New Swager
- Thread starter cooney
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JeepHammer
Moderator
I second cutting crimps.
I have the RCBS swagging tool that fits in the press, and it takes a LOT of force to push that work hardened brass around.
With a cutter, you just touch the case and you are done.
Nice taper, hardened lip gone, Done & Done.
I started with an INSIDE the case neck trimmer that came to a point epoxied into a wooden handle,
Half turn per case was enough to cut the crimp and taper the primer pocket hole.
When I started using a power trimmer (again, inside the neck trimmer) I had to REALLY watch what I was doing or I would dig too deep,
It only takes a TOUCH with a power trimmer.
No hammering on a compression handle, No cases stuck on the compression ram,
Hand trimmers are DIRT CHEAP and you can do the cases while watching the news since it's not a critical dimension you are cutting.
Those crimps are the bane of using military brass, but once done, they never have to be done again.
The first thing I do when I get military brass is use a universal decapping die to knock the primers out,
Trim the cases,
Then into the tumbler they go with the rest of the brass.
From there on out, they ARE regular brass...
I have the RCBS swagging tool that fits in the press, and it takes a LOT of force to push that work hardened brass around.
With a cutter, you just touch the case and you are done.
Nice taper, hardened lip gone, Done & Done.
I started with an INSIDE the case neck trimmer that came to a point epoxied into a wooden handle,
Half turn per case was enough to cut the crimp and taper the primer pocket hole.
When I started using a power trimmer (again, inside the neck trimmer) I had to REALLY watch what I was doing or I would dig too deep,
It only takes a TOUCH with a power trimmer.
No hammering on a compression handle, No cases stuck on the compression ram,
Hand trimmers are DIRT CHEAP and you can do the cases while watching the news since it's not a critical dimension you are cutting.
Those crimps are the bane of using military brass, but once done, they never have to be done again.
The first thing I do when I get military brass is use a universal decapping die to knock the primers out,
Trim the cases,
Then into the tumbler they go with the rest of the brass.
From there on out, they ARE regular brass...
schmellba99
New member
Never used the RCBS, own the Dillon. The Dillon is a great tool, easy to use and you can run through a lot of brass in a short time frame.
Inline Fabrication makes an insert that you put in for large or small brass that eliminates issues with centering and height - jsut got a set the other day and got them fitted. One day I'll get to see how well they work (all my brass is swaged right now already). There are some tricks online you can find to "automate" the action that look interesting.
I'm sure cutting them out works, but I've never done it.
Inline Fabrication makes an insert that you put in for large or small brass that eliminates issues with centering and height - jsut got a set the other day and got them fitted. One day I'll get to see how well they work (all my brass is swaged right now already). There are some tricks online you can find to "automate" the action that look interesting.
I'm sure cutting them out works, but I've never done it.
I have the RCBS. What got my attention was the ability to mount it at any angle I want and back from the edge of the bench.
So I have it mounted behind my press, and to the right of my Trim Mate. That means with previously sized and trimmed brass I can swage, uniform, and deburr flash holes, charge, and seat without so much as swiveling my drafting stool......IOW's perfect for the lazy, the efficient-minded.....or those space-challenged loaders.
If you think you actually need the long lever on the Dillon to swage, you just haven't tried the RCBS one yet. It is nearly as effortless. I did a video review of it on AR15.com and it was amusing....I kept trying to brace for a harder pull.....finally I realized it wasn't going to come. I did attempt to swage one not deprimed....that obviously doesn't work!
Here's the review with video if anyone wants to peek: RCBS Bench Swager
BTW the review was done before I mounted a Summit Press in front. Sweet efficiency.
So I have it mounted behind my press, and to the right of my Trim Mate. That means with previously sized and trimmed brass I can swage, uniform, and deburr flash holes, charge, and seat without so much as swiveling my drafting stool......IOW's perfect for the lazy, the efficient-minded.....or those space-challenged loaders.
If you think you actually need the long lever on the Dillon to swage, you just haven't tried the RCBS one yet. It is nearly as effortless. I did a video review of it on AR15.com and it was amusing....I kept trying to brace for a harder pull.....finally I realized it wasn't going to come. I did attempt to swage one not deprimed....that obviously doesn't work!
Here's the review with video if anyone wants to peek: RCBS Bench Swager
BTW the review was done before I mounted a Summit Press in front. Sweet efficiency.
My first venture into this was with the RCBS press swagger. Yes I bent the road on the first try. No big problem they sent me another one. I found it a pain to adjust but when I did get it working it was ok. Slow and fine for small amounts but slow.
So I went to the the tool that just cuts them out by hand. A little faster but boy did my hand start to hurt when you get just a few hundred done. I even adapted it to a drill but still it was hard on the hands.
I started to borrow my buddies Dillon. I felt like I died and went to heaven. Easy to set up and fast.
Another friend has the RCBS. It too was great and fast.
One blue and one green but which one was it going to be. It was a simple preference of the action I liked best. The Dillon was the clear winner for me, I just found the ergonomics worked best for my hands and wrist.
I have mine mounted on a board then c-clamp the board to the table. I figure why have more stuff on the bench when you don't need to use it.
So I went to the the tool that just cuts them out by hand. A little faster but boy did my hand start to hurt when you get just a few hundred done. I even adapted it to a drill but still it was hard on the hands.
I started to borrow my buddies Dillon. I felt like I died and went to heaven. Easy to set up and fast.
Another friend has the RCBS. It too was great and fast.
One blue and one green but which one was it going to be. It was a simple preference of the action I liked best. The Dillon was the clear winner for me, I just found the ergonomics worked best for my hands and wrist.
I have mine mounted on a board then c-clamp the board to the table. I figure why have more stuff on the bench when you don't need to use it.
sevt_chevelle
New member
Dillon hands down. Add the auto eject mode and you can fly through some brass.
JeepHammer
Moderator
The $5 Solution.
LINK: http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-hex-bit-countersink-tool-68535.html
The same counter sink (better quality/no handle) is sold at Sears & Wally-World for about $10
A hand drill with speed control makes this about a 1,000 Round an hour tool.
I just cut 4,000 Military rounds in about 4 hours with the countersink in a hand drill.
Not a bad deal for something you do ONCE to the brass,
Nothing screwed to your bench in the way, taking up bench top space, and didn't cost $100+ you could have spent on other stuff you need more...
No more grunting, No more akward angles, no more hammering on stuck swaging tools,
$90+ back in your pocket...
Once the hardened lip is gone, you get a nice FUNNEL to guide your new primer into the pocket,
As long as you don't cut any farther than the rounded edge of the primer cup, you HAVE NOT effected the ability of the case to hold the primer (as some have suggested)...
It's literally a one second operation with a hand drill, three seconds by hand.
LINK: http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-hex-bit-countersink-tool-68535.html
The same counter sink (better quality/no handle) is sold at Sears & Wally-World for about $10
A hand drill with speed control makes this about a 1,000 Round an hour tool.
I just cut 4,000 Military rounds in about 4 hours with the countersink in a hand drill.
Not a bad deal for something you do ONCE to the brass,
Nothing screwed to your bench in the way, taking up bench top space, and didn't cost $100+ you could have spent on other stuff you need more...
No more grunting, No more akward angles, no more hammering on stuck swaging tools,
$90+ back in your pocket...
Once the hardened lip is gone, you get a nice FUNNEL to guide your new primer into the pocket,
As long as you don't cut any farther than the rounded edge of the primer cup, you HAVE NOT effected the ability of the case to hold the primer (as some have suggested)...
It's literally a one second operation with a hand drill, three seconds by hand.
^^yup, easiest and fastest way. being the cheapest and most easily obtained is just a bonus.
left still has crimp, other two done with countersink. take literally about 1 second, highly recommend it. I have never had loose primer or any issues. have done this to, I dunno, 6-7 thousand cases I guess who knows anymore
left still has crimp, other two done with countersink. take literally about 1 second, highly recommend it. I have never had loose primer or any issues. have done this to, I dunno, 6-7 thousand cases I guess who knows anymore
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I thank all of you for for your responses.At present time I am also cutting crimps, the problem is my wrist,needs reconstructive surgery it takes along time to heal back up 3yrs. on the left one.After cutting 100 cases the right one is shot. Need a bench top model. Less work on the wrist. Video was very nice ,good setup. Looked very quick. Harbor F.tool might be less stressful with drill set-up will try it out. If not Dillon will be getting a call. Again Thank you all for your help an input on this subject.
I bought the RCBS model just because I wanted a backup to my RCBS press operated swaging die. RCBS tools are available locally while Dillion products are scarce in my local shops. If they had the Dillon at the store I would have bought it due to all the good reviews. I've only adjusted the RCBS for swaging .223 cases and it appears to do a good job. My press swager is handier for me as it's in a press beside my main press. I size them move to the other press and swage without putting the case down. My RCBS press swager has swaged many thousands of .223 and a few thousand 30-06 cases.
My foray into crimped brass was as follows.
Try and use a hand held debur tool. Decided there was a better way.
Used a press mounted swager. Still thought there was a better way.
Looked long and hard at the bench mounted swagers, and used both green and blue.
The blue was more ergonimic to me, but still did not buy one.
I ended up with a rcbs case prep center as I also wanted to make chamfering and deburring easier than a hand held tool. I used the rcbs crimp remover, chamfer, debur, primer pocket brush, and neck brush in it. I am happy with the choice as it made the other aspects of case prep easier for me.
If all I was planning to do was remove crimps only I would have gotten the super swager.
Try and use a hand held debur tool. Decided there was a better way.
Used a press mounted swager. Still thought there was a better way.
Looked long and hard at the bench mounted swagers, and used both green and blue.
The blue was more ergonimic to me, but still did not buy one.
I ended up with a rcbs case prep center as I also wanted to make chamfering and deburring easier than a hand held tool. I used the rcbs crimp remover, chamfer, debur, primer pocket brush, and neck brush in it. I am happy with the choice as it made the other aspects of case prep easier for me.
If all I was planning to do was remove crimps only I would have gotten the super swager.
oldreloader
New member
I just cut them with a Lyman or Hornady primer pocket reamer.
I also have the Dillon but if I was starting over I would probably go with CH4D.
https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/priming-tools/psk
That way I could use my press and use less bench space.
https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/priming-tools/psk
That way I could use my press and use less bench space.
I had one of the ch4d ones. Yes it worked, but it only supports the case by the rim in the shell holder. The dillon has a rod that supports the case from the inside.
Still prefer cutting them with the rcbs crimp remover, or if I bought a swager only it would be the blue one.
Still prefer cutting them with the rcbs crimp remover, or if I bought a swager only it would be the blue one.