Primer pocket swaging - Am I missing something?

[willymc]

I’m new to reloading military brass. I’ve got brass from some Federal XM193 that I shot. I know you have to remove the primer pocket crimp before reloading. I deprimed with the Lee universal decapper. I have the RCBS primer pocket swagger combo die set up on a basic $35 Lee reloader. From what I’ve read, I was expecting to have put some elbow grease into removing the crimp and was worried that the little Lee reloader might not hold up. Much to my surprise, it didn’t take any more force that depriming. I took a ½ dozen of the de-crimped brass and reprimed with my hand priming tool. They went in smooth and straight. Was I wrong in thinking it takes a lot of force to remove the crimp or am I missing something?

 

[HexHead]

I use the Dillon 600 swager, and it's pretty easy. It's very rare I have to put any force into it, and most of those I don't have the case in the right position.

 

[FROGO207]

I have one of those RCBS swagers also. It does not take THAT much pressure to swage a primer pocket so it will work. The thing that you have to watch out for however is to sort by head stamp and adjust again with each type or you will bend the support rod if things get too tight. Specially in the 223/5.56 brass.

 

[carbine85]

I found that with some surplus brass the RCBS swag tool didn't open the pocket enough and I ended up with some damaged primers. I take the extra time to ream the pocket and use the case prep station to uniform the pocket depth and diameter. I only go through all that once. I figure it's worth the extra effort.

 

[rcmodel]

It's easier to grind a few thousands or so off the end of the RCBS swaging punch.

I did that to mine right after I got it in 1970 something and it has handled any brand of brass perfectly since.

It's also possible the OP's XM193 wasn't crimped in the first place.
Not all of it was, since it is not mil-spec, but loaded for commercial sales only.

rc

 

[cacoltguy]

It depends on the type of brass you are trying to remove the crimp. Most of the Lake City brass I reload is removed without too much force on my RCBS swagger die. The crimped Speer .223 brass I reload seems to have a heavier crimp and the die seems to have to do a bit more "work"

 

[cacoltguy]

It depends on the type of brass you are trying to remove the crimp. Most Lake City brass I reload is removed without too much force on my RCBS swagger die. The crimped Speer .223 brass I reload seems to have a heavier crimp and the die seems to have to do a bit more "work" For hard to remove crimps I periodically rub a Q-tip with a drop of case lube on the "nipple" of the shell plate. I makes the process a lot smoother and less violent when I lower the ram and remove the case from the shellplate. I also tumble after and inspect to make sure there is none left in the primer pocket prior to priming.

 

[stubbicatt]

I suspect OP's cases did not have a crimp at all, which is a good thing. I remove the crimps off of 308's and it is a chore with the Dillon Super Swage. But it works, and primers seat normally.