Removing military crimp from brass

[ninosdemente]

I have brass that has military crimp that I've been saving. Want to begin reloading that brass. What is an effective way to get rid of it. Been looking at different options for this step.

Currently have Winchestor, FC and LC brass. Any help will be appreciated and thanks in advanced.

[bacardisteve]

I've used different ways over the years...by far the fastest I've found is a primer pocket uniformer chucked up into a case prep center.

[olduser]

I like and use the Dillon swager.

[ballardw]

I use an RCBS primer pocket swager that has been in use since at least the early 1960's.

[GE-Minigun]

olduser has the answer...

[44 AMP]

I used the RCBS primer pocket swager in my press for a while, never liked the work it took.

For just removing the primer pocket crimp (which, so far has been all I ever needed done) I get acceptable results just sticking the nose of my RCBS chamfer tool into the pocket and giving it a couple twists.

[jetinteriorguy]

A fast easy way to do it is with countersink bit in a battery powered drill. Zing zing and your done.

[hdwhit]

Swagers are generally regarded to be the best alternative, but when I was a college student (and couldn't afford a swagger), I simply used a 45 degree countersink chucked into a drill press.

Simply invert the case and present the primer pocket to the bit, exert gentle upward pressure while rotating the case between your fingers. It only takes a couple of seconds and cleanly removes the crimp.

Lots of criticism about this approach, mostly concern about removing brass "from such a sensitive area", but the crimp is brass displaced from the margins of the primer pocket. If any brass was displaced from a "sensitive area", it was displaced from whatever structural place it held when the crimp was originally made.

4,000+ rounds de-crimped this way and loaded near maximum with zero failures (so far).

[ninosdemente]

Thanks for the reply.

I was interested in the RCBS Primer Pocket Swager Tool, never used the one on the press though.

44 AMP, I did start to use the chamfer. I give it about 3 turns. If I see the crimp, then I give it another turn or two. Also from this I was wondering if I was taking too much as hdwhit had mentioned.

[dahermit]

I was interested in the RCBS Primer Pocket Swager Tool, never used the one on the press though.

I tried using my RCBS Primer Pocket Swager to remove the military crimp on 5.56 once fired military cases, several different head stamps. It just did not work no matter how much force was applied. New primers (CCI, Remington) still would not seat without crushing or flattening. I do not recommend it. I ended up using a Lyman primer pocket reamer chucked into a power drill. It worked but it is a tad risky for taking off too much metal.

[wachtelhund1]

Foster made a cambering bit, in the past, just for removing the case head crimp. Just chuck it in drill. It was fast and easy.

[Metal god]

I think the first question I’d ask is how many cases do you need to remove the crimp from and how often do you expect needing to do so .

I chuck the end bit of the Lyman crimp remover tool into a cordless drill .
https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Reloadi.../dp/B000NOOQY4

I tried the counter sink and it works but slower and hands and fingers fatigue pretty quick . Now I use A LOT of military brass so I need a quick easy way to do it . I have since went to the Dillon super swager 600 which is fantastic .

That said , how many are you doing and how often ? Couple hundred every couple years , just use a counter sink or the Lyman tool chucked in a drill . Just keep in mind when using a drill ( on fast speed ) your fingers holding the case better be strong with some calluses , you know the type of hands that work for a living Cuss that drill can rip the case right from your fingers and doing several hundred at a time can and will stress weaker hands and fingers . I'm mentioning this because even though I do work with my hands and consider them strong . Once they start to fatigue after the first few hundred I notice I start to be less consistent with the depth . As well as I start to push harder to one side or less to the other , regardless the removal can start to be off center . . Most of the time the above is nothing to sweat over but I thought I'd mention it so you can keep it in the back of your mind .

If you are going to do thousands , get the Dillon and be done with it .
https://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Precis...g%2C147&sr=1-1

[jetinteriorguy]

Originally Posted by ninosdemente

Thanks for the reply.

I was interested in the RCBS Primer Pocket Swager Tool, never used the one on the press though.

44 AMP, I did start to use the chamfer. I give it about 3 turns. If I see the crimp, then I give it another turn or two. Also from this I was wondering if I was taking too much as hdwhit had mentioned.

I have the RCBS bench mounted swager and it works great. For .223 and .308 it’s easy peasy, but if doing 9mm it’s a bit fiddly. The only issue with this is when doing mixed brass you have to check them with a primer pocket gauge to make sure they will all accept the go gauge. I’ll occasionally get one that won’t swage due to differences in brass manufacture, I then use the Lyman tool and give it a couple twists and it’s fine.

[Nick_C_S]

A minor deviation from the main topic, if I may:

I'm "new" (not really, but long story) to the 223 Rem world. I have a lot of Lake City cases (who doesn't?, right ). Are Lake City cases considered "crimped" in the "military brass" sense? I know I can't re-prime them unless I take my chamfer tool and break the edge of the pocket; but I don't know if that is actually what is usually called a "crimp."

I've been doing a lot of these lately and have just wondered if this is what is actually considered a primer crimp?

[44 AMP]

the primer crimp is usually one of two types, either a "ring" or a "stab". US ammo makers generally use the ring style, foreign makers often either type.

Both are done the same way, the primed case is "bunted" (struck) by a tool that displaces a small amount of brass from the UPPER EDGE of the primer pocket. This is NOT a critical area.

It is done to meet military requirements to keep the primer in the pocket no matter what.

The crimp varies in size, depending on what round, who made, and when. Most are quite visible, some are not so easily recognized.

Are Lake City cases considered "crimped" in the "military brass" sense? I know I can't re-prime them unless I take my chamfer tool and break the edge of the pocket; but I don't know if that is actually what is usually called a "crimp."

Lake City is a govt arsenal (staffed mostly by civilian contractor workers) and they produce ammo to the mil specs, which means crimped primer pockets.

If you have to chamfer the lip of the pocket in order to seat a new primer, what you are doing is cutting away the brass that forms the crimp. Some folks prefer to swage (push) the crimp out of the way, and generally swaging also allows you to "uniform" the entire primer pocket. Chamfering (cutting) only cuts the top edge of the primer pocket, removing the crimp and not affecting the other dimensions of the primer pocket in any way.

I"ve done both, chamfering works fine for me, quick, simple, easy, and doesn't take a special tool that only does one job like swaging the pocket.

[Nick_C_S]

Thank you 44 AMP. That answers my question.

(Back to our regularly scheduled programming )

[Paul B.]

I haven't done military crimps for quite a while now. When I did, I used a Dremel tool with a pear shaped bit. Set the Dremel on a speed that works for you and zip the crimps with ease. IIRC, I set mine a bit higher than half way between slow and high speed.
Paul B.

[ninosdemente]

I won't do thousands, so as suggested might be just fine with getting the Lyman primer pocket reamer. Plus for the cost, better than spending more money. I have a small container of LC which I used the chamfer tool.

I will get the Lyman tool to use it on Winchester I have so far.

Metal God, thanks for the links. Dahermit, thanks for your reply and everyone else.

[ballardw]

Originally Posted by dahermit

I tried using my RCBS Primer Pocket Swager to remove the military crimp on 5.56 once fired military cases, several different head stamps. It just did not work no matter how much force was applied. New primers (CCI, Remington) still would not seat without crushing or flattening. I do not recommend it. I ended up using a Lyman primer pocket reamer chucked into a power drill. It worked but it is a tad risky for taking off too much metal.

Might have something to do with exactly how you are seating the primers or may the particular brass.

If I didn't expect military brass I sometimes get reminded about swaging the pocket when a primer is hard to seat. The RCBS bench mount primer seater will seat primers without crushing them into unswaged pockets.

[berettaprofessor]

A fast easy way to do it is with countersink bit in a battery powered drill. Zing zing and your done

This. I've got an RCBS swager, and have used a primer pocket uniformer on a case prep center, but the above is the fastest.

[Steve in PA]

I’ve been using the RCBS pocket swagger for quite some time now. Works just fine, but there are better ones. Dillon for instance and I think RCBS just came out with one like the Dillon.

[ninosdemente]

I received the Lyman Primer Pocket Reamer.... works well. I tried hand twist, works but eventually my hands get fatigued. Will try using with drill.

[jpx2rk]

If you have a case prep machine, just screw the reamer bit into one of the positions, less chance of injury over using a drill.

[ninosdemente]

jpx2rk, I don't have a case prep machine. stuck with drill.

[totaldla]

If you chamfer, (as 44amp mentioned), the amount of brass to remove is quite small.