adcoch1
Member
So I've been avoiding primer pocket swaging for a while now, and I finally decided I need to start on my 5 gal bucket of 5.56 brass. So what's the best tools to tackle this? Opinions and advice?
I have the Dillon super swager but there is no way to automate it.
For large primer pocket brass I've been using a countersink style cutter to get rid of crimps, but it doesn't seem to work as well on the small primer brass. This the reason for the question. Seems like there are lots of options I hadn't thought of, but I find it interesting to get recommendations to do what I'm already doing. I figured swaging would be a better solution, and maybe it is for the small primer pockets.In my experience, the Dillon super swager works well enough for 5.56 but for really tough lake city 7.62, I ended up just reaming the crimp out with my case prep center. For 7.62, I think reaming this way is better, faster and requires less energy on my part and it's how I will be proceeding from now on. I may just end up doing the same thing with 5.56 although, I just swaged some 3,000 5.56 cases and the Dillon seemed to do just fine but I think it would still probably be faster to just ream them after full length resizing and trimming right alongside the primer pocket uniforming and flash hole uniforming steps.
I knew you were going to suggest something like this... Maybe after I get my house and shop built out in Montana...Dillon 1050. Run it twice through, preferably with a Mark 7 Autodrive running it… Fully automated for a high volume, daft criticality process.
I knew you were going to suggest something like this...
That is what I use. The only thing easier would be the Dillon 1050/1100.I use the Hornady swager for their LNL-AP press. Makes quick work of it. In most cases you will get better results if you sort by head stamps.
Wrong Dillon product, the 8 station presses have a swage station, #3, where cases are swaged before being primed in #4, as part of the loading operation. Even operated manually it’s by far the fastest method I have used.
If fast and easy = best, it’s a winner.
Swaging and finish loading looks something like this.
They do need to have been previously sized and trimmed though. I also use their press mounted trimmer, as it makes it a breeze to size and trim more than 1000 cases/hour. All of the other methods leave me with well worked fingers if I do that kind of volume.
That said, if you don’t have to do the entire 5 gallon bucket and can knock out a hundred at a time, other methods do work and are cheaper by a good margin.
Swagers like the Super swager and RCBS dies do a good job and the reamer style worked by hand or electric motor work as well. Just not as quickly and all add an extra step to the loading process.
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Be careful because brass of different headstamps can have different web thickness.I bought a RCBS primer pocked swager at a gun show used for 10.00. Come to find out one of the punches was bent, OUCH. I contacted RCBS customer service, and they sent me a new one. NO CHARGE. Adjusted properly it works great