Primer pocket tool decision...

[WestKentucky]

I typically don't have issues with crimped primers, but seems the 6.8 brass has a heavier crimp than others and it's an absolute must to use a tool to remove the crimp. So far I'm just running a chamfer tool in a cordless drill but that gets old quick. I shoot other crimped brass too in 5.56, 7.62 NATO, 9mm, have seen crimped 38spl, 10mm...

Im considering both the swagers and the other tools that remove material... Is it worth the money for a tool? Press mounted? Bench mounted? I run into crimped brass in batches, and running the drill I do a hundred or two each night til I get through the batches...but they are far from being consistent. As accurate as the 6.8 rifle is I want to squeeze every ounce of accuracy from the rifle and will be shooting at or near max pressures with heavy for caliber bullets and am concerned about blowing primers.

If you have one or have used one please let me know what it was and if you would recommend it. I have a birthday and Christmas both coming so I could maybe even drop a hint to the wife...

 

[Shootshellz]

I prefer my Dillon bench mounted swaging tool. IMHO my RCBS press mounted swaging tool takes too much effort and cutting the crimp out with my Lyman hand held tool takes too much work. I only use the Dillon swaging tool on rifle brass. I am able to pick up as much non-crimped handgun brass as I want from my indoor range. Any crimped handgun brass I do manage to collect gets the old primer punched out with my Lee decapping die and tossed into my scrap brass bucket for (ca$h) recycling.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Swaging your primer pockets is much nicer than cutting the crimps out.

Unfortunately both of the best are machine specific. The two easiest that I have used ares the ones on the Dillon 1050B, closely followed by the Hornady Primer Pocket Swager for their LNL AP.

Failing that, my backup choice would be the Dillon bench swaging tool

 

[Swampman]

I really like my Dillon Super Swage, but it's not as fast as using a Wilson Chamfer and Deburring tool chucked into a cordless drill.

The main advantages of the DSS are that it doesn't wear out your hands near as much as the drill/chamfer tool method and it's far more consistent in it's results if used with same web height brass.

I mostly use the Super Swage for accuracy loads with brass that's been sorted by headstamp.

The Super Swage isn't a good choice if you're processing mixed headstamp brass with variable web thickness. You have to set the Dillon up so the rod that supports the case head is exactly the right length.

If it's too short you won't fully remove the crimp. If it's too long, it can make the primer pocket so oversized that primers will fall right out of your loaded ammo.

In a situation like yours I would have no reservations in recommending the Super Swage. You intend to shoot high pressure loads out of a fairly precise rifle using brass that you can seldom pick up for free at the range.

If you were planning to load plinking grade 5.56x45 out of mixed headstamp brass I'd probably advise using the drill and chamfer tool.

I also own one of the press mounted RCBS primer pocket swagers. Unless you're a boredom and frustration loving masochist DO NOT get one. It's slow and the expander buttons that actually swage out the crimp are either too soft or too rough finished.

They tend to get a build-up of brass on them that has to be periodically removed with steel wool and Sweets 7.62.

In my opinion, the press mounted RCBS tool sucks.

 

[alientrainwreck]

I just go to Diamond K Brass and order a thousand or whatever and I let them deprime,clean,swage and trim to correct length all for like $10.00 extra. They do great work and great customers service. I ordered 1k of 223 commercial a month or so ago and I hadn't opened them yet and the owner called me and ask if they were trimmed to the correct length so I opened them and measured a few and they were just a little long, so he tells me that when I made my order they were changing the trimmer tool. He apologized and sent me another 1k pieces for free and while we were on the phone I ordered 1k 300blkout and he doubled it and fully processed it too. I just use the Lyman hand tool for small bathes that I pick up from other people.

 

[carbine85]

I've been using the RCBS in my Rock Chucker for years. Typically I make a quick chamfer cut around the pocket and then swag it.

 

[hdwhit]

Is it worth the money for a tool?

That's a very personal decision.

When I got started reloading, I couldn't afford a swager, so I contented myself with removing the crimp using my L.E. Wilson champfer tool. It was labor-intensive and arduous, but it got the job done and taught me patience.

Today I use a Hornady primer pocket reamer chucked into a drill press since old habits die hard.

 

[z7]

I have the rcbs swager and a tool that i can put in a drill. for 308 the tool wins hands down (LC brass) but for some reason the small end of the tool is a little large for 223 brass and wants to grab the sides of the primer pocket which makes it want to twist in my hand. it cuts ok but the swager is easier on the small cases. for large cases, in can quickly move through a fair amount in a hurry

 

[FROGO207]

I started by using a LE Wilson chamfer tool years ago. I then decided that I wanted the pocket material to stay there instead of being removed. Next step was a RCBS primer pocket swager. It worked OK but like the Dillon you have to sort by head stamp and adjust the inside pin. I looked at some others and finally went with the CH4D combo swage/primer seater kit for around $40. It is mounted on the top of the press, uses your standard shell holder and works really fast. There are several youtube videos of it in action if you wish to look. The only thing is you have to be careful when you set it up each time that you do not rip the head off the brass as there is no support rod inside. But you do not have to adjust for different head stamps. It works well for me once I get it set up. As a bonus my 300 WSM brass could not be primed with my older Lee hand primer but was no problem using the ram prime feature of that kit. YMMV