Removing crimped primers

[Bwell]

Removing crimped primer pockets..... PITA!!

I have a Hornady case prep trio, right now I have a chamfer bit, hornady primer reamer bit, and primer pocket cleaner.

I was just using the hornady reamer bit with the pocket cleaner. It seems to do a good job but its taking forever. The chamfer seems to clean it faster but doesn't leave that reamed edge like the reamer bit. Then I started using all three, reamer, chamfer, and pocket cleaner. Using the reamer for the edge, chamfer for the quick clean, and the pocket cleaner to make it nice and clean in there.

Am I ruining the brass by doing this? Is it possible to ream the primer pocket to much? All the bits I am using are from Hornady.

[seaboltm]

It is very possible to ream primer pockets too much. I use the RCBS swager. Very little chance of damaging cases as the brass is being pushed back where it belongs, not cut out. Plus it goes as fast as you can put in a new case and pull the handle.

[Bwell]

If I spend anymore money on equipment my wife will kick my *** lol, I am trying to use what I have to get by.

[Outpost75]

I use the Lee Universal decapper to remove the crimped primers, then the Dillon swager.

If you are dealing with huge quantities, this seems the best way to go.

[Bwell]

Sounds like I will just use my Hornady reamer, I read that it has a stopper that cant ream to much. I will leave the chamfer out of the mix.

[Bwell]

After this I will only does a few hundred at a time, right now I am doing a little over a thousand rounds, and its getting old quick lol.

[bangerjim]

I use the standard Lee decapping/case forming die for the cal in a single sage press to remove the primer.

Then use an RCBS primer pocket swager to open up the pocket. Works every time and is sure cheaper than that Dillon thing.


No................ you cannot do thousands an hour, but I am NOT a production plant! The above simple equipment provides me with more than enough swaged brass to fulfill my needs.

bangerjim

[bob208]

I use the lee depriming tool. wich is drive them out with a hammer and punch. saves on decapping pins. then I swage the pockets. then give them a little campher just enough to break the edge. I also deburr the flash hole inside.

[mdi]

When I first encountered crimped primer pockets my "life long machinist/mechanic" training kicked in. I merely use a countersink to remove the displaced portion of metal at the mouth of the primer pocket. Common sense tells me not to remove 1/8" of metal as just a few thousandths is good so no "damage" from over cutting the pocket. Just a couple twists and/or a half second if the countersink is chucked into my drill press...

[Bwell]

The good thing about the Hornady case prep trio is it turns slow, so it wont take a bunch off at once. The other thing is the reamer has a stopper on it so it cant take too much off, it just takes forever. Maybe if I win a upcoming fishing tournament I will buy myself a RCSB swagger for my single stage press.

[lancem]

When I first encountered crimped primer pockets my "life long machinist/mechanic" training kicked in. I merely use a countersink to remove the displaced portion of metal at the mouth of the primer pocket. Common sense tells me not to remove 1/8" of metal as just a few thousandths is good so no "damage" from over cutting the pocket. Just a couple twists and/or a half second if the countersink is chucked into my drill press...

^^^^ My method exactly

[Swede44mag]

I use the Lee Universal decapper to remove the crimped primers, then the Dillon swager.

If you are dealing with huge quantities, this seems the best way to go.

Ditto

[Garyshome]

I think I will try RCBS Primer Pocket Swager Combo 2. If I can find one cheap!

[cricco]

I use the Dillon super swage. Best $100 I've spent on reloading.

[country gent]

I have used lyman reamer, rcbs swager set up, A counter sink, deburring tools ( wilson style), and the dillon swager. For me the dillion is by far the most accurate and fastest to use, but it is a dedicated tool, thats what it was made to do and all its meant to do. Mine has done many thousands of cases over the years. The hornady tools are good and will do the job at hand. I perfer the swage tools over reaming cutting as no metal is removed just "Ironed" back into place. When setting up do a case and prime to insure your getting enouch but not to much. Feel will give a good idea.

[shooterg]

Sinclair makes very nice cutters for uniforming primer pockets. I use 'em in the drilldriver , sometimes the odd case may require slight chamfering(rare for me). I also use a flash hole deburrer. This really only needs doing once, for the initial load/reload.

[Big Z]

For cutting tools, I use the reamer for a couple turns then a vld deburrer for half a turn.

[waco]

I use the Dillon super swage. Best $100 I've spent on reloading.

Amen brother!

[skeet028]

I use a Dillon PP Swager I got at a gun show NIB for 35 bucks. Also got 5 different cal conversions for 10 bucks each. Then I had to buy a 550B loader. The easiest one I ever used. A friend has the RCBS and while it does a good job..it is harder to use.. I used to use the RCBS PP swager that looks somewhat like a reloading die..works but slow

[Bwell]

I screwed up and put a large primer reamer in instead of a small… Did I just screw up all the brass I just did? I didn't ream it all the way just put lip on there.