LC 5.56 Primer Crimp

[Lord Kimbote]

Hello All,

I have some 5.56 Lake City brass that I have been reloading, and I am having a problem with the primer crimp.

I have a Lyman primer pocket reamer, but even after I use this tool it is still difficult to seat the primer (occasionally mangling the primer in the process).

My question is, will priming LC brass always be more difficult than priming .223 or other 5.56 non-crimped brass?

 

[P-32]

Kimbote,

I use a Dillon Super Swage to remove primer pocket crimps. I shoot a lot of Lake City not only in 223 but also 308 and '06. I like the feel of a swaged primer pocket over a cut one. Plus the Super swage is fast once it's set up. On a side note, after swaging, I uniform the primer pocket which seems to make tighter groups.

 

[Walkalong]

A PP cleaner will not remove the crimp obviously, but even a PP reamer may not. Some are only designed to clean up the PP. You can buy a tool specifically designed to cut away the crimp, or use a PP swaging tool.

 

[loadedround]

Ditto on the Dillon Super Swage. I many GI 223's and 308's and the Dillon tool is the best.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have found the Lyman crimp remover a smidge lng and does not remove the crimp reliably.

Put it in a drill motor and grind a little off the face of the tool while running the drill. Go slow so as to not remove more than necessary.

Also, I use a case mouth chamfer tool to remove the crimp.

The Dillon Super Swager is the sexy tool but also not easy on the pocket book. You have to determine what is more valuable to you.

 

[bigedp51]

Lord Kimbote

The military crimp on the primer decreases the diameter of the primer pocket below the actual crimp. Think of this like a choke on a shotgun barrel with its decreasing diameter, when you remove the crimp you must also increase the diameter of the primer pocket and make it the same diameter as the lower portion of the primer pocket.

Below is a RCBS primer pocket swage, "BUT" it has rough machine marks on the swage. These rough machine marks will "push" brass down inside the primer pocket and make the primer pocket "smaller" in diameter.

If the swager is smoothed and polished when it enters the primer pocket it will expand the brass "outward" and uniform the primer pocket to a normal size, and not push the brass into the primer pocket.



I use the primer pocket "cleaner" on the left as a gage after reaming the primer pocket. If the primer pocket cleaner will not enter the primer pocket and rotate the primer pocket still needs enlarging.



And remember, if your fingers aren't bleeding when removing the crimp on 5 gallon buckets full of military .223/5.56 cases you not really having fun.

 

[rodinal220]

Get a Dillon Super Swage 600,you wont be sorry.

Here is a youtube vid with a very easy mod to speed things up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaZHeSUqQbk&feature=related

 

[Hondo 60]

I use the Lee Chamfer and Deburring Tool

That Dillon Super Swage looks like a great tool IF you reload quite a few crimped brass.
But for me I just can't see spending $100 on something like that.
I'd rather spend it on bullets, primers or powder

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=389104

 

[cemjr]

I just sweged my way through 500 rounds of 223 this afternoon. First time for me,I used a dillon super sweger. I could never do that for a living, not a bad hobby though

 

[Lord Kimbote]

Military Crimp

Wow,

I have never posted a question on this board and I must say that I am very impressed with the quality and number of responses.

I am reloading on a shoestring budget, so I will probably hold off on the Dillon tool (though it seems like a quality piece of gear), and give the chamfer tool a try.

Thanks very much.

 

[GCBurner]

Wow,

I have never posted a question on this board and I must say that I am very impressed with the quality and number of responses.

I am reloading on a shoestring budget, so I will probably hold off on the Dillon tool (though it seems like a quality piece of gear), and give the chamfer tool a try.

Thanks very much.

If you're really on a tight budget, and don't have a bucket full of brass to process, chamfering the edge of the primer pocket with a pocket knife will work okay. After you've done a few, you'll get the hang of it.

 

[Ken70]

Just use a 90 degree countersink, 3/8" diameter in a cordless drill. That will cost you less than $5 for the countersink; I assume you already have the cordless drill. Get two nice chips and you're done. Don't try to drill thru the case....The Dillion clowns will always say it has to be blue. It doesn't, you don't have to blow a couple of thousand to reload, kind of defeats the cost saving aspect of loading your own. You'd need to shoot a lot of ammo to recoup the $2k.....

 

[cemjr]

I havn't been around here long but I know I havn't refered to any of my fellow reloaders as CLOWNS, try another forum please

 

[medalguy]

WHERE in the world did you come up with a $2K figure? The Dillon swager can be bought for about $90, and when you decide you don't need it any longer, the price will have gone up on a new one, and you can sell your old tool for $90. Net cost zero. Remember Dillon has a "no BS" lifetime guarantee on all of their tools.

Incidentally, loading over 50,000 rounds of ammo a year makes the Dillon equipment I have, which cost about $400, paid for in short order.