Primer Pocket swage?

[kmw1954]

I went and watched youtube videos on the Lee APP once again and although it looks to be much faster do I really need another press with all those attachments that go with it? I already have a Pro1000 and Pro4000 press that I can put the Universal decapping die in and use the case feeder. I already have all the Lee pass thru bullet sizing dies for all the cast bullets. So do I need this to replace all those and add a swagger?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I use the RCBS press mounted swage. I use it on my Lyman brass smith turret press.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

Dillon.
if you set it up right there is no need to separate by head stamp. You can feel when it swages and when it doesnt.
I also don't separate crimped or non crimped they all go through the dillon.
With the rubber band trick the cases are auto ejected, I touch them once. It's faster to swage all the brass.

There is a guy on ebay or Facebook that sells inserts, you place the insert in tool and it perfectly aligns the brass and the swage rods.

The only thing faster than a dillon with the rubber band auto eject is a 1050.

 

[Warpiece]

I went and watched youtube videos on the Lee APP once again and although it looks to be much faster do I really need another press with all those attachments that go with it? I already have a Pro1000 and Pro4000 press that I can put the Universal decapping die in and use the case feeder. I already have all the Lee pass thru bullet sizing dies for all the cast bullets. So do I need this to replace all those and add a swagger?

it doesn't always run so great, keep that in mind. Here or there the case won't line up just right, or worse, a case doesn't push out all the way. Having said that, I would buy it again even if for nothing but swaging. Whether or not you would feel the same, can't say. Price wise, you'll end up spending almost as much on the lee setup as you would for the dillon, that would be a hard sell if you can't find other uses for the lee press.

The rcbs on press swager does not work on all presses. Check that you aren't going to have to make modifications to get it to work on the presses you want it to

 

[Obturation]

I went and watched youtube videos on the Lee APP once again and although it looks to be much faster do I really need another press with all those attachments that go with it? I already have a Pro1000 and Pro4000 press that I can put the Universal decapping die in and use the case feeder. I already have all the Lee pass thru bullet sizing dies for all the cast bullets. So do I need this to replace all those and add a swagger?

I have an app press and really like it , makes resizing and bullet sizing really fast (once you've got it tinkered with enough). If it were a dedicated swaging or dedicated press for one specific task it does great , fiddling with everything to get it set up right does take some patience . if you want to borrow it for a couple weeks to see how it goes you're welcome to - it's bolted to a chair, I weigh it down with lead for use so it doesn't move around.

 

[kmw1954]

if you want to borrow it for a couple weeks to see how it goes you're welcome to - it's bolted to a chair, I weigh it down with lead for use so it doesn't move around.

My friend I may just take you up on that offer. Side note, get your mining cloths out you need more lead!

 

[CMV]

Other than on a progressive press with a casefeed, I found every tool I tried tedious. Yes they worked, but painfully slow for large batches. I've found 2 things that work very well as far as speed. May not be as uniform as a Dillon Super Swage or whatever else, but the tradeoff to me in low cost and getting it done quick was worth it (for general range/blasting/practice ammo done in bulk).

#1 mount a 1/2" drill to bench with C clamp and rubberband or otherwise clamp the trigger at a slower speed (not wide open). chuck in a typical (not VLD) chamfer/debur tool - the pilot on the outside debur end will chuck in most drills as long as their jaws are long & tapered enough. Then just touch primer pockets against the spinning inside chamfer side for about .5 sec and zip thru removing crimps quickly. https://www.amazon.com/McJ-Reloading-Tools-0-17-0-45-Essentials/dp/B07QB839DK

#2 is to buy the Lyman tool that has the screw in bits. Those bits chuck into any cordless drill. Use the pocket reamer tool on the drill. That's better to quickly uniform but will also get crimps, just slower, but no chance of overdoing it and opening up the pocket like method #1. https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-7777800-Case-Prep-Multi/dp/B07ZJMYX86

 

[kmw1954]

#1 mount a 1/2" drill to bench with C clamp and rubberband or otherwise clamp the trigger at a slower speed (not wide open).

#2 is to buy the Lyman tool that has the screw in bits. Those bits chuck into any cordless drill.

I actually have a benchtop drill press on the bench and already have the RCBS reamer and Uniforming tools. The greatest problem is holding onto those small 223 cases for extended periods of time.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Super Swage 600 for me. Works great, lot's of leverage, no issues.

 

[EricBu]

I've used all the big three, and they all work about the same. I can run the dillon faster than any of the others for whatever reason, and it's the most consistent for me. It's especially easy to use mounted upright next to your bench, which is my preference. No matter which one of the swagers you use.....for the best cleanup of military crimps, after swaging, you can't beat throwing them on the RCBS case prep station with the swage bit installed. I've found that if you adjust the dillon out till it swages it perfectly..you end up with a pretty loose primer pocket. But if you back it down to swage so that your pocket guage just barely fits....then bump it on the rcbs case prep swage bit for about 2 seconds......you get the cleanest pocket, where the primers seats nice and consistently, and you'll be able to load that piece of brass a dozen or more times.

 

[CMV]

I actually have a benchtop drill press on the bench and already have the RCBS reamer and Uniforming tools. The greatest problem is holding onto those small 223 cases for extended periods of time.

Bad practice gloves + rotating shaft, but 7-9mil nitrile gloves help me a lot since they're 'grippy' on the brass. But that's why I risk using the swage-it now - my hands can't take a lot of that either. I do save up stuff I don't need need right away for when my buddy's teenage boys are here - child labor is awesome for case prep!

I forgot #3 above which is BY FAR my most favorite method. A brass processing service that will run your stuff thru a 1050 or Mark 7 - you send them X pieces of brass, you get a % of that back fully processed (or converted to 300BLK) and they keep some as payment. Depends on your sources for free/dirt cheap 1x brass if that's worthwhile - to me it is when I have a pile of 5k or so. But I very much dislike case prep and get 0 enjoyment from it.

 

[Gone Hiking]

I bought the Dillon swage when I bought my Dillon press. I have nothing to compare it to, but it's built like a tank and does an excellent job. I keep it bolted to the right end of my bench.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

Not sure about anything else like the swager.

Their swager is covered by the same lifetime no BS warranty.

 

[Nature Boy]

Dillon Super Swage if you intend on doing any kind of volume. If you aren’t, use whatever

 

[kmw1954]

So currently I have about 1500 combined of LC and FC that will need the crimps removed. Thankfully I also just picked up another 264 PMC that isn't crimped.

 

[KentM]

I have the RCBS Primer Pocket Swager tool, which is a die. It can only be used on a single-stage press because the part that is pushed into the primer pocket to swage it replaces the shell holder. The swager part won't fit on a progressive, For a turret press, it can be used if you remove the indexing assembly, several Youtubes show how, which RCBS prefers to avoid by simply saying NO.

That said, I'm not completely satisfied with it. It takes a bit of time to set it up and remove the indexing unit from the ram of my Lee turret press - not just the indexing rod. Certain brands of brass, Frontier, AMC and GFL among them, have crimps that won't swage completely and I need to give them 2 or 3 turns with the chamfer tool in order to get the primers to seat. I'm sure I'll find other brands as I come across them. LC and FC swage fine. To do over again I think I'd save toward a motorized case prep center instead.

 

[kmw1954]

Well here is were I stand on these tools;
Titan Reloading , has the Dillon Super swage in stock, $120.00
Local Shop Recob's Targets, has the Frankford Arsenal in stock, $86.00
MidSouth Shooters, has the RCBS Bench mount in stock, $109.00
Amazon, has the RCBS has the Combo2 in stock, $34.50

All will require shipping and sales tax. Going to rule out the Lee APP for now as buying the press and then the Swage Kit it will be more than the Dillon.

I have also tried a number of different gloves and it's not the grip it's the cramping in my palm and fingers.

 

[Soonerpesek]

Titan Reloading , has the Dillon Super swage in stock, $120.00

Probably this option.......

 

[gifbohane]

I've gone back to using a reamer from Wilson that works in their case trimmer, for rifle brass. And yes, it can be hard on your fingers.

I have tried all of the cut out tools. Most got dull way too quickly. I tried some of the "push away" methods and did not like them. I still believe that multiple adjustments are needed for different headstamps with the Dillon.

I fell back to lightman's method using the Wilson reamer. And It gets old fast with the finger turning.

There has to be a way of inserting the tool into a drill to use it in the Wilson lathe. Going to try youtube.

 

[Bayou52]

I've used the RCBS pocket swaging die for many years. Lately, however, I've taken to placing the chamfer/deburring tool in the drill chuck. I slight touch of the primer pocket against the spinning chamfer/debur tool is all it takes to remove the pocket crimp. Even easier than the RCBS pocket swaging too. For me, at least...

Bayou52

 

[FLIGHT762]

I use the newest / latest RCBS primer crimp reamer made for the prep center. I put a tool adapter on it to chuck it in a variable speed drill, in a padded vice with the drill set at a low RPM. A light touch is all that is needed to remove the crimp. Fingers don't get worn out and it is very quick.

It works on all brass and doesn't have to be adjusted like the swagers need to be.

I've been reloading the 223 Military crimped primers since the 1970's. I prep a lot of brass.

This works for me. No need to go to any other method.

Prior to the latest RCBS crimp cutter, the Hornady crimp cutter tool was pretty good, but I found the new RCBS cutter to be better.

Nothing wrong with the swaging tools like the Dillon, but they do need to be adjusted to the brass that you're using at the time.

I use such a variety of brass, the cutting method works for me.

 

[kmw1954]

Thank you all for the insight and responses. I still haven't made a decision on which why to proceed but and of these tools has to be easier than hand reaming with after checking again is a Hornady reamer. The other day I took some 223 LC brass to work with me at the range and was able to get about 150pcs done over two days. My hands and fingers were felling it too!

As to all the adjustment to the swagers I think that would only be a slight annoyance. I sort all my brass by headstamp anyways so that should alleviate some of that.

 

[markr6754]

Kevin, I guess my decision to swage, rather than ream is to keep all of the brass intact. Reaming is a surgical solution, while swaging is mechanical. All of the brass remains, and if one decides to ream further on, at least the majority of the interference to smooth re-priming has been eliminated. I suppose it's a function of my minimalist approach to working brass...do no harm!

I suppose that one could over-swage a pocket. It seems rather hard to do as the swaging nub fits into a primer pocket, and then stops. Regardless, I swage just enough so the case drops freely off the nub with little to no effort. Naturally, everyone has to set their own level of comfort in this artform. I do 90% of my priming by hand with the FA Perfect Seat Hand Primer, so I can tell when I went a little light on the swage. Since you're the only one affected by your decision, you get to choose how to open up those crimps.

 

[chickasaw_hunter]

The RCBS has a great warranty. I called them up and they sent me a new rod for my swedger. Then I was able to sell it in good conscious and bought a Dillion, so far I've not had any experience with the Dillon Warranty. I like the way the Dillon works a lot better.

 

[Walkalong]

I use the newest / latest RCBS primer crimp reamer made for the prep center.

Me too, in a hobby lathe.