Swage or ream primer pockets to remove crimp?

[paul h]

I've swaged 1000's of 223 cases with an RCBS kit, but not all in one sitting

While it does a great job, I still like to cut a slight chamfer to ease primer seating as I've crushed a few primers trying to seat them w/o chamfering.

The worst part of running milserp brass is when you pick up some more at the range, toss all your empties in the tumbler and then don't know which pockets are swaged and which need to be swaged.

[Artful]

The worst part of running milserp brass is when you pick up some more at the range, toss all your empties in the tumbler and then don't know which pockets are swaged and which need to be swaged.

You must deprime before tumbling then - otherwise you see the difference in the primers.

[2wheelDuke]

I bought some once fired .308 and it turned out to be LC '13 brass. I decapped, cleaned it in the ultrasonic, tumbled, and now resized some. I used the Lyman hand reamer, but I'm still having trouble seating primers.

I have an RCBS swage tool on order. Hopefully that does better for me.

[Lead Fred]

Just got me L.E. Wilson primer pocket reamer.
It works like a house a fire. Did 100 in 20 minutes, and check a bunch with a hand tool & pocket uniformer, and none needed to be dressed
I'm sold

[waco]

Dillon super swage 600. One and done.

[2wheelDuke]

The RCBS primer pocket swager I ordered showed up in the mail yesterday. It easily handled the LC '13 brass that my reamer wasn't taking care of, and quickly to boot. I should've been swaging my primer pockets all along.

[cwheel]

I started with a countersink cutting, bought a RCBS, mixed results, but worked well. Bought a Dillon when I got 5000 or so MT 223, and I wish I'd started with the Dillon. Have done many thousands more after buying the Dillon, large and small. Comes with the setup for large and small, much faster than the others, and a sure thing once set up. In fact, it is so much faster you almost can't afford to buy the cheaper ones if running more than a thousand cases just once.
Chris

[fatelk]

Does the swage make the primer pocket tighter as well?

I have used my RCBS swager to tighten primer pockets, by being creative. I got a bunch of French 7.62 NATO brass a few years ago. It was nice, shiny, once-fired boxer primed brass, but I quickly found out that the primers (and primer pockets) were oversized by a few thousandths, much like .217 berdan primers.

I used a 3/8" ball bearing in an old shell holder and pressed it against the primer pocket using the swager die to hold the brass. You have to use a lot of force and it is easy to bend the rod, but it squeezes the brass inwards down in the primer pocket. I then swage normally and it works great. I've done a bunch that way.

I also converted berdan cases the same way, mostly 8x56R and 7.5 Swiss.

As to just removing crimp: I like the RCBS unit. Swaging works far, far better than reaming for me. I had a Dillon unit at one time and it worked great, but I just don't shoot enough volume to really need it. Someone else wanted it more than I did, so it's gone now and I just break out the old RCBS swager whenever I need it.

[Patrick L]

I actually do a combination of both. I started with a Lyman reamer head on their case trimmer, which worked but left cutter marks in the pocket. Graduated to an RCBS swager on my Rockchucker, which worked and left a smooth radiused pocket. I subsequently sprung for a Dillon Super Swage. Thats the way to go if you're doing quantity.

What I do now is put the reamer head in the RCBS case prep center to ream, the run them thru the Dillon to further swage and polish.

[Sghinds]

Dillon super swage 600. One and done.

This is what I use as well. Money well spent.

[Grendl]

Have tried reaming, drilling, deburr tool, finally settled on C-H swaging set up, suits me just fine after I made some "adjustments" to the swages themselves. a little polish and the use of some case lube: slicker than bill Clinton on his best day! if he ever had one.
rick

[W.R.Buchanan]

You know,,,, We have discussed this topic a zillion times, and it appears to me that there is no real definitive answer to the question.

It comes down to a Ford vs. Chevy debate.

Some of us Swage, some Chamfer. Some use the early RCBS tool. (I have one and think it sucks) Some use the Dillon tool, a few now have the new RCBS tool which is just another version of the Dillon method.

I mostly Chamfer using a small Drill Press turned upside down for large batches. But I now have a Dillon tool and since seeing the video on You Tube for the auto eject rigging I will be using it the next time I do a batch. It looked like fun. No other reason.

I see no significant difference in doing this which ever way you have access to. It really doesn't matter.

Randy

[flintsghost]

I have a hand reamer and used to use an RCBS swager. Now I use the Dillon swaging tool as it's much faster than either of the other two. I have kept the reamer just in case I only have one or two cases that need doing.

[shuckinthecorn]

Another vote for Dillon. Fast and easy!

[fguffey]

HANDLOADING: An NRA Manual, by Julian S. Hatcher, Barr, White and Neumann. copyright 1950.

Hatcher uses a pocket knife, the illustrators Reish and Petrone suggest using a very small screwdriver. I screw the Lyman military crimp remover into my RCBS Case Prep Center.

F. Guffey

[nicholst55]

Dillon super swage 600. One and done.

Agreed. I've used the RCBS swager which is tedious, at best. I've reamed, used a center drill, a deburring tool, and most everything else. Buy once, cry once, go Dillon.

[Daddyfixit]

Agreed. I've used the RCBS swager which is tedious, at best. I've reamed, used a center drill, a deburring tool, and most everything else. Buy once, cry once, go Dillon.

Just curious, I purchased the RCBS swagger (the bench mounted one) I wouldn't say it's any different to use then the Dillon swagger. I've used the Dillon one at a friends and it works great but I was able to buy the RCBS one on sale for almost half the price.

[HeavyMetal]

I've used the Dillon swager and wasn't happy with the results, seemd like primer pockets got loose a lot quicker after I used it.

Got the Sinclair pocket reamers years ago, carbide cutter, and have been very happy with uniformity of the primer pockets and haven't had an issue with them loosening after afew reloads.

Cordless drill a couple extra batteries and I can do a bunch on a lazy Sat. afternoon!

Now for the OP what reamer did you buy? Never had one wear out but I do see warnings about making sure it turns the right direction or you'll damage it.

So I am curious what ya bought?

[uccm25]

Ditto on swaging. I have the Dillon and it has worked very well for me on all mil brass. 9MM, .45, 5.56, and 7.62

[trapper9260]

I bought some once fired .308 and it turned out to be LC '13 brass. I decapped, cleaned it in the ultrasonic, tumbled, and now resized some. I used the Lyman hand reamer, but I'm still having trouble seating primers.

I have an RCBS swage tool on order. Hopefully that does better for me.

I got some of that brass also and I just ream them with the Lyman hand reamer and no problem yet.