Best Pistol Primer Pocket Swagger for Occasional Use?

[CQB45ACP]

I only shoot 9mm & 45ACP, use range brass exclusively, maybe a few percent are crimped, and I HATE throwing away perfectly good brass because of crimping.

I’ve read a few older and one ongoing thread about primer pocket swagging but am confused by what I should be looking for to buy. Given the low absolute number I’ll be swagging, I don’t need anything fancy but I also don’t want anything I have to fiddle with and adjust each time I use it.

Seems like the Lee product could be set up in a breech lock insert and I’d just have to plug it in and swage away. Is that a plan or is something else better?

 

[edwardware]

Oh, you meant "swager", a tool that swages.

For small volume, use your standard mouth chamfer tool in the pocket. For a bit more money, buy a dedicated pocket reamer (not a depth uniformer).

 

[CQB45ACP]

View attachment 1021120

Oh, you meant "swager", a tool that swages.

For small volume, use your standard mouth chamfer tool in the pocket. For a bit more money, buy a dedicated pocket reamer (not a depth uniformer).

Yes auto correct isn’t always helpful—thought I wanted a tool that was very confident I guess.

Thanks

 

[AK Hunter]

I use the Lyman primer pocket ream but I remove the tip & put it in a drill for quick crimp removal.


A one or two second bump is all it takes, just enough to remove a small burr of brass. You can over do it if you hold it on too long.

 

[FROGO207]

For years I used my chamfer tool as well. You can use a pocket knife, a Phillips screwdriver/ bit in a drill, a countersink, or the many swage tools available. I ended up with the CH4D primer pocket swage tool kit with the Ram Prime combo. There are you tube videos of it being used on the top of the press. I would rather put the metal back by swaging rather than cutting some off the primer pocket side wall now but doing it the other way in the past always worked OK as long as I did not go too deep.

 

[lightman]

Like a few of the others have said, your standard deburring tool will work fine. Or for a few dollars, a 45º countersink from the hardware store. Next up would be the press mounted RCBS tool. Up from there would be the CH or Dillon tool.

 

[bullseye308]

I have used the RCBS one in a single stage press for years with no complaints. Wasn’t too much, does large and small, and is quick and easy to use.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

For small numbers of cases to be swaged I'd suggest a Dillon Super Swage 600.
They're a bit pricey but they are solid and won't break easily. Plus it's Dillon so it comes with a great warranty.

 

[Docendo Discimus]

+1 on the mouth ID chamfer tool. This works great just don't get to aggressive.

 

[Rule3]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012762394?pid=804809

 

[runner3264]

Occasional use you should get the Hornady Pocket Reamer. Chuck it up in a drill and go to work. Works great! The small primer reamer is #390750

 

[CQB45ACP]

Lots of great ideas
Thanks

 

[Otto]

Crimped pistol brass goes straight to the dumpster. Not worth it for me to fix. Most of what I find is WMA/Winchester.
The Lyman tool works well for the price and I use it for small batches of 556.

 

[Rule3]

With the amount of free range brass (in 9mm) I wouldn't even mess with those. Throw them in the scrap bucket.
Waste of time to mess with those.

Don't find to many free 45 ACP to worry about. Have buckets from years ago,

 

[CQB45ACP]

With the amount of free range brass (in 9mm) I wouldn't even mess with those. Throw them in the scrap bucket.
Waste of time to mess with those.

Don't find to many free 45 ACP to worry about. Have buckets from years ago,

I don’t throw anything away unless it’s truly unusable and since I must buy the range brass I get, nothing is a waste of time to me.

 

[edwardware]

With the amount of free range brass (in 9mm) I wouldn't even mess with those. Throw them in the scrap bucket.

I've never swaged or reamed, or thrown out, crimped 9mm. It reprimes on my LNL just fine as is.

 

[Average Joe]

Yea, not worth it for 9mm, I find thousands on the ground at the range each year.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Just bought a Frankford Arsenal swager from Midway for $64+ shipping. Cost wasn’t that much more than various brand dies and such. Watched it on YouTube— I like cool equipment anyway.

 

[bluejay75]

I typically swage than cut the crimp to try to preserve as much of the primer pocket as I can before it shoots out. I have never shot a primer pocket loose on a pistol round so I would say any one of the trimmer type crimp removers should work well.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use a Dillon Super Sewage 600 but it will cost you too much for the little cases you want to fix.

Rule3 gave you a link to the Hornady hand sewage which will work very well for your needs at a fairly good price with both pocket sizes included.

 

[Professor Gascan]

I use the rcbs military crimp remover chucked in a drill. It makes pretty quick work of .223/5.56 crimps, can't see why it wouldn't do the same for crimped small primer pistol brass.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I used to use a torx bit in a drill. I forget what size it was. It was handy. This may be of interest to you.
Amazon.com: Lyman 7777800 Case Prep Multi Tool, Multiple : Tools & Home Improvement

 

[Engineer1911]

If you really want to futz with that miserable WMA crimped primer brass, a solid carbide 1/4" countersink is the golden ticket. Mine deburrs inside case mouths before seating bullets, large and small primer pockets and will last forever. Mine cost about $15, but it will never get dull if only used on brass. Still going strong after 50K of deburring.