Ugh... Case Prep.

azredhawk44 · April 7, 2010, 01:02 PM

I've decided to make a dent in all the .223 brass I have lying around.

Rounded it all up and I have close to 1500 empty cases right now from about a dozen different headstamps.

So far I've resized them all and tumbled the lube off them, and I'm in the process of trimming them to length on my Lyman case lathe. Separating them by headstamp, and even the LC and WCC ones by year on the headstamp.

Ugh. tired. Hand-cramp. And I'm not done: gotta deburr the case mouth, remove primer pocket crimp on all the NATO cases, uniform flash hole.

Checked the mail yesterday, got a Blue Press in there.

Flipping through, I see two nifty things.

#1 - Dillon's primer pocket swager. Anyone use one of these, know of a better tool, or if it is worth its $100 price tag? How about a non $100 equivalent on the market?

#2 - Dillon's custom sizing dies on which you can mount a case trimmer that is motor powered. I imagine that this does not decap and it does a less than stellar job on resizing the case mouth since the pilot is spinning the whole time. That being said... it looks like a nifty way to trim that reduces labor on my part. Any reviews here of it, or similar tools on the market with powered trimmers?

I've got nearly a thousand .308 cases to get to once I'm done with the .223 that I've been neglecting for so long. Help!

physikal · April 7, 2010, 01:21 PM

I'll tell you what has saved me a ton of time.

A 5/8" Ryobi Countersink at your local hardware shop. Looks something like this:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/images/products/400348_l.jpg

I put that in my drill and it works like a deburing tool to remove the military crimps. I zip through a ton of cases with this thing. (Cheaper than paying 100+ for swager tool)

Also a possum hollow kwick case trimmer with the power adapter.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=295771
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=127743

You could use that power adapter to make your own "Countersink" with the deburing tool. But I think spending 8 bucks on a countersink isnt bad. And I think it doesnt dull as quick as the deburing tool. It also saves your deburing tool for actual chamfer and deburing.

Check this video out to see the kwick case trimmer in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42nD...os=9vffqN5SjZ4

Also, another way to speed up your trimming with what you've got (The Lyman Case Lathe). If it's the one in this pic:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...795961#enlarge

You can unscrew that crank and take it completely off. (I did this with my RCBS Case Trimmer before I got the kwick case trimmer) If you have a big enough drill, you can open the chuck completely and it should fit around that rod once you've taken off the crank, and then tighten it down on the trimming rod and just use the power drill to trim those cases rather than cranking with your arm. It speeds up the process tremendously. I love trimming that way when I'm not using the kwick case trimmer.

Hope this helps.

**Unclenick** · April 7, 2010, 05:02 PM

I have the Dillon swager. Fast. 1000 to 1500 cases an hour if I'm in the rhythm. A couple of guys I know like the simple chamfering tool in a drill, too.

The Dillon case trimmer just trims (no deburr and chamfer like the Giraud and Gracey). I've not heard people were as satisfied with that investment as the are with the Gracey and Giraud machines. Those machines do in one operation what the guy in the YouTube vids needs three passes for. The Gieraud makes a 14° or 15° VLD bullet base type chamfer. Very fast, again. Whether that time savings is worth the cost of the tool to you or not is a call only you can make?

greco · April 7, 2010, 06:07 PM

I have the Dillon tool. I have had it for years and like it. The de-burring tools are necessary for case mouths and necks, but they do an inconsistant job on the primer holes. A little too much can make the pocket loose, and too little means you have to do it again.

edward5759 · April 7, 2010, 06:13 PM

then in the second hole I use the dillon trimmer.
I had a Giraud and Gracey but sold it.
Some time I will use a small mini lathe, my big LaBlond and southbend are for larger cases such as 50 cal stuff.
the dillon swager is great but do not loose the small primer swager it cost all most as much as the whole device.
it works for me
Ed

rjrivero · April 7, 2010, 06:31 PM

I have two five gallon buckets full of "recovered brass." Almost all of it is military, and I bought a Rapid Trim and Super Swage because of these ominous buckets in front of me.

I do them in batches, about 2K at a time so as to not become bored with the tedium.

medalguy · April 7, 2010, 06:58 PM

I have a Dillon trimmer and love it. It trims and resizes in one pass, allowing me to size and trim nearly 1,000 .308 cases an hour. No it doesn't deburr the mouth but I put the sized cases in my tumbler for about an hour with cob and that both removes the lube and does a very good job of knocking off any burrs on the case mouths.

I have tried the deburring tool in a drill and found that I was frequently removing too much brass. Just my opinion.

The Dillon pocket swager is great too if you have enough cases to justify it. Or look at it this way-- buy it, use it, and then sell it on evilbay for what you paid for it. Or even more on a good day.

April 7, 2010, 05:02 PM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,743	I have the Dillon swager. Fast. 1000 to 1500 cases an hour if I'm in the rhythm. A couple of guys I know like the simple chamfering tool in a drill, too. The Dillon case trimmer just trims (no deburr and chamfer like the Giraud and Gracey). I've not heard people were as satisfied with that investment as the are with the Gracey and Giraud machines. Those machines do in one operation what the guy in the YouTube vids needs three passes for. The Gieraud makes a 14° or 15° VLD bullet base type chamfer. Very fast, again. Whether that time savings is worth the cost of the tool to you or not is a call only you can make? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

April 7, 2010, 06:13 PM	#5
edward5759 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ. 30 miles from water, two feet from Hell. Posts: 355	I use the 650 for resizing the cases then in the second hole I use the dillon trimmer. I had a Giraud and Gracey but sold it. Some time I will use a small mini lathe, my big LaBlond and southbend are for larger cases such as 50 cal stuff. the dillon swager is great but do not loose the small primer swager it cost all most as much as the whole device. it works for me Ed

April 7, 2010, 01:02 PM	#1
azredhawk44 Junior member Join Date: September 28, 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 6,465	Ugh... Case Prep. I've decided to make a dent in all the .223 brass I have lying around. Rounded it all up and I have close to 1500 empty cases right now from about a dozen different headstamps. So far I've resized them all and tumbled the lube off them, and I'm in the process of trimming them to length on my Lyman case lathe. Separating them by headstamp, and even the LC and WCC ones by year on the headstamp. Ugh. tired. Hand-cramp. And I'm not done: gotta deburr the case mouth, remove primer pocket crimp on all the NATO cases, uniform flash hole. Checked the mail yesterday, got a Blue Press in there. Flipping through, I see two nifty things. #1 - Dillon's primer pocket swager. Anyone use one of these, know of a better tool, or if it is worth its $100 price tag? How about a non $100 equivalent on the market? #2 - Dillon's custom sizing dies on which you can mount a case trimmer that is motor powered. I imagine that this does not decap and it does a less than stellar job on resizing the case mouth since the pilot is spinning the whole time. That being said... it looks like a nifty way to trim that reduces labor on my part. Any reviews here of it, or similar tools on the market with powered trimmers? I've got nearly a thousand .308 cases to get to once I'm done with the .223 that I've been neglecting for so long. Help!

April 7, 2010, 01:21 PM	#2
physikal Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2008 Posts: 135	I'll tell you what has saved me a ton of time. A 5/8" Ryobi Countersink at your local hardware shop. Looks something like this: http://www.axminster.co.uk/images/products/400348_l.jpg I put that in my drill and it works like a deburing tool to remove the military crimps. I zip through a ton of cases with this thing. (Cheaper than paying 100+ for swager tool) Also a possum hollow kwick case trimmer with the power adapter. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=295771 http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=127743 You could use that power adapter to make your own "Countersink" with the deburing tool. But I think spending 8 bucks on a countersink isnt bad. And I think it doesnt dull as quick as the deburing tool. It also saves your deburing tool for actual chamfer and deburing. Check this video out to see the kwick case trimmer in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42nD...os=9vffqN5SjZ4 Also, another way to speed up your trimming with what you've got (The Lyman Case Lathe). If it's the one in this pic: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...795961#enlarge You can unscrew that crank and take it completely off. (I did this with my RCBS Case Trimmer before I got the kwick case trimmer) If you have a big enough drill, you can open the chuck completely and it should fit around that rod once you've taken off the crank, and then tighten it down on the trimming rod and just use the power drill to trim those cases rather than cranking with your arm. It speeds up the process tremendously. I love trimming that way when I'm not using the kwick case trimmer. Hope this helps.

April 7, 2010, 06:07 PM	#4
greco Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2005 Posts: 125	I have the Dillon tool. I have had it for years and like it. The de-burring tools are necessary for case mouths and necks, but they do an inconsistant job on the primer holes. A little too much can make the pocket loose, and too little means you have to do it again.

April 7, 2010, 06:31 PM	#6
rjrivero Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,399	I have two five gallon buckets full of "recovered brass." Almost all of it is military, and I bought a Rapid Trim and Super Swage because of these ominous buckets in front of me. I do them in batches, about 2K at a time so as to not become bored with the tedium.

April 7, 2010, 06:58 PM	#7
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	I have a Dillon trimmer and love it. It trims and resizes in one pass, allowing me to size and trim nearly 1,000 .308 cases an hour. No it doesn't deburr the mouth but I put the sized cases in my tumbler for about an hour with cob and that both removes the lube and does a very good job of knocking off any burrs on the case mouths. I have tried the deburring tool in a drill and found that I was frequently removing too much brass. Just my opinion. The Dillon pocket swager is great too if you have enough cases to justify it. Or look at it this way-- buy it, use it, and then sell it on evilbay for what you paid for it. Or even more on a good day.