet tumbler (Frankford Arsenal) including the steel pins this time, along with a dollop of Armour All Wash and Wax, and about a .45 ACP brass full of Lemishine, maybe a touch more. Then the cases are swaged, then sized and reprimed. Then all go through the Little Crow Gun Works Trimmer, touch up if necessary on the edges. Sizing should occur BEFORE trimming, as the sizing will lengthen then a touch.
For measuring and adjusting sizing die, Sheridan case gauge, LE Wilson case gauge and LE Wilson case gauge depth micrometer. Final check on shoulder position with RCBS headspace comparator.
Russellc
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Cannibul
Member
I use a WFT from Little Crow. If I were going to do it again I'd go with the Giraud Tri-Way. Trims, chamfers and deburrs at the same time. Saves a lot of prep time over the WFT.
if these guys don't make good try brassbombers.com. 100% LC and in my 500pc it was 2 years difference. all primer pockets were swaged and the brass was cleaned. cost me about $50-500pc.
I was playing around with one of those other sites just to see what shipping and what not was and it made me log in and put a phone number and all that stuff. I seen shipping and cost was crazy so ordered from BB and a few days later I get a phone call from out of state and they leave a message saying its this brass company and I left 1k pieces of brass in my cart and he wants to know if I want it because he processed it but I didn't submit a payment. I was like what the heck how do they know that? the guys wasn't very happy and sent me several emails and phone calls. I emailed him back and just stated that I put it in the cart and made a profile to see what shipping charges were I did not want the brass. I got a couple other emails from him after that but decided to go BB. I called them to ask some questions about how many different years in a bag and shipping costs and the guy said he would take care of the years. I also goofed up and gave the wrong email address and had to call again because I didn't get a confirmation through email and they were very understanding and helpful and within 10min I had an email confirmation my order was received and on the way in a week. very very good business.
I was playing around with one of those other sites just to see what shipping and what not was and it made me log in and put a phone number and all that stuff. I seen shipping and cost was crazy so ordered from BB and a few days later I get a phone call from out of state and they leave a message saying its this brass company and I left 1k pieces of brass in my cart and he wants to know if I want it because he processed it but I didn't submit a payment. I was like what the heck how do they know that? the guys wasn't very happy and sent me several emails and phone calls. I emailed him back and just stated that I put it in the cart and made a profile to see what shipping charges were I did not want the brass. I got a couple other emails from him after that but decided to go BB. I called them to ask some questions about how many different years in a bag and shipping costs and the guy said he would take care of the years. I also goofed up and gave the wrong email address and had to call again because I didn't get a confirmation through email and they were very understanding and helpful and within 10min I had an email confirmation my order was received and on the way in a week. very very good business.
Don't understand that, because every crimp removal method I've seen works, even a pocket knife, and it would be pretty hard to remove too much metal, or swage a pocket crooked...
mstreddy
Member
Since I can't always separate my 223, or 300 blackout from others at the range, I was always trying to figure out if the pockets were already swage or still crimped. I went ahead and ordered the set of small and large primer pocket swage gages from Ballistic Tools.
They work well. I can quickly determine if the brass needs swaging or not. It's making short work of the pile of 223 I'm working on now.
Awesome little tools. Thanks Jo Jo for posting it.
They work well. I can quickly determine if the brass needs swaging or not. It's making short work of the pile of 223 I'm working on now.
Awesome little tools. Thanks Jo Jo for posting it.
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
oldreloader
Member
Casings are what you stuff sausage in. Those are cases. Yep. I'm a Grumpy old Man
Lot of fellers seem to like swaging. I don't. As a lifelong machinist/mechanic when I first encountered crimped primer pockets I immediately thought of a countersink. I had a few in my toolbox so I cut the disrupted metal from the mouth of the pocket (only necessary to remove a few thousandths). Now, several thousand cases later I still use a countersink or a chamfer tool (if you need a "dedicated reloading tool" try this) on my 45 ACP, 9mm, 5.56. 7.62x51 and 30-06 military brass. I have seen no adverse effects from my method at all, and it is easy, quick and the tools are relatively inexpensive. A 1/2", 60 degree works quite well... https://www.mcmaster.com/#countersinks/=135h8he
cougar1717
Member
The course of action would depend on how many crimped cases that you had. If there is only a few, a hand-held case chamfer tool works fine. I'd just use that for the 3 point CBC crimp. If most of what you received needs cutting/swaging, then it would benefit to buy a tool, whether that is a swager or a countersink. BTW, countersinking is perfectly fine as long as you don't go too deep and expose too much of the side of the primer cup. If you want to see what the ragged edge of countersinking is, just buy a box of 223 listed as remanufactured ammo for an example! All you want to do is remove just enough material so that primer can be pressed in. Swaging has its quirks also. It benefits to sort brass by headstamp to try to keep a consistent case head thickness. This varies across headstamps and you may have to adjust the depth of swage between headstamps. This is important so that you don't swage one headstamp too deep and end up bending the guide rod (depending on swager) or not swage enough and end up with primer pockets that just barely fit a primer or need to be turned a specific way in the shellholder for the primer to fit. Once you swage/cut the primer pocket, this action does not need to be done again on the same piece of brass.
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