How to get primer out of military crimped out of LC brass? - Page 2

Threefeathers · August 3, 2008, 08:40 PM

However you do it I'd make a day of it and do a bunch at one time.

mkl · August 4, 2008, 10:39 AM

I ran into a small flash hole problem with .223 brass about a month ago.

I could knock them out with a punch and base set, but then I would have to lock the punch in a vise and knock the case off; could not pull the punch out by hand.

I ended up chucking up a 5/64 drill bit in my drill press running at 500 rpm. I then held the case with both hands and moved it up into the drill until I could feel the drill bit engage the flash hole. Just a little more upward pressure on the case and the drill bit enlarged the flash hole. You can feel when it breaks through the flash hole and then hits the underside of the primer.

After that, my punch would fit just fine, and I proceeded to knock out the primer.

I did make sure that a 5/64 drill is no larger than a standard flash hole.

This was probably more trouble than it was worth, but I was going to get those da**ed primers out of there.

totalloser · August 15, 2008, 04:45 PM

The way you did it with the case length gauge is the same way as the Lee Decapper. NOT the lee decap die, the lee decapper. It is just a thing that looks like a shell holder, and a rod with a decap pin at the end. You put a shell in it, and tap the decap pin with a hammer.

BEWARE of hammering in the press. Probably fine for the ram, but never tap on anything attached to a turret. Learned this one the hard way.

As to the reamer/swager. My opinion is that swaging is superior for my application. I load significant volume, and want the most life from my brass. If you swage it, it leaves it just a little tight, and you will get more loads before the pocket enlarges and won't hold a primer. Also you will have more length of contact on the primer. Just my take on it. I use the RCBS and it works fine, but it is important to know that most pockets in 5.56 will not need to be swaged, so it will often feel like the swager is doing nothing. Because it IS doing nothing.

My opinion of reaming is that if you ream it is important to go easy on it. I have seen commercial reloads that tool literally HALF the pocket's length off. No good, and not necessary. It doesn't take much to take the crimp out. And use a long taper reamer. Not the goofy Lee one.

The reason I am noting 5.56, not 7.62 is that I have much more experience with 5.56.

Were I to buy a swager again, I'd get the Dillon. If you are doing any volume and can afford it, I suspect it is at least twice as fast. If you use the RCBS, the key is to slip the case over the rod in the die and then operate the ram. Otherwise it is tricky to line the rod up with the case mouth. Easy to pinch off a piece of your finger, if you are in a hurry.

August 3, 2008, 08:40 PM	#26
Threefeathers Junior member Join Date: June 7, 2004 Location: AZ Posts: 392	However you do it I'd make a day of it and do a bunch at one time.

August 4, 2008, 10:39 AM	#27
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	I ran into a small flash hole problem with .223 brass about a month ago. I could knock them out with a punch and base set, but then I would have to lock the punch in a vise and knock the case off; could not pull the punch out by hand. I ended up chucking up a 5/64 drill bit in my drill press running at 500 rpm. I then held the case with both hands and moved it up into the drill until I could feel the drill bit engage the flash hole. Just a little more upward pressure on the case and the drill bit enlarged the flash hole. You can feel when it breaks through the flash hole and then hits the underside of the primer. After that, my punch would fit just fine, and I proceeded to knock out the primer. I did make sure that a 5/64 drill is no larger than a standard flash hole. This was probably more trouble than it was worth, but I was going to get those da**ed primers out of there.

August 15, 2008, 04:45 PM	#28
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	The way you did it with the case length gauge is the same way as the Lee Decapper. NOT the lee decap die, the lee decapper. It is just a thing that looks like a shell holder, and a rod with a decap pin at the end. You put a shell in it, and tap the decap pin with a hammer. BEWARE of hammering in the press. Probably fine for the ram, but never tap on anything attached to a turret. Learned this one the hard way. As to the reamer/swager. My opinion is that swaging is superior for my application. I load significant volume, and want the most life from my brass. If you swage it, it leaves it just a little tight, and you will get more loads before the pocket enlarges and won't hold a primer. Also you will have more length of contact on the primer. Just my take on it. I use the RCBS and it works fine, but it is important to know that most pockets in 5.56 will not need to be swaged, so it will often feel like the swager is doing nothing. Because it IS doing nothing. My opinion of reaming is that if you ream it is important to go easy on it. I have seen commercial reloads that tool literally HALF the pocket's length off. No good, and not necessary. It doesn't take much to take the crimp out. And use a long taper reamer. Not the goofy Lee one. The reason I am noting 5.56, not 7.62 is that I have much more experience with 5.56. Were I to buy a swager again, I'd get the Dillon. If you are doing any volume and can afford it, I suspect it is at least twice as fast. If you use the RCBS, the key is to slip the case over the rod in the die and then operate the ram. Otherwise it is tricky to line the rod up with the case mouth. Easy to pinch off a piece of your finger, if you are in a hurry.