[s3gunner]

I've just started tooling up to load some .223 again. I haven't loaded any for decades. I found my dies, and crimp removal cutter must have been loaned out to someone....
I was wondering, since it seems harder than ever to find brass without crimped primers, how do you all remove the crimp?
I borrowed a friend's Dillon swage tool, but I hate borrowing other's tools. It seems to work fine, but not any faster, nor maybe not even better than using a cutter.
Here's the question, should I: A) order a Dillon swaging tool along with a few other parts I need, B) get another type of swager or C) should I stick to cutting them as I did before?

Steven

 

[Squeeze]

I have a tool holder, meant to fit in a drill chuck, that holds a hand beveling tool. I clamped a cheap B&D electric drill, to my bench, with the tool holding the hand beveling tool, with the inside bevel end out. I just take a crimped piece of brass, using light pressure, and bevel the edge of the primer pocket. You quickly get the feel of how much brass to bevel out, and you end up with brass that runs smoothly through a progressive priming station, with a self centering beveled primer pocket. I de-crimp LC brass, by the bucket full with this method.

Squeeze

 

[s3gunner]

I have a tool holder, meant to fit in a drill chuck, that holds a hand beveling tool. I clamped a cheap B&D electric drill, to my bench, with the tool holding the hand beveling tool, with the inside bevel end out. I just take a crimped piece of brass, using light pressure, and bevel the edge of the primer pocket. You quickly get the feel of how much brass to bevel out, and you end up with brass that runs smoothly through a progressive priming station, with a self centering beveled primer pocket. I de-crimp LC brass, by the bucket full with this method.

Squeeze

I plan to get an extra tool head and conversion kit for my 650 (with case feeder) and just put a decapping/ sizing die in it to deprime and size all the brass, then a quick cleaning to get lube off, then deal with primer pockets. From there I'll start normal loading process.

Steven

 

[TinMan]

I have RCBS crimp swaging die set that de-crimps on a single stage press. It was <$20 as I remember, and works great, and does both large and small. I then load the cases on my 550B. I like the die better than using a rotary burr/tool to remove the crimps.

 

[jimp]

I've tried the RCBS & Hornady crimp cutters, both work good, but my fingers and hands get tired holding the case onto the cutter. I ordered a Mighty Armory decap & swage set up. Set the die up once for the decap process and never have to adjust it for any brand of crimped brass. To switch over to the swage function, just remove the screw on cap, remove the decap pin and replace with the swage pin. Place the swage button on the ram and go to town.

Works well, smooth and very little effort. Some cases want to stick to the swage button but a bit of case lube on the button every now and then all but eliminates any cases sticking on the button.

 

[Terry N.]

I used the RCBS PP Swaging Tool for years, but then I bought a Dillon Super Swage. I promptly sold the RCBS tool. Where was Mike Dillon back in the 70s when I began reloading??? The only way to go, as far as I'm concerned - although the RCBS copy might be worth a look, too.

 

[Greyfox]

I used the RCBS PP Swaging Tool for years, but then I bought a Dillon Super Swage. I promptly sold the RCBS tool. Where was Mike Dillon back in the 70s when I began reloading??? The only way to go, as far as I'm concerned - although the RCBS copy might be worth a look, too.

Ditto on the Dillon. No way a cutter could be nearly as fast if you get a rhythm going. A heavy rubber band to flip the pin back in places helps too.

Rick

 

[Wayne McNeely]

I purchased a Swageit for my old Dillon 450. It goes in place of the priming arm and swages with the same motion you’d use to seat a primer. I also purchased a Dillon electric trimmer that goes in the next station, so now I process a bunch of brass at once, then store it for when I need it.

Wayne

 

[lightman]

All crimps are not created equal. The Dillon works well if you sort the cases as it requires a little adjustment. The RCBS tool works ok if your press is bolted down to a solid bench. The Wilson, Redding, Lyman and Forster reamers work ok. Usually I just use a carbide 45º countersink in a cordless drill.

 

[acpchuck]

I use a Hornady primer pocket reamer and run it in my drill press. Found it takes less effort to hold the case when the reamer is turning at a high RPM.

As said above, it is difficult to find brass without crimped primer pockets. Good thing about that is I know when I pick up brass at the range that others have left and it has crimped primer, it is only once fired.

 

[jimp]

All crimps are not created equal. The Dillon works well if you sort the cases as it requires a little adjustment. The RCBS tool works ok if your press is bolted down to a solid bench. The Wilson, Redding, Lyman and Forster reamers work ok. Usually I just use a carbide 45º countersink in a cordless drill.

With the MA set up, don't have to "adjust" anything for different brands of brass, set it's up once and works. Granted, every now and then I dig out the reamer to clean up a couple cases, but very few. I usually process my crimps by brand, but don't adjust the MA setup between FC or LC brass.

 

[lightman]

I may check out the MA tool. I feel like I'm the only guy anywhere thats not a fan of the Dillon tool! US military brass seems to be less problematic than the crimped commercial brass of lesser known headstamps. 5.56 brass seems to me to be more of a problem than 7.62 or 45 brass for some reason.

I agree finding crimped brass assures that its once fired.

 

[jimp]

That was one thing that made my mind up about the MA set up was all the comments about having to adjust the other brands of swage equipment for the different brands of brass. Very easy to swap out the parts to go from decap to swage, takes a minute at the most. I have not bent or broken a decap pin in about 3K rds of crimped brass either.

 

[s3gunner]

Well, after playing with a Dillon swager and trying several more, I decided to go ahead and increase my shopping list for a Dillon swager. I have a Hornady cutter that I can keep handy just in case, but it seemed like the Dillon has the best product for me. I have 3 reloading benches, one with 3 shotgun loaders, one with 3 Dillons, and the third with a single stage. To use the single stage method I would have to clean up the cluttered area around the single stage...too much work!
Besides, while swaging a bunch of cases on the Dillon swager a friend lent me I missed de-capping one and put a slight bend in the rod on the Dillon. My fault, but I chatted with Dillon and even though I said it was my fault, They sent me a new one right away... FREE! Just a friendly reminder why I like Dillon products!

Steven