Swaging 223 brass - opinions needed
- Thread starter misterzr
- Start date
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
I've used the Lyman hand tool to do a few hundred cases at a time, it works but your hands get a workout.
Thought there was a new press die tool to do this? Hmmmm
I use the Super swage now, yes it's very nice but not really worth it for only 1000 cases a year.
Thought there was a new press die tool to do this? Hmmmm
I use the Super swage now, yes it's very nice but not really worth it for only 1000 cases a year.
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
This one looks interesting...
- Location
- West Quebec
That's very interesting thanks
I had three five gallon buckets of .223/5.56 brass to remove the primer crimps on and didn't have or use the Dillon or similar type unit. I was too cheap to buy the Dillon unit and ended up trying many hand held units.
1. The CH4C unit will bend the rims of your cases because the case is only supported by the rim and not a pin pressing against the web of the case. (NFG)
2. I have a 1976 RCBS press mounted unit but the swage pushes brass into the primer pocket and requires reaming to clean up the primer pocket. As you can see it is a bit rough and hard to find the mouth of the case you can't see inside the die. (below average) and the quality varies.
What I found to be the best for removing the crimp by hand after tying many hand held reamers was the RCBS crimp remover made for their case prep station. This unit will only remove the crimp and not touch the primer pocket walls because it is tapered. When the crimp is removed the base of the case hits the face of the reamer and stops, meaning "NO" over reaming.
To speed up the operation I used the Hornady case prep trio, I hit the crimp with the VLD reamer and followed up with the RCBS reamer. The Lyman reamer was just used as a GO NO-GO gauge, if it fit in the primer pocket the crimp was removed.
If you mount the RCBS reamer in a battery powered drill that spins faster than the Hornady case prep trio your reaming will go much faster. And anything you do by hand will cause sore hands and fingers if large quantities are done.
Bottom line, if your only doing a few cases (100 or less) the RCBS reamer works the best, if you have a lot of cases then buy the Dillon unit and save having sore hands and fingers. I was also uniforming primer pockets and flash holes at the same time and ended up with very sore fingers.
1. The CH4C unit will bend the rims of your cases because the case is only supported by the rim and not a pin pressing against the web of the case. (NFG)
2. I have a 1976 RCBS press mounted unit but the swage pushes brass into the primer pocket and requires reaming to clean up the primer pocket. As you can see it is a bit rough and hard to find the mouth of the case you can't see inside the die. (below average) and the quality varies.
What I found to be the best for removing the crimp by hand after tying many hand held reamers was the RCBS crimp remover made for their case prep station. This unit will only remove the crimp and not touch the primer pocket walls because it is tapered. When the crimp is removed the base of the case hits the face of the reamer and stops, meaning "NO" over reaming.
To speed up the operation I used the Hornady case prep trio, I hit the crimp with the VLD reamer and followed up with the RCBS reamer. The Lyman reamer was just used as a GO NO-GO gauge, if it fit in the primer pocket the crimp was removed.
If you mount the RCBS reamer in a battery powered drill that spins faster than the Hornady case prep trio your reaming will go much faster. And anything you do by hand will cause sore hands and fingers if large quantities are done.
Bottom line, if your only doing a few cases (100 or less) the RCBS reamer works the best, if you have a lot of cases then buy the Dillon unit and save having sore hands and fingers. I was also uniforming primer pockets and flash holes at the same time and ended up with very sore fingers.
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
......ya I was wondering if that would be an issue.
I tried buying a second RCBS swagger combo unit "BUT" the new unit was shaped diffrently and the small swagger was oversized and ruined the primer pockets.
The diameter of the new unit was larger than the maximum primer pocket diameter.
- Location
- West Quebec
Thanks Ed good post as usual I have the Hornady as well think I will use it ..
For those cases your point #1 was what I was wondering about as well as the chap in the video eluded to the case being the only support..
For those cases your point #1 was what I was wondering about as well as the chap in the video eluded to the case being the only support..
I was having a problem with some types of Federal brass and over sized primer pockets after the case was fired once. So I ordered pin gauges to check the primer pockets before seating the primers.
Any questionable seated primers were checked using a Lee depriming tool, if the primer could be pushed out with just finger pressure the case went into the scrap brass bucket.
Any questionable seated primers were checked using a Lee depriming tool, if the primer could be pushed out with just finger pressure the case went into the scrap brass bucket.
I tried different shell holders, greasing the swage and other tricks, and if the crimp was removed there was a high possibility the case rim would be bent on one or two sides of the case. If the shell holder had been smaller and supported more of the total rim surface it may have worked but I just could not get it to work. Any of the swage units like the Dillon have a rod that pushes on the web of the case where it is the strongest.
The Lyman primer pocket reamer attachment actually works very well but it is a lot less tiring if you buy the power adaptor so you can use a drill or power screwdriver rather than the hand crank. That gets old real fast if you have a lot of brass to process.
Winchester-1897
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Newmarket,Ontario
I took the Lyman hand tool and unscrewed it and inserted it into my hand drill to swage about 1000 rounds over a few days watching tv, worked fine.
I'm getting old and drink too much coffee, if I use any reamer like the Hornady or Lyman and if I tilt the case I will get score marks on the sides of the primer pocket. That is why I said the RCBS reamer pictured above is better, you can watch TV, tilt your wrist etc. and not touch and score the primer pocket sides.
So have a little respect for senior citizens who have problems multitasking and not straining their bifocals. (you should be shot with a dull bullet and locked up with sunray for 20 years) nothing personal.
Sorry I'm retired with nothing to do and all day to do it and old farts get cranky when they get bored.
- Location
- West Quebec
I was having a problem with some types of Federal brass and over sized primer pockets after the case was fired once. So I ordered pin gauges to check the primer pockets before seating the primers.
Any questionable seated primers were checked using a Lee depriming tool, if the primer could be pushed out with just finger pressure the case went into the scrap brass bucket.
Where did you find your pin guages Ed?
