Primer pocket swage or cut the lip out with a case deburring tool?

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Bexar

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I've got several hundred of .308 .30-06 and 5.56 LC brass. What's the best.(easiest) way to remove the primer crimp? Sitting around watching TV and cutting the crimp out with a few twists of the deburring tool or get the swaging tool set up and swage the crimp out?

The swaging method will eventually cramp my neck but I'm not chained to the bench and can come back later.

I'm not loading for hyper-precision anymore but what seems like an, "All's you just gotta do." has got me chin deep and sinking in the do-do pit far too many times by not asking what could go possibly go wrong. :uhoh:

Thanks...Bexar
 
Swaging is the method I chose. You're not removing material, you're just pushing it where you need it! Removing material although it's a tiny amount just seemed like a bad idea. I know there are plenty of people that do it with no ill effects, I just didn't go that route. The rcbs swaging system works pretty well for me. But, you will be sitting at the bench...
 
Deburring tool works but it's not a great cutting tool and usually not sharp enough, takes finger pressure and wears out your hands, at least mine. A powered tool maybe. I still think a swager is easier, faster, and does a better job overall. I have both the RCBS primer pocket swager combo 2 which works in your press provided your ram diameter isn't too big to accept the case remover, and also bought the RCBS Bench Mounted swager. With a little set-up the bench swager works well. I primarily use the press combo swager as I size on one press and swage in the other press mounted side by side. The bench mounted swagers either Dillion's 600 or the RCBS bench swager could be mounted on a board and used in your lap away from the bench. Haven't used any of the primer pocket reamers that cuts out the crimp but reamers tend to follow the path of least resistance and I think they could cut the pocket out of round? I recommend a swager. Some primer crimps are so light that it takes very little to remove the crimp but some are heavy and takes more effort. I hate the new stab crimps on .223 cases as the stab marks are so deep that they swell the pocket wall deeper into the pocket. The Dillion bench swager gets highest ratings but the RCBS will do the job also. If you normally only pick up a few military cases cutting with the deburr tool is an option but if you plan on doing lots of 500-1000 you're going to need some liniment to ease the soreness of your fingers-hands.
 
^^^ +1

That's exactly the way I feel about crimps. I can actually borrow a Dillon from a buddy and I'd say overall its easier than twisting a bunch of cases.

My only exception is with the Greek HXP brass, that has three stab crimps. A little twist with the deburrer tool is all that it takes. Not much pressure required.

Laphroaig
 
How do you know when to stop or that you are cutting squarely?


I have the Dillon but am thinking of getting the CH4D unit. The Dillon is a pain in the rear.
 
gennro said:
I use this and a drill, works fine. Never had any issues. http://www.amazon.com/General-Tools...ower-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1404061906&sr=1-4
Click to expand...
Yep...I've got one. I think that's my option. I de-primed on a Lee universal de-capper about a hundred LC74 7.62X51 (.308) cases over three days and I think this little bit and my drill or just sitting watching TV and using the de-burring tool is the route I'm gonna go. When I got started the harder crimped in military primer broke the de-capping pin and bent the de-capping rod in my resizing dies so I went to the Lee Universal de-capper.

Thanks everyone for your input. Bexar
 
Dillon Super Swage for me..

I do large batches of 5.56. I DO sort out the LC from the FC and others before I swage, and adjust the swage support pin when I change type of brass.
Some brands can just be lightly 'Kissed' with a dril type of bit. When I cut with a drill, I use in the drill press.

This is what works for me YMMV...Bill.;)
 
I have used the RCBS case neck deburr tool, the RCBS swager and the CH-4D swager tool. The CH-4D is the only one I use these days. Set it up and rip through a thousand cases in no time.:D One of our members here put up a you tube video of it in use.;) Search CH-4D on here and you will find the thread.
 
I use a Lee chamfer and debur tool. It's terrible on my hands and can only do about 50 at a time before I need to take a break.

A swaging setup is in my near future.
 
At least a couple of companies make an adapter for the standard reloading chamfer/deburr tool for running the tool in a drill motor. I think the two that I know of are Possum Hollow and Sinclair International.

Works pretty well.

I have used the Lyman primer pocket uniformers but find they remove too much material from the walls of the primer pocket causing loose primers sooner.

I have tried the RCBS swaging tool but I feel my press is too light for the task. A Rock Chucker or Redding Big Boss II might work better.

I did not know the Dillon Super Swagger was sensitive to web thickness. I do not deal with many crimped primer cases and the number is dwindling all the time for me. Sounds like I will not worry about the Dillon Super Swagger anytime in the near future.
 
I did a few cases today with the RCBS de-burring tool. Started out as a, "Lets see how this will work." I kept going until, as mentioned, thumbs and in my situation, my arthritic neck started protesting.

Two notes: First...The de-burring tool only met resistance at where the crimp was; then it spun rather easily. I didn't have to bear down by any means. It told me when to quit; I didn't tell it.

Second...the brass removed was very minimal which makes sense as the crimp displaced very little brass.

I haven't primed any yet as I still have to resize, wire probe for head seperation and trim to length the cases before re-priming.

I've got a different powder combination to be tested and am new to reloading for the .308 so I've got some "spearamintin" to do with load development. Plus, I've got to wait for our Daughter to come home from college before we can go to the rifle range.

If she decides to try for medical school, she has the grades, it's all academic, anyway. She's at her Uncle's and Cousin's discussing it this weekend. God save us! :p

Thanks...everyone. Bexar
 
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I process thousands of pieces of military brass under contract, and would never even attempt it without my Dillon Super Swage 600.

Don


Hello...:D
 
Dillon 600 here. There may be cheaper alternatives, but none easier or better.
 
Bexar, Hatcher said: "I just use my pocket knife to remove the crimp". I have the RCBS primer pocket swage, case head thickness must be matched. I have RCBS the case prep. I use the primer pocket uniform-er and the military crimp remover and several hand held types.

There is something wrong with the advise I get about getting into shape. The first tool out is the RCBS case prep center, logic says I should get better at holding the cases, in the beginning I thought nothing of going through 500 cases with out a cramp or pain, now I am thinking about making a hand held tong to use on fewer cases.

F. Guffey
 
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I have an RCBS Swage die for my press, but am concerned that it works a little bit too well. The last batch of 5.56 brass I swaged resulted in primers seating (RCBS hand tool) with almost no resistance. A couple of them blew out when fired, even though the loads were well within pressure specs. :uhoh:

I'm starting to think chamfering is the better solution. :scrutiny:
 
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