Primer pocket swager which one?

[Artful]

Like my Dillon 600 - have RCBS to loan to people.

[JimB..]

I got the RCBS on-press kit, it doesn't work with the Forster coax press. Just FYI. I ordered the SS600.

[6bg6ga]

I've used the Dillon and it works fine. I received the CH4D last night that I ordered the other day. As nice as the Dillon is the CH4D is more cost effective and is quicker and easier to use. I could have two of the CH4D's and have money left in my pocket for what the Dillon costs. Granted I am a hard core Dillon fan as I've had smaller Dillon presses before settling on the 650. The rubber band trick is neat but side by side the CH4D will smoke its butt.

[dragon813gt]

I've used the Dillon and it works fine. I received the CH4D last night that I ordered the other day. As nice as the Dillon is the CH4D is more cost effective and is quicker and easier to use. I could have two of the CH4D's and have money left in my pocket for what the Dillon costs. Granted I am a hard core Dillon fan as I've had smaller Dillon presses before settling on the 650. The rubber band trick is neat but side by side the CH4D will smoke its butt.

My experience is the exact opposite. I found the CH4D to be really inconsistent. All were same headstamp. By the time some of the pockets were swaged enough you had destroyed the case head. I can not recommend the CH4D tool as I found it to be very poor. It was also very slow compared to the Dillon in my hands. Everyone is going to have their preferences.

[garym1a2]

I have a hand held shell holder and use the RCBS trim machine. It takes the force off the hand. I use all five station on the machine with 300blk. First I trim out the crimp, than the pocket cleaning brush, than the neck inside and outside is deburred.

Just finished the video and I have to say I am impressed with the ease of operation and the thought that they put into it. Like I mentioned I don't want to void the warranty on the Dillon and this unit would work well on my Lyman-T-Mag press. I'm not after record shattering speed when it comes to swaging. I just want to do it once and be done with it. I really liked the Hornady but like I mentioned it was hell on the hands holding the casing while the cutter cut out the stakes and or crimp ring.

[OS OK]

I think that the Dillon is the only swagger that presses back towards the swage tool from the other side of the primer flash hole...all the rest depend on the rim of the shell.
The rims of different mfgrs. are of varying thicknesses and are the first part of the brass that will deflect and deform, varying thicknesses allows the case to rise in the shell holder and result in varying swage depths of the radius too.
One thing that will help on both methods is to swage by head-stamp sorting and minimizing these variances.

[frkelly74]

The RCBS tool does not utilize the rim of the case but I have had some pockets get oversize when using it. Plus you can bend the mandrel rod by using too much pressure. There was a guy on ebay who sold extra strength mandrels and they are a little tougher.

I watched the video with the ejector twice and found it fascinating , I love springs.

[GONRA]

"The Dillon 1050 comes standard with a primer swage."
Good point dverna!

GONRA's pretty sure its beefedup so THIS progressive press won't get beaten to death.
Otherwise Dillon would be CRAZY to include this feature.

Would be suprised if Lees, Hornadys and lesser Dillon PROGRESSIVE PRESSES
hold up to lengthy "primer pocket swaging " projects. Bet some of you have tried this?

Bear in mind typical "staked" primers (5.7x28mm FN, others) may be really easy to swage,
others (heavy military "ring crimp" primers) require lottsa force to swage!

[KenH]

Like my Dillon 600 - have RCBS to loan to people.

That looks like just too much fun to call it work!

[6bg6ga]

Good points mentioned. The Dillon locates off the inside the rod pushes on the material bottom of primer cup. This can provide differences as all cases aren't the same. Some locate off the rim in other words the case is slid into the case holder this provides the ability to have some that won't swage properly just like the Dillon. One is NOT superior to the other because both methods provide the ability to have that slop/error. In my setup on my CH4D I struck a happy medium between case distortion and getting a high number of cases swaged properly. The Dillon and I have played with these has the same ability to not swage some cases as well as others. None are perfect with this approach to swaging. The only perfect way to do it is to ream the pocket. The reaming tool is ground in such a way to bottom in the primer pocket and thus ANY burr or stake is removed. I happened to setup up Dillon with 200 rounds and I ran 200 thru the CH4D. Both averaged about 9% of the cases done that still weren't perfect for priming. These needed to be reamed in order to remove all the burrs and stakes.

Considering the cost involved in purchasing one of these tools both do about the same. The difference being the CH4D may be harder for some to setup correctly and properly. This result is kinda like learning to size and lube bullets on a Star or Magma bullet sizer lubricator.

Now, I have setup both machines and run the same number of military cases thru each. Neither were perfect and like I mentioned the cases still not swaged from BOTH units were finally reamed with my Hornady unit that reams primer pockets and deburrs the necks.

[lotech]

Regarding the RCBS unit... Set up properly, there won't be any bent rods or other problems. Adjust the rod ONLY to the point where the swaged primer pocket will accept a primer. It involves some trial and error experimentation, but only needs to be done once. Overdoing things just a little can cause a bent rod. I've never heard of making a pocket too large with the swager, but I suppose it's possible with a gross misadjustment. I've swaged a variety of cases with good results.

[frkelly74]

We all learn in different ways I guess. Trial and error is one way. I am getting good results now.

[mold maker]

As with any tool we use, overzealous force will have improper results.
I have both the press mounted RCBS and the bench mounted tool. Both do the job, but the bench tool is the most consistent and least trouble.
Wish I could rig up an auto eject like the video of the Dillon.

[Lloyd Smale]

hands down the best way is to buy a 1050 but I cant afford that anymore. So I bought the Dillon. I came to this thread and was all set to say buy the dillion its hands down the best but then I watched that video and have to say id at least like to give that c&h set up a try. Looks easier on the hands and faster.

[6bg6ga]

hands down the best way is to buy a 1050 but I cant afford that anymore. So I bought the Dillon. I came to this thread and was all set to say buy the dillion its hands down the best but then I watched that video and have to say id at least like to give that c&h set up a try. Looks easier on the hands and faster.

The perfect solution would be the 1050 and I cannot afford one right now either.

I have at my fingertips a new Dillon and my CH4D arrived just the other day. I ran 3) cases thru before I found the sweet spot. Neither the Dillon or the CH4D is going to process the brass 100%. I have run mil brass thru both an have about a 9% reject factor on both. As I also pointed out I have a Hornady prep center that allows me to ream the primer pockets out. I use this for my rejects off the Dillon and the CH4D.

With respect to case ejection when using the CH4D... using an air chuck mounted in the hole next to the CH4D to simply blow the case out of the air holder. I can see an air switch in the works.

[725]

Before you start spending too much money, may I offer the following: Get a counter sink bit (used to cut a little tiny rim around the hole in which you set a screw) and stick it in your cordless variable speed drill. Just a tiny touch at low speed (you'll find your best working speed) and you can cut a perfect champhered rim to any brass case. Removing the military crimp is a breeze. After two or three cases you will know exactly how much you prefer to do. Primers glide right in. Even some commercial cases have a sharp shoulder that "burble" the primer into place. Once you cut the primer pocket rim, the case is good forever. I've got two. One is in the electric drill for when I do hundreds at a time. The other is affixed to a handle and on my bench for whenever I run across that random piece of brass that needs attention. With a bucket of brass in front of me and another bucket in which to dump the processed brass, I can do them almost as fast as I can pick them up.

[skeet1]

I have the RCBS and it works OK but the CH4D is faster and wish I had one.

Ken

[RogerDat]

Have read the posts and can offer my agreement to the following.
CH4D works well I'm doing .223 on an old C press without problem. Case rim distortion went way down when I added touch of lube to the pocket ram every few cases.

Harbor freight chamfer bit and handle is extra step but allows less swaging force to be used. Can be used with a handle but that is harder on the hands and I reserve it for cases that on primer insertion are too resistant. OR I just insert the shaft of the chamfer bit in a rechargeable screw driver. Takes like 1.5 turns of the cutter to break the edge, swage then is more effective with less force.

That chamfer bit does require holding brass or cutting tool so some hand effort. This step might be done as well with the OP's power case prep tool if it has the right chamfer cutting bit. Or one might be able to come up with a rubber padded clamp block to hold the brass.

[ole 5 hole group]

Never used the CH4D, but it looks like a good swager. I have the Dillon 600 and at 1st didn't think too much of it - probably just the way I do things, but it was rather slow for me to get everything lined up.

The Dillon is expensive, like everything Dillon, but I spent a couple more bucks and now I really like the Dillon 600 Swager. Here's the add-on that made all the difference for me.

https://inlinefabrication.com/produc...n-superswage-1

[6bg6ga]

I'm not getting any rim distortion but what I do is make sure the case is aligned correctly for a straight on hit. I found this was my problem with several cases.