Primer pocket swaging tool?

[hpshooter]

For small numbers the RCBS works for me. I use it and the Dillon that is a Cadillac.

I just cut most of mine now using a chamfering tool and powered screwdriver. Much faster and once you get the technique down easy peasy.

Greg

Same here.

 

[Jacks Grampa]

I found the RCBS primer swaging die2 here in Bozeman. Working well so far. Thanks group.

 

[danny]

For probably 20 years I used the RCBS swage die. Used it for 10s of thousands of cases. Picked up a Dillon and used it for a while then sold it. Bought another Dillon new and use it now. I've read bad reviews on the newer RCBS swager tool referenced, but no experience with it.

Not a fan of reaming. Not to step on anyone's toes here. But I'm a brass scrounger at the range. And way over half of the brass I recover that has been reamed has been reamed WAY TOO MUCH. The opening is too wide at the top and the cut is too far down the sidewall of the primer pocket. No doubt if it is done correctly it is acceptable, but since folks tend to grab whatever tool they "think" will work leads to the results I see. Just because the new primer goes in doesn't mean you did it correctly.

Reaming done poorly IS a problem. My problem with swaging is that theoretically, the mouth of the primer pocket is moving as well as the crimp itself. I have actually experienced that in real life when setting up the Dillon wrong. I know that someone will say "just set it correctly", but that serms to be easier said than done. Case to case variation using mixed brass plays hell with the unit and you can't rely on one setting being able to work. Even when having all of the same lot, I have still never been able to get one setting/one pass through the unit to get the swager to get the pocket correct. This is due to case web thickness variation. I always seemed to have to modify some a bit further when I am priming, and then, there is the danger of expanding the case mouth as well.

I still really think that using some kind of properly profiled reamer, properly set is the answer. I can really understand your reservations about "reaming" because a lot of "jokers" just "go at it" with a case mouth deburring tool, then overdo it on top of that. That is not good and I dislike it as much as you.

Danny

 

[Fern]

If you don’t have anything I would go straight for the Dillon. I have the rcbs swage die and did about 1k cases over the weekend. Never again my shoulder was sore. I got a case feeder for my Dillon 750 so I will probably get a lee app and swage set up and rig it up to my case feeder

 

[atblis]

As is typical for Lee, the Lee APP works way better than it really ought to.

 

[BJung]

I use the RCBS swagger die on LC 30-06 military brass and S&B 9mm brass. It works for me.

 

[MGYSGT]

5/8 inch counter sink from lowes. 2 seconds on low in the drill and done

 

[lightman]

After using several different tools / methods the one that I think does the best job is the Wilson reamer that works in their case trimmer. Its slow and the original knob is hard on your fingers.

 

[danny]

After using several different tools / methods the one that I think does the best job is the Wilson reamer that works in their case trimmer. Its slow and the original knob is hard on your fingers.

This, I think, would be what I would try after having the Dillon Superswage. I expect, though I have not tried it, that this would provide the smoothest primer pocket mouths.

Danny

 

[drop_point]

I have used the RCBS bench mounted unit. It functions well as long as you're doing one stamp of brass.

I have also used the RCBS hand tool cutter version. It is slow but gets the job done.

The best tool I've found is taking an inside chamfur cutting tool (not a VLD version) and chucking it in my drill. It takes light pressure and about three seconds to cut out the primer crimp and you can move on. There is a risk of over or under-cutting the crimp, so there is some technique to it, but after a few you'll get the hang of it.

 

[searcher]

I use the Dillon and RCBS bench-mounted models. Both work well and can be used for some pretty good (not commercial) volume. Previously, and long ago, I used the inexpensive RCBS unit that is used in conjunction with your press. That is good - but VERY slow and not for any quantity unless you are trying to kill time. Some military brass (such as some years of Lake City), have four "stab marks" that hold the primer in place - as opposed to the ring pressed into the base around the primer. I have found that when using the RCBS unit on the "stabbed" brass, brass can sometimes still be resistant to primer entry. I then use inside-neck chamfer tool to smooth the four stab protrusions around the mouth of the primer hole. If you load much brass that has the stab marks - might be good idea to investigate which power cutting reamer is best suited -and I will do that also if I ever purchase another large lot of that stuff unless I hear of another manual unit that performs very well.

 

[asquared19]

I just tried my neighbor's Hornady reamer chucked in the drill. It worked great. uniformed the pocket with the sinclair, moved to the reamer, check pocket with go/no-go and done.

 

[snert]

I like the Dillon...it will do over 600 - 700 cases per hour, more if you're fast.
I set it up for auto eject, so all ya have to do is throw a case over the swage rod ...pull the handle down... let up on the handle case flies off the swage rod into a caebord box ...throw another case over the swage rod...and so it goes... throw case over rod, pull handle, throw case over rod, pull handle...repeat, until all the cases are done...check your work with a primer pocket go gauge, from time to time.

How how how???

 

[Twicepop]

Go with the Dillon.

 

[MidWesterner]

I'm happy with my Frankford Arsenal swager, about $100. Primers seat nice and tight but not too tight.

 

[jk80]

I like the Dillon...it will do over 600 - 700 cases per hour, more if you're fast.
I set it up for auto eject, so all ya have to do is throw a case over the swage rod ...pull the handle down... let up on the handle case flies off the swage rod into a caebord box ...throw another case over the swage rod...and so it goes... throw case over rod, pull handle, throw case over rod, pull handle...repeat, until all the cases are done...check your work with a primer pocket go gauge, from time to time.

I too would like to know about setting it up for auto eject. Anything that makes swaging faster and easier I'm all for! Lol.

 

[Ray123]

I too would like to know about setting it up for auto eject. Anything that makes swaging faster and easier I'm all for! Lol.

There used to be videos on the Dillon swage tool for auto eject. Seems every video was a little different, with some modifications to the tool.
The idea is to use springs or rubber bands and surgical tubing to do the movement and ejectction.
I mounted mine on an aluminum block, so I can put it either horizontal or vertical in a 6" bench vise...I prefer horizontal.
I used surgical tubing and a pulley mounted (drilled and tapped for pulley) on the swage handle...then added a lever drilled and tapped to the swage rod on the other end...When you pull the lever the greater power of the heavy tubing overcomes the rubber band attached lower on the lever as it slack is removed. After swaging, raise the lever as when the large tubing goes slack the small stretched rubber band takes over and with velocity, hits the stop, which ejects the 308, or 223 case off the swage rod. Add a case to the empty swage rod ...pull the handle down to the stop, swage, move handle back, auto eject, drop a another case on the swage rod ...repeat.
I also made aluminum iserts that fit 308 and 223 cases to center them, for a fast, accurate, swage to eliminate the primer crimp. Slam em in, pop em out...fast.