Crimped Primer Pockets...

[BCB]

I have some 223 brass. Well, actually it has 5.56 as part of the head stamp…

The entire head stamp reads: 5.56 80.11 P8

I can size them easily enough and the primer is also removed with no problem…

There is a small brass ring that is around the primer and some red sealant (?) around the primer also…

Priming is impossible…

Are these crimped in primers? Maybe military ammo?...

Thanks…BCB

[GRUMPA]

It will be necessary to remove the crimp, and for the most part they all have crimps on the primer pocket.

[David2011]

BCB,

There are lots of ways to remove the crimps. Yes, they are military. The crimps are intended to improve reliability in automatic weapons by preventing the primers from backing out. For very low volume processing RCBS makes a primer pocket swaging kit that works on a single stage press. It does a great job but I wouldn't want to use it for more than a FEW hundred pieces. The "Cadillac" is the Dillon primer pocket swage tool but at over $100 you would need to swage a lot of brass to make it cost effective. I have both of these so the opinions are based on useage.

Hornady makes a primer pocket reamer that has a good reputation. It can be operated by many of the motorized case prep stations or in a manually operated handle. I want one to use in my Lyman Case Prep Xpress station but have had trouble finding one in stock since way before the current crunch. The Lyman unit comes with a pocket reamer but I'm not impressed with its cutting ability. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/804809/hornady-primer-pocket-reamer-package?cm_vc=subv1501588

Some people use a countersink for a power drill and just use it judiciiously to cut the crimp away by feel. It's fast and not hard to get the feel for when you've cut far enough. If you grind away too long teh primer will be unsupported so just cut the ring away and move to the next one.

David

[trixter]

I like the RCBS Primer Pocket Swage tool. (RCBS #: 09481) In the box you get both large and small primer pocket swadgers. I keep one mounted up in my single stage press all the time. Great tool, and not too expensive. Do a cartridge once and your magic.

[mdi]

Search "primer pocket crimp" and or google "removing primer pocket crimps" "military brass", etc. You'll get info on cutting the crimp out, swaging the crimp out, and reaming the crimp out. Just depends how much you wanna pay for a tool...

[Wilkie]

With the RCBS primer pocket swage tool, how important is it to sort the brass by headstamp? I have heard of issues of using different brass....

[oneokie]

With the RCBS primer pocket swage tool, how important is it to sort the brass by headstamp? I have heard of issues of using different brass....

Very. The web thickness varies between brands of brass. If you set the rod for thinner webs and swage a case with a thicker web, you will bend the rod. Don't ask how I know.

[Hip's Ax]

When I asked this question 15 or so years ago I was told, if you are doing dozens use a cutter, if you are doing hundreds get the RCBS, if you are doing thousands get the Dillon. I bought the Dillon.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25263/catid/8/Super_Swage_600

[W.R.Buchanan]

Go buy a 3/8 or 1/2 dia countersink and use it in your cordless drill. It will get you where you need to go and is not hard to do at all. You will get the hang of it in a few cases. No need to complicate this operation.

I have used all of the above mentioned methods. I use the countersink method now because it is the simplest and easiest way to accomplish the task. You should be able to do 15-20 per minute once you get going.

Randy

[USMC87]

I use the rcbs primer pocket swager, And like mentioned above I only use it on 2-3 hundred at a time .

[BCB]

Thanks for all the replies…

I have this set to give me “instant e-mail notification” but I received none—I have yet to figure this out. It is on other sites too…

I have been experimenting with the RCBS deburring tool and it cuts a very nice chamfer in to the primer pocket and allows the seating of a primer…

But, they are seating to a depth of 0.006” below flush…

I have a Lyman hand tool and it does a lousy job if at all…

Guess I might try the RCBS primer pocket swaging tool if I can find one!!!...

Thanks…BCB

[historicfirearms]

I've tried and sold off the rcbs and dillon. I use the chamfer tool chucked in my drill press. It's much faster, the others are annoyingly slow. Especially since you will be trimming the brass anyway the first resize, the chamfer tool is needed to remove the burr, at the same time just flip the brass over and hit the primer pocket. Simple, fast, easy, and cheap.

[angus6]

I've tried and sold off the rcbs and dillon. I use the chamfer tool chucked in my drill press. It's much faster, the others are annoyingly slow. Especially since you will be trimming the brass anyway the first resize, the chamfer tool is needed to remove the burr, at the same time just flip the brass over and hit the primer pocket. Simple, fast, easy, and cheap.

I did the same with the RCBS and Dillon units , out the door with them and kept the Hornady reamer on a motor till I started loading on a 1050 now the Hornady sits unused

[Wilkie]

I assume I should get the small head on the Hornady Reamer for 5.56?

[chambers]

Chamfer tool with battery drill, have done many and no issues.

[dragonrider]

I have both tools RCBS and Dillon, The Dillon does a better job but the RCBS is faster.

[45fisher]

I like the RCBS Primer Pocket Swage tool. (RCBS #: 09481) In the box you get both large and small primer pocket swadgers. I keep one mounted up in my single stage press all the time. Great tool, and not too expensive. Do a cartridge once and your magic.

I use the RCBS one also. I recommend getting extra swagger rods (small and large). Don't ask...just do it!
It can be a bear if you got thousands of cases to do...but it's cheaper than the Dillon even with the extra rods!
Larry

[Iowa Fox]

I have been using the RCBS tool for almost 30 years, it does a good job. I like swaging rather than reaming which removes brass. I swear swaged primer pockets stay tighter for me longer than reamed pockets.

[429421Cowboy]

I am another that uses a chamfer tool for the little bit of mil-surp crimped primers i do, leaves a nice chamfer on the primer pocket and makes life simple. Heck, one of the old Hornady manual reccomends using a sharp pocket knife to trim away the brass ring, talk about the slow way!

[MOcaster]

If your press has a primer arm, put your brass in the press and use the priming arm like you would if you were priming the case. The priming arm will cut out the crimp. It's faster than using a chamfer tool and you don't have to buy anything.

[gwpercle]

If you want to do it without investing a lot of money use the sharp , small blade of your pocket knife to cut away most of the crimp on a 45 degree ( plus or minus ) angle, then use the Lyman ( or whatever brand you like ) crimp removing tool to finish the job , then use the pocket uniforming tool for proper depth and your done. Slow ? yes , but I wasn't in a hurry and had only 500 military 7.62 cases to do and didn't spend a lot of bucks on power tools that I wouldn't use again.
gary

[victor3ranger]

I recommend using the countersink bit in a drill press or cordless drill.
I have a cheap 5 speed table model drill press that I chuck up the bit and turn it on, only take a tiny bit to cut the crimp doing it this way and is very fast.

[millsa2]

Dillion 600

[Love Life]

RCBS swaging kit. Cheap and works. I have done thousands on it and it actually goes pretty fast. Just make sure your table is bolted to the wall or you have about 120 lbs of lead anchoring it.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Dillion 600

Lots of methods with small amounts of brass. But if you have large amounts, you need this tool. And I'm not a big Dillon fan. But this tool is one of their really good ones.

[sirgknight]

I use an 11/64ths drill bit in my drill press at the lowest speed. By holding the brass with a pair of pliers and simply "touching" the primer pocket to the drill bit it completely removes the crimp ring and makes for a beautiful primer pocket. May not be the most accepted or approved method for removing the crimps but it works for me. I have never had a problem seating the primers and never had a problem with the ammo in my AR15. If you decide to try this method you will develop a feel for just how far you can go with the "touching". I haven't ever counted how many I could do in a hour because I concentrate on quality not quantity, but I would guess a few hundred.

[dragon813gt]

CH4D makes a set that's cheaper than RCBS. I've never had to sort by headstamp. It's no problem to process a thousand in short order. I'm not a fan of cutting the crimp out.