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Old July 29, 2009, 10:28 PM   #1
Leewhiskey
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Military crimp removal?

Ended up with about 4000 9mm cases with the military primer crimp. Bought an RCBS trim pro with the small crimp remover. Works, but takes a while and is kind of hard on the fingers when working in volume. Anybody have a better way that is faster/easier?

Thanks.
Chris
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Old July 29, 2009, 10:47 PM   #2
D. Manley
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If you're likely to continue using crimped brass in the future, the Dillon Super Swage is well worth the money. I don't know of anything quicker or easier (short of the swaging feature on a Super 1050 press). If the 4,000 is a "one-time-thing", it may not be worth the price for the Dillon tool (about $95.00, IIRC) so you're down to using a hand tool or one of the press mounted swaging tools. I happen to use a lot of WCC crimped 9MM brass myself and the Dillon tool made me a happy camper.
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Old July 29, 2009, 11:20 PM   #3
frank_1947
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RCBS has a swagger for use in a single stage press about $25 found it at Cabelas, Dillon is better
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Old July 30, 2009, 09:19 AM   #4
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the dillion super swager. works great and fast
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Old July 30, 2009, 09:49 AM   #5
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Agree with the guys. If you bolt the Dillon to your bench, once you've tweaked the depth setting for your lot of cases you can get yourself into a coordinated motion that puts a case through it in less than three seconds. I flip the anvil up with my left thumb and pull the swaged case off with my right hand. Simultaneously, I have my left picking up the next case. The left then drops the next case onto the anvil rod and pushes the rod down into place, while the right drops the last case in a bin and gets back on the handle, then operates it. It's seems like poetry in motion as long as I don't have a mirror to see myself in.

I've heard the RCBS is more delicate and also slower because the cases take longer to put in and out of the press.

The Dillon Super Swage is well worth it if your value your time. Amortized over 4000 cases it will cost you about 2.5 cent per case and you'll be done with the job in about three hours. If you've timed yourself with the primer pocket reamer, you'll know what a savings that is. 10 seconds is about as fast as I can go with one of those, so I see the difference as about a whole day's work for 4000 cases. Not to mention the Super Swage won't tempt carpel tunnel syndrome.
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Old July 30, 2009, 10:18 AM   #6
freakshow10mm
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Before I got a 1050 I chucked a reaming tool in the lathe set to 70rpm and pushed the primer pocket over the tool for a second or two. Removes the crimp and cleans the pocket in one swoop. Decapping the brass is the PITA part of it. Goes a lot quicker than swaging or reaming. Break a decapping pin and you are SOL for a while.

If you're cheap, but the Dillon swager, use it, then sell it on the forums for $10 less than paid for it.
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Old July 30, 2009, 10:35 AM   #7
mikld
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A cordless drill with a 60 degree countersink chucked in it. Just push the case against the countersink for about 1 second, just enough to remove the cimp. Be gentle, it doesn't take much. I did it on about 500 .223/5.56 cases I bought. BTW this also deburrs and champhers case mouths.
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Old July 30, 2009, 11:14 AM   #8
Unclenick
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I know a couple of guys who use reamers in cordless screw drivers, but their consistency seems to leave something to be desired. The swagers form a nice smooth radiused edge profile for the primer to enter.

Decapping is a good point. I like to separately decap crimped primers with the Lee Universal decapper. It's strong and if it breaks there is a backup in my sizing die.
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Last edited by Unclenick; July 30, 2009 at 08:22 PM. Reason: typo
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Old July 30, 2009, 04:35 PM   #9
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I am the odd man out on this one. I have swaged well over 10K cases with the RCBS swager die. Finally after hearing everyone rave about the Dillon swager, I bought one. After trying it for a trial period, I went back to the RCBS tool. I just liked it better, so my essentially new Dillon sits in the box.

But be warned, most people have lots of trouble with the RCBS swage. They bend the rod, because the die is adjusted too far down, or they don't have the rod screwed all the way into the die.
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Old July 30, 2009, 05:23 PM   #10
Edward429451
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Hey I resemble that last remark! I'm on my third rod

...and now know to seperate cases by year and still be careful as different lots from the same year may also cause probs...
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Old July 30, 2009, 06:35 PM   #11
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Sorting brass by headstamp is MUST regardless which swager you use, if you want a consistent result. There is just too much variation in the web thickness. I have always been able to feel too much resistance and stop before bending the rod. And I am using a Rockchucker press with plenty of cam over advantage.
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Old July 30, 2009, 06:37 PM   #12
D. Manley
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Quote:
I am the odd man out on this one. I have swaged well over 10K cases with the RCBS swager die. Finally after hearing everyone rave about the Dillon swager, I bought one. After trying it for a trial period, I went back to the RCBS tool. I just liked it better, so my essentially new Dillon sits in the box.
The OP might be willing to take that Super Swage off your hands...

The few people I've seen who had a problem with them were "over-doing" it. The little sucker has tremendous leverage and most people initially don't realize how little force is required to get it done (I don't divulge how I know this).
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Old July 30, 2009, 08:28 PM   #13
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That's the truth. I think I got mine about '90-92. Somewhere in there. I actually broke the casting the first week I had it. Dillon, of course, sent a new one with no questions asked, and didn't even want the old one back. But it is strong.

Jepp2's comment about sorting by headstamp is right on target. The Dillon always has to be adjusted for brand and year. Once you get the hang of it, though, I find it hard to imagine it not being the favored tool. But to each his own, in that regard.
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Old July 30, 2009, 09:55 PM   #14
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I too use a RCBS to swage the pockets on Military .223's. I have tried drills, a Lyman pocket reamer, even a pocket knife. I like swaging as it removes NO METAL, it simply reforms the metal into the right shape.
With the RCBS it forms a nice radius and primers slip in easily with no "catching" Obviously I can't speak for the Dillon.
I sometimes chuckle at the folks that feel the need to consider their "TIME" as part of the reloading process. I dunno, do they consider the time and gas, wear and tear on their car and tires going to purchase components? The same could be said for the expense of getting to the range to shoot the shells. I probably shouldn't even mention the cleaning supplies and the time to clean the gun after shooting.
I have always considered the "Time" as part of my hobby and worth nothing. If I calculated mt Time, it would be cheaper to buy shells, or maybe just stop shooting and take up Solitare. OOPS, another time consumer.
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Old July 31, 2009, 02:51 AM   #15
mike6567
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I just finished de-crimping 1,000 rds of .223 the other day with a RCBS swage die. It worked but was very tedious. If I do it much more I think I will invest in the Dillon setup.
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Old July 31, 2009, 06:42 AM   #16
DaveInPA
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If you have even a moderate amount of brass with crimps, there is no reason to bother with anything other than the Dillon Super Swage.
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Old July 31, 2009, 05:12 PM   #17
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I like my RCBS swage die. It is setup on an Old RCBS Jr. Press. I have been using it for so long that
I have developed a feel for it, ...to the point that I don’t have to sort brass anymore. I have it set for
way too much swage and can feel the brass as it enters the pocket and the shoulders form.
I don’t think I could achieve it on a modern presses with the linkage and heavy cams though...

Last edited by TATER; July 31, 2009 at 05:17 PM. Reason: Clarification an Spell’en
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