Pocket Swager

[MtGun44]

I'll sell a CH pocket swager tool for a reasonable price. Been poor, same
situation, in school. No breaathing room for stuff like the Dillon. PM me.

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have to disagree with the majority who like the RCBS primer pocket swaging tool being the best low cost primer pocket tool.

I have had one since 1978 and I stopped using it in 1979. It is not a nice tool to use. Stripping the swaged case off the plug is not easy and requires a serious rap on the handle to accomplish consistantly every time. Sometimes they come off easy and sometimes hard but if you don't smack it hard everytime you just have to go back and do it again. It is also hard on your bench!

Since 1979 I have been using a countersink to remove the crimp, mounted either in a cordless drill or drill press or power screwdriver.

I do this simply because it is the simplest and fastest way to do this job there is.

All you need to do is remove a small amount of material and it takes about one second to do this. Anyone who can't do 20 cases a minute is not trying very hard.

You'd be lucky to do 5 cases a minute with the RCBS tool.

I also have a Dillon 600 and it is definately a Cadillac tool. Only problem is you don't need a Cadillac to go down to the convienience store a block away. You can ride a bike or walk.

Do yourself a favor and buy a $29 cordless drill (that you can use for other things) and a nice Severance 6 flute countersink for $6. You'll be set up for life and you'll use the drill for alot more things than just processing brass cases.

Randy

[Gliden07]

I was checking out the Severance countersinks could you suggest a size?? I am looking to swedge 223/556 primer pockets. I have a Milwaukee cordless drill and a large drill press too!

I have to disagree with the majority who like the RCBS primer pocket swaging tool being the best low cost primer pocket tool.

I have had one since 1978 and I stopped using it in 1979. It is not a nice tool to use. Stripping the swaged case off the plug is not easy and requires a serious rap on the handle to accomplish consistantly every time. Sometimes they come off easy and sometimes hard but if you don't smack it hard everytime you just have to go back and do it again. It is also hard on your bench!

Since 1979 I have been using a countersink to remove the crimp, mounted either in a cordless drill or drill press or power screwdriver.

I do this simply because it is the simplest and fastest way to do this job there is.

All you need to do is remove a small amount of material and it takes about one second to do this. Anyone who can't do 20 cases a minute is not trying very hard.

You'd be lucky to do 5 cases a minute with the RCBS tool.

I also have a Dillon 600 and it is definately a Cadillac tool. Only problem is you don't need a Cadillac to go down to the convienience store a block away. You can ride a bike or walk.

Do yourself a favor and buy a $29 cordless drill (that you can use for other things) and a nice Severance 6 flute countersink for $6. You'll be set up for life and you'll use the drill for alot more things than just processing brass cases.

Randy

[harley6699]

If you're going to make a regular habit of this, I highly recommend the Dillon SS600.

It's a bit pricey compared to other options, but I used to do a LOT of 7.62x51 and .30-06 military brass and nothing compares to this tool for that task. It pushes the metal back into place from the swaged primer pockets. Once set up (which doesn't take long at all) you can run through cases very fast.

If you have buddies, buy one and split the costs.

dale in Louisiana
(satisfied and impressed customer)

I agree with you I have a Dillon and it sits right nest to the press and when I pull it out of the deprimming die I swage the case so I don't forget to do it..

[Idz]

W.R. B.
You must have different RCBS version than I have. My RCBS comes with a steel cup that pops the case right off after swaging. You may have to make a wood shim if your press has ribs sticking out around the shellholder but the only times I have extraction problems are when I forget to put the cup in place before swaging.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Gliden: I use a 3/8" diameter 90 or 82 degree one with a 1/4" shank most. anything from 3/16" up will work but the smaller ones have finer teeth which cut the brass with less effort. All you have to cut is the flash of the crimp . About .02-.03.

You simply sit the drill on the table facing you and stuff the cases into it as it spins. If you set your "in and out" baskets right next to the drill you can burn thru them pretty fast. It all becomes about handling the cases and how fast you can pick one up hit the CS and drop it. It takes about 1 second to make the actual cut.

Idz: I have two of them. They are the same as yours. They are not a friendly tool, and using them is not pleasureable. This is why I don't use them. Would you like to buy them?

Harley: that is the best idea I have heard for using the Dillon. I got one a while back with a press and trimmer etc. I haven't used it since all my current crop of cases have been processed, but my bro in law has had one for several years and I have used it extensively to process some of my cases (@1000). Countersink is still faster.

Randy.

[Guardian]

I also did not care for the RCBS press mounted tool. As W.R.Buchanan said, it's hard on the bench and press slamming the handle up to get some pieces of brass off the lower punch. The other problem I had was the end of the upper punch swaging, particularly on the small case punch, making it tough to get the case neck over the upper punch. The upper punches were also pretty soft and I ended up bending one. I realize this is from having the upper punch set too long (i.e., operator error) according to the instructions, but I thought it was a poor tool.

My neighbor uses the countersink/deburring tool option for his 223 cases, but the volumes we process are very different. I process several thousand military cases at the time. He deals with the occasional one.

I haven't used the Dillon, but I purchased the RCBS version of the same tool. I've been very happy with the way it works, the quality of it, and the speed with which I can process cases.

[Maximumbob54]

Saving up for the Dillon SS600 was the best thing I've done for all the milsurp brass I've bought. I broke one RCBS rod, bent the next, and found it to be painful slow in use. Looking back I would have eaten ramen for months to have bought the Dillon sooner than I did. See if someone in your club has the Dillon and you will know why this non blue kool aid drinking guy is still spewing on about this one Dillon product like he's a diehard fanboy.

[Gliden07]

Due to budget constraints I probably am gonna use the reamer. I only have about 500 rounds to do so it shouldn't be too bad. Doesn't keep me from looking for a Dillon Super Swage though!! There is still a lot of stupidity on EBay!! Someone had one on there for $227 Buy it now and wanted shipping too!!! No shortage of "PANIC" on there yet!! LOL!!

[BoolitSchuuter]

Gotta go with the RCBS. I've done thousands of 7.62 and 5.56 brass and never had a problem. The trick is to use a little case lube. You wouldn't re-size a case without it and expect no problems would you? I started with primer pocket reamers and progressed to chamfer tools and discarded them for the same reasons as everyone else. That Dillon tool is the bee's knees but too pricey for me.

[Benjlan]

I use the CH4d primer pocket swager and it works great for me.

[punk427]

Seriously? The advice some of you gave this kid just amazes me. Makes me wonder if some of you have been reloading as long as you say you have...Does a chamfer tool work on certain kinds of brass? Yes it does, but not all brass is crimped the same, some could be the same methed but just not the same. and its not always military brass that's crimped that way. A lot of commercial brass in certain calibers that are popular in semi autos are crimped. ever try to remove the crimp from fiocchi 223? or s&b?? If you have some s&b and no swaging tool, your better off just throwing that **** away! and everyones tolorances are different. Seriously, theres absolutely no reason what so ever you cant look around on a few forums and find either an rcbs swager combo or the c&h for $40.00 or less. Do yourself that one favor.

[44Vaquero]

My 1st tool was a couple of flat blade screw drivers that I profile ground to fit small and large primer pockets. In my experience they never met a primer pocket they could not remove the crimp from. I have tried all the above listed techniques/tools at one time or another with varying degrees of success. Counter sinks and drill bits do work but require a moderate degree of skill and luck for consistent results.

Punk427, having re-read the entire thread could you please point out the egregious advice that offended you I must have missed it.

[44Vaquero]

My 1st tool was a couple of flat blade screw drivers that I profile ground to fit small and large primer pockets. In my experience they never met a primer pocket they could not remove the crimp from. I have tried all the above listed techniques/tools at one time or another with varying degrees of success. Counter sinks and drill bits do work but require a moderate degree of skill and luck for consistent results.

Punk427, having re-read the entire thread could you please point out the egregious advice that offended you I must have missed it.

[dudel]

Anther vote for the RCBS unit. I've had mine for more years than I can remember.

I replaced the rod with a stronger one made by someone on eBay. It's also a bit thinner which makes using it on .223 easier.

Countersink works well for removing the crimp; but doesn't uniform the pocket.

[greenhornet-1]

Why not use your chamfer tool? Even though I have the RCBS swage, I find it much faster and easier to use my chamfer tool. A couple of half twists and its done. For only 500 rounds, I'd save the funds for some future project.

Yep!!!

[kyle623]

here's an idea, if its only 500 or so cases and your not in a real big hurry to get it done. send it to me, i will process it and all you need to do is cover the shipping. I had a mod do this for me at the same cost and am only too glad to return the favor to a fellow member. I use the rcbs primer pocket swager and have had good luck with it.

[alamogunr]

I use a Wilson tool to ream primer pockets. I was almost given the small pocket reamer and bought the case trimmer. A little expensive but very versatile. I'm pretty well tooled up to trim cases and ream primer pockets. For the cases that I don't have case holders for I use the RCBS trimmer that I got many years ago. The case holders are fairly cheap for it.

[Love Life]

Seriously? The advice some of you gave this kid just amazes me. Makes me wonder if some of you have been reloading as long as you say you have...Does a chamfer tool work on certain kinds of brass? Yes it does, but not all brass is crimped the same, some could be the same methed but just not the same. and its not always military brass that's crimped that way. A lot of commercial brass in certain calibers that are popular in semi autos are crimped. ever try to remove the crimp from fiocchi 223? or s&b?? If you have some s&b and no swaging tool, your better off just throwing that **** away! and everyones tolorances are different. Seriously, theres absolutely no reason what so ever you cant look around on a few forums and find either an rcbs swager combo or the c&h for $40.00 or less. Do yourself that one favor.

Please point out the bad advice given. All the advice given seems legit to me.

[jmort]

"Seriously? The advice some of you gave this kid just amazes me. Makes me wonder if some of you have been reloading as long as you say you have."

Love Life you beat me to it. Glad our newest member is here to "learn us,"