reloading with military brass

Lane · August 2, 2010, 12:54 PM

hey guys i just got into reloading and i have 2 types of brass one is for accuracy and the military brass is so i can plink. has anyone had the problem of improperly seated primers with swaged primer pockets? and does anyone know how to fix the swage or primer crimp im reloading 5.56 and 7.62

mxreloader · August 2, 2010, 12:57 PM

take you chanfer tool an take turn around the hole

FrankenMauser · August 2, 2010, 01:01 PM

Other members will be along shortly, to explain the benefits of various primer pocket swaging tools.

I, however, just use a chamfer and deburring tool. It removes the crimp ring, puts a nice bevel on the primer pocket (as opposed to the sharp edge some swaging tools leave), and is usually much quicker to use than most of the swagers.

BigJimP · August 2, 2010, 01:04 PM

There is so much brass around / taking the time to fuss with military brass ( reaming tool, deburring, etc ) just makes no sense to me .... so I just recycle it.

Lane · August 2, 2010, 01:18 PM

lets just say military brass is free and is obtainable by the thousands

DiscoRacing · August 2, 2010, 01:20 PM

Send me some then.

F. Guffey · August 2, 2010, 03:12 PM

Before the Internet when Hatcher was writing for the NRA, late 50s-early 60s, he suggested reloaders do as he did, he used a pocket knife, carefully.

I do not treat surplus military brass as second class cases to nothing, there is a difference like the 30/06, the military 30/06 LC, DM. TW, DEM. UT SL etc., have a thin body, this causes a difference in the length of the powder column, the military powder column is shorter. for the 30/06 than the commercial 30/05 commercial case powder column.

I did not say I do not have Norma brass, I did say I do not use a critiquing eye with a condensing mind.

I use a RCBS case prep center with a military crimp remover in one position, I also have the RCBS primer pocket swage, but because of the difference case head thickness, I prefer the case prep center with 5 positions.

F. Guffey

BigJimP · August 2, 2010, 03:35 PM

The stuff you pick up at most ranges is usually free too .....

A buddy took a 3 day rifle class recently / and told me he picked up a couple of "one Gallon" freezer bags of brass every day. A lot of guys just don't bother to pick it up / or aren't reloaders ...

I understand Free ....but once you get a 5 gallon bucket of "good" non- military brass ....I wouldn't fuss with the military stuff.

mehavey · August 2, 2010, 03:40 PM

Sorted by weight, neck-turned and primer pocket uniformed there is nothing that military brass won't do that commercial stuff will. In fact I find Greek surplus HXP 30-06 cases to be superb in that regard.

The real difference is in how much your time is worth to prep that select (but free) batch of accurized military cases, vice how little money you have to spend on Lapua or Norma cases which are good-to-go out of the box

AlaskaMike · August 3, 2010, 11:01 AM

Agreed. I started reloading rifle cartridges using military .30-06 brass that my grandfather gave me, mostly LC53. The primer pockets aren't a big deal--you only need to iron out the crimp once and then it's done. Since you mention you have access to thousands of cases, you might want to buy one of the better tools vs. using your chamfering tool. Dillon makes a great (but slightly expensive) swager, and RCBS makes a die set that works just fine in a press.

MIke

mehavey · August 3, 2010, 11:09 AM

Am I the only guy that just chucks a primer pocket uniformer in a cordless drill to de-crimp/uniform/clean out the pockets all in one step?

**Unclenick** · August 3, 2010, 11:32 AM

I've noticed my depth uniforming cutter scratching up the sides of primer pockets on the way in, so I only run it after profiling. I use the Dillon tool for military crimps. It's extremely fast. Doing a thousand in a sitting is no problem, assuming they all have the same headstamp (you sometimes need to adjust it a little for different brands or lots).

All the swagers raise the head surface around the crimp a little. That flattens out on firing, but benchrest accuracy may come only with cases already fired once after swaging. Once in awhile that raised area will flow back over the pocket a little during that flattening, and therefore a second pass through the swager may be needed for smoothest primer seating. It's so quick to use the Dillon tool, I do that routinely. The second pass doesn't raise the head surface significantly.

August 2, 2010, 12:54 PM	#1
Lane Member Join Date: January 25, 2007 Posts: 96	reloading with military brass hey guys i just got into reloading and i have 2 types of brass one is for accuracy and the military brass is so i can plink. has anyone had the problem of improperly seated primers with swaged primer pockets? and does anyone know how to fix the swage or primer crimp im reloading 5.56 and 7.62

August 2, 2010, 01:01 PM	#3
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,427	Other members will be along shortly, to explain the benefits of various primer pocket swaging tools. I, however, just use a chamfer and deburring tool. It removes the crimp ring, puts a nice bevel on the primer pocket (as opposed to the sharp edge some swaging tools leave), and is usually much quicker to use than most of the swagers. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

August 2, 2010, 01:20 PM	#6
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	Send me some then. __________________ Desert Eagle Alliance Group Launcher Extraordinaire ______ ----Get Busy Live'n.....Or....Get Busy Die'n......Red -------They call me Dr. Bob,,,, I have a PhD in S&W

August 3, 2010, 11:32 AM	#12
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	I've noticed my depth uniforming cutter scratching up the sides of primer pockets on the way in, so I only run it after profiling. I use the Dillon tool for military crimps. It's extremely fast. Doing a thousand in a sitting is no problem, assuming they all have the same headstamp (you sometimes need to adjust it a little for different brands or lots). All the swagers raise the head surface around the crimp a little. That flattens out on firing, but benchrest accuracy may come only with cases already fired once after swaging. Once in awhile that raised area will flow back over the pocket a little during that flattening, and therefore a second pass through the swager may be needed for smoothest primer seating. It's so quick to use the Dillon tool, I do that routinely. The second pass doesn't raise the head surface significantly. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 2, 2010, 12:57 PM	#2
mxreloader Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: crosslanes wv Posts: 155	take you chanfer tool an take turn around the hole

August 2, 2010, 01:04 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	There is so much brass around / taking the time to fuss with military brass ( reaming tool, deburring, etc ) just makes no sense to me .... so I just recycle it.

August 2, 2010, 01:18 PM	#5
Lane Member Join Date: January 25, 2007 Posts: 96	lets just say military brass is free and is obtainable by the thousands

August 2, 2010, 03:12 PM	#7
F. Guffey Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2008 Posts: 7,249	Before the Internet when Hatcher was writing for the NRA, late 50s-early 60s, he suggested reloaders do as he did, he used a pocket knife, carefully. I do not treat surplus military brass as second class cases to nothing, there is a difference like the 30/06, the military 30/06 LC, DM. TW, DEM. UT SL etc., have a thin body, this causes a difference in the length of the powder column, the military powder column is shorter. for the 30/06 than the commercial 30/05 commercial case powder column. I did not say I do not have Norma brass, I did say I do not use a critiquing eye with a condensing mind. I use a RCBS case prep center with a military crimp remover in one position, I also have the RCBS primer pocket swage, but because of the difference case head thickness, I prefer the case prep center with 5 positions. F. Guffey

August 2, 2010, 03:35 PM	#8
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	The stuff you pick up at most ranges is usually free too ..... A buddy took a 3 day rifle class recently / and told me he picked up a couple of "one Gallon" freezer bags of brass every day. A lot of guys just don't bother to pick it up / or aren't reloaders ... I understand Free ....but once you get a 5 gallon bucket of "good" non- military brass ....I wouldn't fuss with the military stuff.

August 2, 2010, 03:40 PM	#9
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,898	Sorted by weight, neck-turned and primer pocket uniformed there is nothing that military brass won't do that commercial stuff will. In fact I find Greek surplus HXP 30-06 cases to be superb in that regard. The real difference is in how much your time is worth to prep that select (but free) batch of accurized military cases, vice how little money you have to spend on Lapua or Norma cases which are good-to-go out of the box

August 3, 2010, 11:01 AM	#10
AlaskaMike Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Posts: 943	Agreed. I started reloading rifle cartridges using military .30-06 brass that my grandfather gave me, mostly LC53. The primer pockets aren't a big deal--you only need to iron out the crimp once and then it's done. Since you mention you have access to thousands of cases, you might want to buy one of the better tools vs. using your chamfering tool. Dillon makes a great (but slightly expensive) swager, and RCBS makes a die set that works just fine in a press. MIke

August 3, 2010, 11:09 AM	#11
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,898	Am I the only guy that just chucks a primer pocket uniformer in a cordless drill to de-crimp/uniform/clean out the pockets all in one step?