[Griff56]

I have a quantity of brass that is military surplus. I am wondering if it is worthwhile to buy a swaging tool to remove the crimp. How well do they work. I have an old
RCBS rockchucker press that works very well at what it does, but I have never reworked military brass primer pockets before.

Or should I just recycle the brass and buy new?

Thanks for looking

[rg1]

I'd reuse the brass and remove the primer crimp or sell it to another loader if you don't want to mess with it. I have the RCBS Swager Combo and use it to remove the crimp on 30-06 and .223/5.56 brass. It's not the greatest but it does work. The Dillion Super Swage is the best tool but is more expensive. You can actually use your deburr tool to cut out the crimp, just don't overdo it and only remove enough to cut the crimp out.
With the RCBS Swager on my RockChucker, I bang the handle of the press down pretty hard to swage the crimp. I don't use a slow power stroke but a fast hard stoke and if it feels tight I bang it again. I adjust the swager to when the swager enters the primer pocket the press handle is about horizontal. I've swaged a few thousand 30-06 cases and more .223 and have not had any problems with my tool.
Good once fired or reusable brass is too expensive to scrap at present.

[USSR]

What do you consider "a quantity"?

Don

[Griff56]

Thanks for the input. Guess I will pop for the tool.

[NuJudge]

It will tighten the pocket if it's a bit loose. All of the swage tools are a little less handy, but they produce good brass always.

I've been using the RCBS for 30 years.

CDD

[Winston_Smith]

I have heard some good things about the dillon super swage. I am getting ready to order one myself.

[Griff56]

Well a quantity is more than enough to shoot holes in a piece of paper.
Let me just say that enough of a quantity that I should not have to order any brass for some time.

Thanks for your input. I guess I will order the RCBS swager tool. I like RCBS and Lee. In fact all of my dies are made by these two companies and I have had my rockchucker since I was a young man. That was some time ago. LOL.

[USSR]

The reason I asked how much brass you had was, if it's just a small amount (a couple hundred or less), I wouldn't worry about what decrimper you buy. However, if you are talking a large quantity, then the Dillon Super Swage 600 is the only way to go.

Don

[Sport45]

Some swage their primer pockets and others ream them.

Personally, I chuck a Hornady Primer Pocket Reamer in a drill that's clamped in my bench vice. With the drill set at 100rpm or so, I can ream primer crimps about as fast as I can pick the cases up and drop them in a bucket.

http://media.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/StaticPages/highres/617234.jpg

[Griff56]

My Shooting partner has a Hornady reamer and he likes it. I see that Midway USA has the RCBS on back order. What isn't these days. I guess I will back order it.

USSR I have several hundred cases that I want to "ream" so the tool will
pay for itself I am sure. I may aquire more if it becomes available. But that begs the question, just how much brass do you really need.

[Sunray]

It's a one time nuisance. You can either use your chamfering tool while watching TV or spend the money on a swaging tool. The swaging tool is quicker.
Like USSR says, how many? An RCBS swager runs about $30. You should have a chamfering tool already. Chamfering and deburring the case mouth is required every time you trim.

[Griff56]

I am talking about the other end of the case. I have a deburring tool for the case mouth which I use each time. I don't like the fit to the primer pocket though.

[USSR]

USSR I have several hundred cases that I want to "ream" so the tool will pay for itself I am sure. I may aquire more if it becomes available. But that begs the question, just how much brass do you really need.

Personally, I've done thousands. The time savings and ease of use points towards the Dillon.

Don

[Sunray]

"...don't like the fit to the primer pocket though..." It's just to remove the crimp. A wee bit of metal removed. You can see when the crimp is gone. It doesn't do anything else to the primer pocket. In any case, it's just an option.

[ArchAngelCD]

This one (http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=176759) is in stock at Midway.

[jimmertoons]

I have the Dillon, well worth the cost. It is fast, and easy to use. I don't like the banging that I had to do with the RCBS unit. My 11 yr old daughter does my swagging for me now, with the Dillon.

[skidooman603]

Just bought the Midway primer pocket reamer. A little slower than swegging but for $10 I can do about 100 an hour