Swag or Ream - which is best???

Glennster · June 20, 2007, 08:13 PM

When it comes to primer pockets on military brass, is it better to ream or swag?

What brand equipment works best?

Also, what is the best way to get the Military primers out?

Trapper L · June 20, 2007, 08:28 PM

If I have several thousand rounds of military brass to rework, I buy a package of primer pins and get started using the normal RCBS dies for that cartridge. I use the RCBS primer pocket swage as it does a more uniform job than reaming. If the flash holes are rough punched, I use the Lyman flash hole uniforming tool to straighten them up. You only have to do this with the first loading so why not do it right? If possible, I like military brass for my bench guns. It lasts longer and if properly worked, is as accurate or more accurate than the brass costing several times more. I use it in 38 special, 30 carbine, 45 acp, 223, 308, and 3006.

Glennster · June 20, 2007, 09:35 PM

How about trimming the brass, do you trim first, then full length size?
Or should you size then trim?

tbtrout · June 20, 2007, 09:52 PM

I use a RCBS chamfer tool and ream out the pockets.

layusn1 · June 20, 2007, 10:34 PM

I resize, trim, debur, chamfer, swage the primer pocket with the Dillon Super Swage, Uniform/debur the flash hole, clean/uniform the primer pocket...generally in that order.

Mach II Sailor · June 21, 2007, 08:59 AM

reaming removes metal, swageing is best !

Glennster · June 21, 2007, 09:26 PM

I picked up an RCBS Swage tool and a Lee decapping tool. I broke the pin on the decapping tool with the first piece of brass I tried to de-prime. : - (
BUMMER! ! ! ! !

Bullet94 · June 22, 2007, 03:36 AM

These items are slow to use but work great.

You might try these to deprime -

http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/...WPX&type=store

http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/...WBX&type=store

I use this reamer with a Wilson Case Trimmer -

http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/...210&type=store

Glennster · June 22, 2007, 05:05 AM

It looks like those are for pistol cases, I need to get the primers out of military .308 and .223 brass.

Bullet94 · June 22, 2007, 08:34 AM

They have them for 223 & 308. Click on select cartridge.

Linear Thinker · June 22, 2007, 09:30 AM

I tried Dillon's swage tool, and was not happy with it. It supports the brass from the inside as the punch swages the primer pocket. When using military brass of mixed varieties, with different head thicknesses, I was not getting a consistent swage.

If you load a lot of mil brass, get a Dillon 1050 press, it swages primer pockets while holding a case by the rim. I had much better results with that.

crowbeaner · June 22, 2007, 03:04 PM

LT- the price on that RL 1050 is awful high compared to the primer pocket swager, that's why I have the swager, not the 1050! I use the PPS by Dillon and then run the brass through the RCBS swager to make sure the primer pockets are all the same diameter. Yeah, it's more work, but the result is worth the extra effort. I use milspec brass in my 30/06, and my ammo comes out great. There IS a difference in the fitment of primers, RP seat the easiest, followed by CCI, Federal, and WW seat the tightest. Maybe this difference is due to my equipment, and not to mfg. differences, bit that is my experience.

Linear Thinker · June 22, 2007, 03:36 PM

Crow - right you are, 1050s are not for everyone.
But if you shoot a lot, they are worth it. I run matches at the local club, and routinely shoot 1000 rounds a week.
Between a day job and 2 teenage sons I don't have a lot of time to reload. 2 1050s are a big time saver for me, one for large and one for small primer cartridges.
Primer pocket swaging is just a bonus.
LT

June 20, 2007, 08:13 PM	#1
Glennster Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 226	Swag or Ream - which is best??? When it comes to primer pockets on military brass, is it better to ream or swag? What brand equipment works best? Also, what is the best way to get the Military primers out?

June 20, 2007, 10:34 PM	#5
layusn1 Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Posts: 54	I resize, trim, debur, chamfer, swage the primer pocket with the Dillon Super Swage, Uniform/debur the flash hole, clean/uniform the primer pocket...generally in that order. __________________ www.ammobrasstrader.com

June 22, 2007, 03:36 AM	#8
Bullet94 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2004 Location: Kansas Posts: 723	These items are slow to use but work great. You might try these to deprime - http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/...WPX&type=store http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/...WBX&type=store I use this reamer with a Wilson Case Trimmer - http://www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/...210&type=store __________________ PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT - Live Free or Die

June 22, 2007, 08:34 AM	#10
Bullet94 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2004 Location: Kansas Posts: 723	They have them for 223 & 308. Click on select cartridge. __________________ PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT - Live Free or Die

June 20, 2007, 08:28 PM	#2
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	If I have several thousand rounds of military brass to rework, I buy a package of primer pins and get started using the normal RCBS dies for that cartridge. I use the RCBS primer pocket swage as it does a more uniform job than reaming. If the flash holes are rough punched, I use the Lyman flash hole uniforming tool to straighten them up. You only have to do this with the first loading so why not do it right? If possible, I like military brass for my bench guns. It lasts longer and if properly worked, is as accurate or more accurate than the brass costing several times more. I use it in 38 special, 30 carbine, 45 acp, 223, 308, and 3006.

June 20, 2007, 09:35 PM	#3
Glennster Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 226	How about trimming the brass, do you trim first, then full length size? Or should you size then trim?

June 20, 2007, 09:52 PM	#4
tbtrout Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 234	I use a RCBS chamfer tool and ream out the pockets.

June 21, 2007, 08:59 AM	#6
Mach II Sailor Junior member Join Date: March 22, 2007 Posts: 480	reaming removes metal, swageing is best !

June 21, 2007, 09:26 PM	#7
Glennster Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 226	I picked up an RCBS Swage tool and a Lee decapping tool. I broke the pin on the decapping tool with the first piece of brass I tried to de-prime. : - ( BUMMER! ! ! ! !

June 22, 2007, 05:05 AM	#9
Glennster Senior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 226	It looks like those are for pistol cases, I need to get the primers out of military .308 and .223 brass.

June 22, 2007, 09:30 AM	#11
Linear Thinker Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2007 Location: Blue State, NE US Posts: 202	I tried Dillon's swage tool, and was not happy with it. It supports the brass from the inside as the punch swages the primer pocket. When using military brass of mixed varieties, with different head thicknesses, I was not getting a consistent swage. If you load a lot of mil brass, get a Dillon 1050 press, it swages primer pockets while holding a case by the rim. I had much better results with that.

June 22, 2007, 03:04 PM	#12
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	LT- the price on that RL 1050 is awful high compared to the primer pocket swager, that's why I have the swager, not the 1050! I use the PPS by Dillon and then run the brass through the RCBS swager to make sure the primer pockets are all the same diameter. Yeah, it's more work, but the result is worth the extra effort. I use milspec brass in my 30/06, and my ammo comes out great. There IS a difference in the fitment of primers, RP seat the easiest, followed by CCI, Federal, and WW seat the tightest. Maybe this difference is due to my equipment, and not to mfg. differences, bit that is my experience.

June 22, 2007, 03:36 PM	#13
Linear Thinker Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2007 Location: Blue State, NE US Posts: 202	Crow - right you are, 1050s are not for everyone. But if you shoot a lot, they are worth it. I run matches at the local club, and routinely shoot 1000 rounds a week. Between a day job and 2 teenage sons I don't have a lot of time to reload. 2 1050s are a big time saver for me, one for large and one for small primer cartridges. Primer pocket swaging is just a bonus. LT