Question on crimped .223 cases

Machineguntony · June 28, 2013, 11:58 PM

I am a little bit confused. I just got a large order of .223 military brass. I have been reading that I need to decrimp .223 brass. But some people say that the Dillon 650 will simply punch the used primer out, and there is no need to decrimp if using a Dillon 650.

So do I need to swage the brass, with a decrimping tool, or can I forgo the decrimping and just reload using the Dillon 650?

Thanks.

Jimro · June 29, 2013, 02:34 AM

Use the swaging tool. Any press will deprime milsurp brass. It is much tougher to get a fresh primer into that primer pocket without mucking it all to heck if you don't swage or ream the crimp away.

Jimro

Farmland · June 29, 2013, 06:25 AM

Only the 1050 will swage the brass. You will need to swage each crimped primer pocket. It really adds to the prep time.

4runnerman · June 29, 2013, 07:38 AM

yes it will need to be reamed if you want to call it that. 2 or 3 spins with a chamfer tool and your done.

IDT · June 29, 2013, 08:59 AM

This video pretty much answers everything and gives you a way to make it happen fast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naUQf1J6mi8

Machineguntony · June 29, 2013, 09:02 AM

Awesome, gentlemen.

Thank you.

That video is awesome. Given a problem, human beings can solve pretty much anything.

Nathan · June 29, 2013, 09:27 AM

Swaging is probably best, but Lyman's reamer bit works well chucked in a drill press or something else to hold the drill.

mikld · June 29, 2013, 10:58 AM

I have been removing primer crimps in military brass for several years using a 60 degree countersink. I use it by hand (insert the countersink into the pocket and give the case two or three twists), with a power screwdriver (with a countersink with a hex shank), and with either a hand drill or drill press. I have had zero problems with my "de-crimped" brass, and the tool is available at most any hardware store (no need to find a gun store that handles reloading equip. or order on-line and wait)...

MJFlores · June 29, 2013, 12:09 PM

There are many ways to remove the crimp on military brass, but I like swaging the best. I own a Dillon swager like the one in the video but remove the case by hand as I only do maybe 50 at a time. I've never looked at reloading as a chore so I'm in no hurry. I like swaging as I'm not a fan of removing brass when you don't need to and with the Dillon everything is very consistent. Cutting can lead to lose primers, inconsistent primer pocket wall tension, etc. The Dillon swager does run a hundred bucks though so that's certainly a factor.

Another good item to have when dealing with crimped primers is a Lee universal decapper. It has a much more rugged decapping pin than any FL die with/ decapper and will punch out even the tightest crimped in primer without fear of damaging your pin. Cheap too...under 20 bucks.

June 28, 2013, 11:58 PM	#1
Machineguntony Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2013 Posts: 1,277	Question on crimped .223 cases I am a little bit confused. I just got a large order of .223 military brass. I have been reading that I need to decrimp .223 brass. But some people say that the Dillon 650 will simply punch the used primer out, and there is no need to decrimp if using a Dillon 650. So do I need to swage the brass, with a decrimping tool, or can I forgo the decrimping and just reload using the Dillon 650? Thanks.

June 29, 2013, 02:34 AM	#2
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	Use the swaging tool. Any press will deprime milsurp brass. It is much tougher to get a fresh primer into that primer pocket without mucking it all to heck if you don't swage or ream the crimp away. Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

June 29, 2013, 07:38 AM	#4
4runnerman Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,577	yes it will need to be reamed if you want to call it that. 2 or 3 spins with a chamfer tool and your done. __________________ NRA Certified RSO NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional

June 29, 2013, 10:58 AM	#8
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I have been removing primer crimps in military brass for several years using a 60 degree countersink. I use it by hand (insert the countersink into the pocket and give the case two or three twists), with a power screwdriver (with a countersink with a hex shank), and with either a hand drill or drill press. I have had zero problems with my "de-crimped" brass, and the tool is available at most any hardware store (no need to find a gun store that handles reloading equip. or order on-line and wait)... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

June 29, 2013, 06:25 AM	#3
Farmland Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Posts: 869	Only the 1050 will swage the brass. You will need to swage each crimped primer pocket. It really adds to the prep time.

June 29, 2013, 08:59 AM	#5
IDT Member Join Date: November 6, 2011 Location: West Virginia Posts: 70	This video pretty much answers everything and gives you a way to make it happen fast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naUQf1J6mi8

June 29, 2013, 09:02 AM	#6
Machineguntony Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2013 Posts: 1,277	Awesome, gentlemen. Thank you. That video is awesome. Given a problem, human beings can solve pretty much anything.

June 29, 2013, 09:27 AM	#7
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,331	Swaging is probably best, but Lyman's reamer bit works well chucked in a drill press or something else to hold the drill.

June 29, 2013, 12:09 PM	#9
MJFlores Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2013 Posts: 539	There are many ways to remove the crimp on military brass, but I like swaging the best. I own a Dillon swager like the one in the video but remove the case by hand as I only do maybe 50 at a time. I've never looked at reloading as a chore so I'm in no hurry. I like swaging as I'm not a fan of removing brass when you don't need to and with the Dillon everything is very consistent. Cutting can lead to lose primers, inconsistent primer pocket wall tension, etc. The Dillon swager does run a hundred bucks though so that's certainly a factor. Another good item to have when dealing with crimped primers is a Lee universal decapper. It has a much more rugged decapping pin than any FL die with/ decapper and will punch out even the tightest crimped in primer without fear of damaging your pin. Cheap too...under 20 bucks.