Just got done depriming about 250 pcs of range pickup - figure I can reload it for blasting ammo with that box of 55gr FMJ blems I recently picked up. But jeez is this looking to become work. Now I need to remove the crimp and trim and......
Anybody that is doing this to resell this crap deserves every stinkin' penny they are asking for it!
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
Last edited by Magnum_Bob; 09/06/20.
" Cheapest velocity in the world comes from a long barrel and I sure do like them. MB "
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
It makes me smile to come home from the range with more brass than I got there with. I will even look through the trash cans sometimes.
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
+1.
+2
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
Just got done depriming about 250 pcs of range pickup - figure I can reload it for blasting ammo with that box of 55gr FMJ blems I recently picked up. But jeez is this looking to become work. Now I need to remove the crimp and trim and......
Anybody that is doing this to resell this crap deserves every stinkin' penny they are asking for it!
Kaiser Norton
No need to trim it.
Dillon is your friend, for both their primer pocket swager, and progressive presses.
You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.
You cannot over estimate the unimportance of nearly everything. John Maxwell
Reading comprehension seems to be even lower than normal today on the fire. I didn't say I don't pick up brass, I said I wouldn't bend over and pick it up for what some sell it for. I’ve sold about 6,000 pcs. of .223/5.56 brass here in the past few weeks. How many have you go-getters picked up and made available?
Got a half of a five gallon bucket of mil-spec brass all cleaned, sized, and decrimped ready for the Dillon 550. Meanwhile I have a little smaller amount of Lake City stuff that I actually use.
And I still can't help myself from picking up more at the range whenever I see it laying there.
I could wish a lot of things on my worst enemy but neuropathy ain't one of them.
I have a thirty gallon drum of Lake city brass that needs prepping to reload. I get a hundred here and there when I have time. I enjoy fooling with it. I’ll have plenty to reload when I retire.
Just got done depriming about 250 pcs of range pickup - figure I can reload it for blasting ammo with that box of 55gr FMJ blems I recently picked up. But jeez is this looking to become work. Now I need to remove the crimp and trim and......
Anybody that is doing this to resell this crap deserves every stinkin' penny they are asking for it!
Kaiser Norton
I agree, that's why I refuse to pick up LC and the like. I only pick up commercial brass, but then you also need to be aware of which ones crimp their primers. I've had good luck with PMC and FC range pickup, but have found some FC with crimped primers as well. I toss those in the scrap bin..
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
+1.
+2. I picked up 1200 pcs of good commercial 223 rem brass a few years ago and I'm still shooting that chidt. Works great, produces very accurate loads and the brass is FREE!!!!! Why not pick it up...??
There will be someone come along shortly saying we are stupid for picking up and using range brass because his buddy blew his face off or something along those lines. I say bullchidt. If his buddy knew what he was doing, it would have never fu cking happened...
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
Only complete case separation I've ever had was a .223 tracer reload during a evening MG shoot. Got it out jamming a .357 pistol brush pulled inside then pushing from muzzle. But range .223/5.56 pickups are less likely overstretched (which is why they separate) vs 7.62x51/.308 bulk purchased.
Judging from other threads/posts most folks use headspace dies to assess reloaded ammo or sized cases. You can use the chamber of your rifle for that. I use my Wilson headspace dies to assess bulk and/or range-scrounged unresized cases. Not so easy to do with your chamber. Looking for badly overstretched pieces to cull. Do it by feel while occupied with something else. Like a Hallmark movie your wife wants you to watch with her.
It's easy to believe you need a SB sizer if you're not culling badly overstretched brass. But that's begging for a separation.
There are many gizmos that will decrimp primer pockets. Used the Dillon, RCBS, but often all I need is Dad's ancient C-H. Swage, not ream.
The decision to load .223 is personal. No right or wrong answer for everyone. Too many variables.
If you have the right setup, You can process a 1000 pieces in about an hour.. But I won’t bore you guys with my setup, someone will be along say oh all you need is a rcbs press. I will say my setup starts with a Dillon 650.
Originally Posted by Bricktop
Then STFU. The rest of your statement is superflous bullshit with no real bearing on this discussion other than to massage your own ego.
If you have the right setup, You can process a 1000 pieces in about an hour.. But I won’t bore you guys with my setup, someone will be along say oh all you need is a rcbs press. I will say my setup starts with a Dillon 650.
There's some real nice attachments for the 650.
I wish I could get the primer pocket swagger for the 650 for my 550. From what I've seen, it's a really sweet setup.
You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.
You cannot over estimate the unimportance of nearly everything. John Maxwell
If you have the right setup, You can process a 1000 pieces in about an hour.. But I won’t bore you guys with my setup, someone will be along say oh all you need is a rcbs press. I will say my setup starts with a Dillon 650.
There's some real nice attachments for the 650.
I wish I could get the primer pocket swagger for the 650 for my 550. From what I've seen, it's a really sweet setup.
That swager is well worth the money.. I also use my buddies Dillon trimmer to.. so I resize, swage then trim all on the 650.
Originally Posted by Bricktop
Then STFU. The rest of your statement is superflous bullshit with no real bearing on this discussion other than to massage your own ego.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
not only do i reload 223/556 but i form 300bo, and 25-45 sharps. lots of work but lots of satisfaction too.
the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded. Robert E Lee ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Just got done depriming about 250 pcs of range pickup - figure I can reload it for blasting ammo with that box of 55gr FMJ blems I recently picked up. But jeez is this looking to become work. Now I need to remove the crimp and trim and......
Anybody that is doing this to resell this crap deserves every stinkin' penny they are asking for it!
Kaiser Norton
I agree, that's why I refuse to pick up LC and the like. I only pick up commercial brass, but then you also need to be aware of which ones crimp their primers. I've had good luck with PMC and FC range pickup, but have found some FC with crimped primers as well. I toss those in the scrap bin..
I don't probably reload as much as most on here does, but that LC brass is very good brass. I ended up getting a primer pocket reamer that screws into my Frankford Arsenal brass prep machine and the crimped primers are really no more trouble to deal with than just cleaning normal primer pockets. But I do understand if people think they aren't worth the trouble. I've been prepping about 50 -100 a day every morning when I get home from work. Kind of helps me unwind.
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
+1.
+2. I picked up 1200 pcs of good commercial 223 rem brass a few years ago and I'm still shooting that chidt. Works great, produces very accurate loads and the brass is FREE!!!!! Why not pick it up...??
There will be someone come along shortly saying we are stupid for picking up and using range brass because his buddy blew his face off or something along those lines. I say bullchidt. If his buddy knew what he was doing, it would have never fu cking happened...
What tumbler media are you using if you don't mind me asking. I've been using corn cob media I probably bought a large supply of 20 years ago and my brass never looks that good.
Heck yes I reload it! I picked up some Norma 223 brass a couple of months ago. I loaded it for my BIL's bolt action. I bought a Dillon 600 primer pocket swager.
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Reloading .223/5.56 ?? Like a possessed mad man. Let the revolution begin.
kwg
For liberals and anarchists, power and control is opium, selling envy is the fastest and easiest way to get it. TRR. American conservative. Never trust a white liberal. Malcom X Current NRA member.
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
Tell it.
Lol.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
Yes, as many have commented above. It is slow and tedious and after swaging many of the cases will still need to be chamfered. If you're going to cheap out use a drill and a primer pocket reamer like the Hornady.
Yes, as many have commented above. It is slow and tedious and after swaging many of the cases will still need to be chamfered. If you're going to cheap out use a drill and a primer pocket reamer like the Hornady.
Buy the Dillon 600 and save in the long run. I didn't. Gave the RCBS kit to a friend that just started reloading and bought the Dillon. The Dillon is much better IME.
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Hadn't thought about, but, with crimped primers do I need anything besides FL die, such as depriming in a separate opperation? Need spare pins?
(Got the crimp removal plan covered.)
I've avoided this until a certain price point which has become a reality!
Boomer, IME they usually come out easily. Sometimes it seems the foreign brass is crimped heavier, or that might be my imagination.
Spare pins are never a bad idea though.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
I prepped a thousand pieces of LC brass, laboriously one at a time, loaded them with the CFE-223/55 Hornady the AR likes (on a single stage press no less), packed them in ammo cans and stashed them away for a rainy day. Haven't touched the AR in a couple years now. Actually thinking about selling the thing. If push comes to shove I think I'm more comfy with my Garand anyway. I'm too old and gimpy to run and gun with an AR- I'll hang back and lay down cover fire for those who can.😁
Most of my .223 shooting is with a Browning single shot. For that I stick with Lapua brass, Berger bullets and load with LE Wilson straight line dies in an arbor press. Takes all evening to load a couple boxes, but the dividend comes at the bench when that rifle regularly delivers insanely small groups.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
I prepped a thousand pieces of LC brass, laboriously one at a time, loaded them with the CFE-223/55 Hornady the AR likes (on a single stage press no less), packed them in ammo cans and stashed them away for a rainy day. Haven't touched the AR in a couple years now. Actually thinking about selling the thing. If push comes to shove I think I'm more comfy with my Garand anyway. I'm too old and gimpy to run and gun with an AR- I'll hang back and lay down cover fire for those who can.😁
Most of my .223 shooting is with a Browning single shot. For that I stick with Lapua brass, Berger bullets and load with LE Wilson straight line dies in an arbor press. Takes all evening to load a couple boxes, but the dividend comes at the bench when that rifle regularly delivers insanely small groups.
An AR and 1000 rounds of ammo would make for quite the package deal right now! I'm sure you could at least recoup for the loading time.
How do you guys decide on a powder charge when running spherical propellants? Start loads? Halfway between start & max?
Depends on what I'm trying to do. If I need NATO-spec ballistics I buy the ammo. JMO, trying to duplicate M193 strikes me as a fool's errand. Some of my surplus chronos 3400 fps from a 20". Not going to try that with bulk once-fired brass. For MGs, plinking, and nothing I'd want to get hit with ammo a starting to middle charge behind a 55 gr fmj is gtg. As for which powder, tough to beat H-335 behind 55 gr fmjs. 24 to 25 gr will reliably cycle any gun I'd bet my life upon.
748, BLC-2 would get the nod for 62s and up.
Old fart such as I am, not up on the latest/greatest copper fouling removing, temp-insensitive, cleans your dentures while shooting powders. Maybe they really are better?
I did classic load work up for my bolt gun, found accuracy in it and tested in the AR's; accuracy and function were both good enough for my purposes. IME 95% of maximum has been a good place to start.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
The best thing I've found for crimped primers is the Lee Depriming die. That thing is tough. Mine has deprimed thousands of crimped .30-06 cases and a huge amount of 5.56 crimped brass.
It has survived the occasional Berdan-primed '06 case. Helps keep my Garand and O3A3 fed.
Have one and will plan on comparing it to a single operation on different lots of brass. Getting a pretty decent collection, not quite a lifetime supply - if I go long - yet still no "mixed batches." All just in case.
Mentioned in a powder availability thread that lately I have been heavily mining old threads for information and dang there's a wealth here on the 223 and 5.56!
Thanks men!
"I can't be canceled, because, I don't give a fuuck!" --- Kid Rock 2022
I bought the RCBS swaging setup back during the Obamascare. Just in case I needed it. I recall trying it out, and being less than impressed with it's performance. At the time I was sitting on about 1500 new WW cases, and about 2000 bullets, so I felt that I didn't need to stress too much about reloading pick-up 5.56 brass - but I could if I had to. With the radical shift in today's political climate, I'm a bit more concerned about being able to utilize any case I have, so the RCBS unit is back out. And still underwhelming. I'd say I'll have to chamfer the pocket of at least 70% of the cases processed with it. I also have been running the RCBS primer pocket uniformer (made for their automated case prep center) in my cordless drill. It does the job of cleaning up the bottom of the pocket, but isn't cleaning up much of anything from the sides, which is where the main portion of the "swaged" crimp is. A couple quick twists with a neck chamfering tool seems to clean up the pocket's edge enough to seat the primer properly. Without that step, though, it's 50/50 as to whether the primer will seat.....
The best thing I've found for crimped primers is the Lee Depriming die. That thing is tough. Mine has deprimed thousands of crimped .30-06 cases and a huge amount of 5.56 crimped brass.
It has survived the occasional Berdan-primed '06 case. Helps keep my Garand and O3A3 fed.
I think you should at least take a look at it.
Without looking at the Lee, I’m confused. Does it remove the crimp after the primer is pushed out?
I’ve sized/deprimed literally thousands of 5.56 cases without ever losing a pin to a crimped case. The problem is not removing the primer but removing the crimp afterwards so you can reprime it. This is where the Dillon Super swager comes in.
No, it does not remove the crimp but it is robust enough to punch primers out without the decapping pin needing constant replacement.
I've never tried 5.56 on a regular decap setuo, but the milsurp .30-06 cases would break numerous decap pins.
God forbid a Berdan-primed case...
I remove the crimp with a chamfer tool, but enough people talk about the Super-Swager that it's something I might think about, 'specially in auto-eject.
Like I said I’ve never broken a pin on crimped brass and I have been using the Dillon Super Swager for several years.
But I just wondered if I was missing something on the Lee.
Loading crimped brass is not taboo, buy good tools and use them. Most of the LC and especially IMI brass is good brass and you can load better ammo than you can buy, that’s why I’ve reloaded everything I shoot except rim fire. It’s never really been about saving money with rifle ammo anyway.
No, it's just a depriming die, and tough enough to survive a little mishandling, i.e., a Berdan primed case that had slipped in there.
I've had several RCBS pins give up on milsurp .30-06 brass, got the Lee die before I started loading 5.56 in large volume so just use it on both. I haven't had an issue with decap pins since. I've used it on thousands of IMI, CBC, and LC cases in 5.56, and they seem to deprime with a lot less effort than '06s, so I might could get away with using the Redding .223 dies I have
A secondary reason for the die was some of the '06 cases I used to get had corrosive primers, and the salts persisted enough I would wet tumble them to avoid corrosion in some out-of-the -way spots in my Garands. I haven't run into any of those cases in the last few years, most recent batches were LC late enough to be non corrosive.
After the initial deprime/decrimp operations, I go back to a normal f/l die.
No, it's just a depriming die, and tough enough to survive a little mishandling, i.e., a Berdan primed case that had slipped in there.
I've had several RCBS pins give up on milsurp .30-06 brass, got the Lee die before I started loading 5.56 in large volume so just use it on both. I haven't had an issue with decap pins since. I've used it on thousands of IMI, CBC, and LC cases in 5.56, and they seem to deprime with a lot less effort than '06s, so I might could get away with using the Redding .223 dies I have
A secondary reason for the die was some of the '06 cases I used to get had corrosive primers, and the salts persisted enough I would wet tumble them to avoid corrosion in some out-of-the -way spots in my Garands. I haven't run into any of those cases in the last few years, most recent batches were LC late enough to be non corrosive.
After the initial deprime/decrimp operations, I go back to a normal f/l die.
I've not had any issues (thus far) decapping my 5.56 brass with my Redding .223 die - I can feel that it's taking more force to perform the task than your average .223 case, but the decapping pin seems plenty robust enough. I don't feel any "flex" in it or any other indication that it might break/give out. I've never done any crimped military brass for other cartridges, so I can't speak from experience as to whether the crimp on the larger casings is tougher to break through - though I do think i have a bag of 7.62 NATO stashed away somewhere......
Are you referring to the press mounted or bench mounted RCBS swaging tool?
Seen hundreds of posts cussing the press-mounted unit. Had almost purchased such, almost, for a few years before researching. Don't see much negative about the bench tool.
"I can't be canceled, because, I don't give a fuuck!" --- Kid Rock 2022
Are you referring to the press mounted or bench mounted RCBS swaging tool?
Seen hundreds of posts cussing the press-mounted unit. Had almost purchased such, almost, for a few years before researching. Don't see much negative about the bench tool.
The die mounted swager has to be set up properly for it to work. If the swager goes too deep, it binds. If it doesn't go deep enough, it doesn't fully remove the crimp. I used fired primers to test the primer pockets. It took two or three small adjustments, but it was done. I tightened the lock ring and that was that.
Ocassionally, the swager binds slightly, but a light tap on the press handle frees everything. Mine is set for my Rock Chucker. If you use different presses, pick one and always use that for swaging. It saves messing with the depth adjustment.
One of the tricks is to feed the brass into the die with your hand, raise the swager up to it, then in the whole way. You won't pinch your fingers that way.
One of the tricks is to feed the brass into the die with your hand, raise the swager up to it, then in the whole way. You won't pinch your fingers that way.
Are you referring to the press mounted or bench mounted RCBS swaging tool?
Seen hundreds of posts cussing the press-mounted unit. Had almost purchased such, almost, for a few years before researching. Don't see much negative about the bench tool.
The die mounted swager has to be set up properly for it to work. If the swager goes too deep, it binds. If it doesn't go deep enough, it doesn't fully remove the crimp. I used fired primers to test the primer pockets. It took two or three small adjustments, but it was done. I tightened the lock ring and that was that.
Ocassionally, the swager binds slightly, but a light tap on the press handle frees everything. Mine is set for my Rock Chucker. If you use different presses, pick one and always use that for swaging. It saves messing with the depth adjustment.
Steve:
You left out Step 2: ream primer pocket with some cutting tool to remove the brass that the swaging tool didn't, in order to be able to seat new primer.
I've been using this tool for many years and have removed the crimps from thousands of 5.56 and 7.62x51 brass. Never a hiccup. I just finished 1200 5.56 cases.
If I was having problems, and couldn't set up the die so it's at the sweet spot, the first thing I would look at is the swaging head. I would get another from RCBS.
Are you referring to the press mounted or bench mounted RCBS swaging tool?
Seen hundreds of posts cussing the press-mounted unit. Had almost purchased such, almost, for a few years before researching. Don't see much negative about the bench tool.
The die mounted swager has to be set up properly for it to work. If the swager goes too deep, it binds. If it doesn't go deep enough, it doesn't fully remove the crimp. I used fired primers to test the primer pockets. It took two or three small adjustments, but it was done. I tightened the lock ring and that was that.
Ocassionally, the swager binds slightly, but a light tap on the press handle frees everything. Mine is set for my Rock Chucker. If you use different presses, pick one and always use that for swaging. It saves messing with the depth adjustment.
Steve:
You left out Step 2: ream primer pocket with some cutting tool to remove the brass that the swaging tool didn't, in order to be able to seat new primer.
i also have used this tool for years and have never had to use a cutting tool to be able to seat a new primer. the whole premise of swaging is to retain the brass, but move it to a dimension that is able to take the primer. if you are going to use a reamer the swaging is usless.
the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded. Robert E Lee ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
I have the Dillon bench mounted unit and a S1050. They both work better with sorted headstamps, the thickness of the case head web varies some and mixing some headstamps can cause some to be under swaged or bind. I shot HP rifle and needed a lot of cases ready to load so the better tools made sense. Can't compete anymore, probably should sell some stuff in this wonderful covid economy....
Are you referring to the press mounted or bench mounted RCBS swaging tool?
Seen hundreds of posts cussing the press-mounted unit. Had almost purchased such, almost, for a few years before researching. Don't see much negative about the bench tool.
The die mounted swager has to be set up properly for it to work. If the swager goes too deep, it binds. If it doesn't go deep enough, it doesn't fully remove the crimp. I used fired primers to test the primer pockets. It took two or three small adjustments, but it was done. I tightened the lock ring and that was that.
Ocassionally, the swager binds slightly, but a light tap on the press handle frees everything. Mine is set for my Rock Chucker. If you use different presses, pick one and always use that for swaging. It saves messing with the depth adjustment.
Steve:
You left out Step 2: ream primer pocket with some cutting tool to remove the brass that the swaging tool didn't, in order to be able to seat new primer.
i also have used this tool for years and have never had to use a cutting tool to be able to seat a new primer. the whole premise of swaging is to retain the brass, but move it to a dimension that is able to take the primer. if you are going to use a reamer the swaging is usless.
That is a fair summation of my experience using the RCBS tool.
Great discussion. Pretty sure I will be able to pinch fingers in the bench tool also, so it's not a complete loss....
So you're going with the press mounted RCBS or such?
I already, and happily, purchased the RCBS bench tool. At the time I'd have gotten the Dillon, but, availability took me to the RCBS. Although reports here indicate the press mount unit works, I had literally read hundreds of curses of them and cool with the triple cost. LOL
For the apocalypse I have secured a pretty good stash of brass, primers, Speer 50gr SP and 52 gr HP, TAC and Xterminator. Have some long range bullets too. Going to try some Campfire approved generic loads and just KISS. I have 1 in 7, 8 and 9 twists, 223, Wilde and 5.56 chambers so figure hot 223 level loads aught work. Well, it's on my ample list of things to do.
"I can't be canceled, because, I don't give a fuuck!" --- Kid Rock 2022
Are you referring to the press mounted or bench mounted RCBS swaging tool?
Seen hundreds of posts cussing the press-mounted unit. Had almost purchased such, almost, for a few years before researching. Don't see much negative about the bench tool.
The die mounted swager has to be set up properly for it to work. If the swager goes too deep, it binds. If it doesn't go deep enough, it doesn't fully remove the crimp. I used fired primers to test the primer pockets. It took two or three small adjustments, but it was done. I tightened the lock ring and that was that.
Ocassionally, the swager binds slightly, but a light tap on the press handle frees everything. Mine is set for my Rock Chucker. If you use different presses, pick one and always use that for swaging. It saves messing with the depth adjustment.
Steve:
You left out Step 2: ream primer pocket with some cutting tool to remove the brass that the swaging tool didn't, in order to be able to seat new primer.
i also have used this tool for years and have never had to use a cutting tool to be able to seat a new primer. the whole premise of swaging is to retain the brass, but move it to a dimension that is able to take the primer. if you are going to use a reamer the swaging is usless.
That is a fair summation of my experience using the RCBS tool.
I agree, you don't need to remove material with a reamer if you use the RCBS swager. That would be counterproductive. I use the RCBS swager for 308/7.62x51 and 223/556 and it works just fine. No problems with it at all.
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
Dan, I pick up some .44 mag, .30-30, and 7x57 from time to time. Not often, though.
I traded half a ziploc of the .30-30 brass I had for a Publix reusable grocery bag full of "almost new" holsters.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
Yes, as many have commented above. It is slow and tedious and after swaging many of the cases will still need to be chamfered. If you're going to cheap out use a drill and a primer pocket reamer like the Hornady.
I run a Dillon 600 Super Swager and about 1 in 10 cases still wont seat the primer. The primer starts but gets tight and then you cant get the shell out of the hand primer.... Is that because I should be chamfering the primer pockets after I swage them? I was wondering if I didnt have the Dillon set up quite right or if there was another problem. I use CCI Primers.
Oakster, My comments regarding swaging were in reference to the RCBS press mounted swager. It just never quite did the job for me; too slow and not uniform results. I just acquired a Dillon 600 and processed some Lake City brass with it but I haven't had a chance to start reloading any of it yet. I will say that while it is a faster process than swaging with the RCBS unit, it still isn't as fast as reaming and chamfering in one operation with the Hornady reamer chucked into a drilL, like I was using. I did put a slight chamfer on the brass I swaged with the Dillon 600 using an RCBS hand-held deburring tool.
Oakster, My comments regarding swaging were in reference to the RCBS press mounted swager. It just never quite did the job for me; too slow and not uniform results. I just acquired a Dillon 600 and processed some Lake City brass with it but I haven't had a chance to start reloading any of it yet. I will say that while it is a faster process than swaging with the RCBS unit, it still isn't as fast as reaming and chamfering in one operation with the Hornady reamer chucked into a drilL, like I was using. I did put a slight chamfer on the brass I swaged with the Dillon 600 using an RCBS hand-held deburring tool.
Hornady primer pocket reamer
RCBS deburring tool
I hate that Hornady tool - thing has too narrow an insertion angle and it will gouge the pockets. And it is cutting areas that it shouldn't as the crimp is just a little bit of metal at the rim of the pocket. A 5+ flute chamfer tool makes the best cut to remove the crimp without mucking up the body of the primer pocket.
Rcbs swagging tool , three way cutter/ trimmer makes life easy Some bitch and moan , pay .50 plus apiece and still can't find ammo , I collect and load and have several thousand rounds , enough said
My sons bring their friends down to shoot at the farm, and the one thing I require is that I get all the brass. As a result, I've got a steady supply of it. Over the spring, I decided to try a loading of the mixed 5.56 brass, hoping to make blasting ammo for the Mini-14's.
Yikes! It was a chore! I did it on my Hornady LNL AP. I think part of the problem was that my RCBS swager is pretty well done in. I need to replace the mandrels. I've bought the Hornady reamers to try instead.
I didn't read the whole thread but I reload 5.56. I also turn some of it into 300 BO with a chop saw and a jig and also some into 6x45. I recently bought a WFT Worlds Finest Trimmer in 223.I had been trimming it with an RCBS manual trimmer and an electric drill. THE WFT is nothing short of a miracle.I have only trimmed about 150 cases but did it in about 1/3 the time.Here is a link.
I do it because i like it and when i am in my shop i don't get bothered.
This ^^^ I really like my time in the basement reloading ammo. I rarely get bothered.
kwg
For liberals and anarchists, power and control is opium, selling envy is the fastest and easiest way to get it. TRR. American conservative. Never trust a white liberal. Malcom X Current NRA member.
When you shot up to 20K a year of match ammo who could afford that...
Its why we ended up with over 100K rounds of LC brass eventually... and learned how to deal with reloading. Plus it kept us out of trouble doing other things LOL.
I was just thinking again, I cannot recall the last time I fired a factory round. Probably a few years back actually when I bought a used 458 win mag that came with some loaded stuff, so I had to make empty cases to be able to reload good ammo with. Beyond that... might have been in the late 70s.
Other than rimfire and dove and duck loads....
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
Agreed. I wouldn’t bend over to pick up a piece of brass for what some sell it for.
Glad for you that you have more money than sense, if it wasn't for guys like you I wouldn't have the ammo supply I do. No, it don't bother me at all to reload or pick up your brass. But god damn it quit being a cheap ass and stop buying that steel cased crap. Have a nice day. MB
It makes me smile to come home from the range with more brass than I got there with. I will even look through the trash cans sometimes.
You've been filming me.
Lol.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
Dan, I occasionally am able to pick up a little .44 Mag, .30-30, and 7x57. But usually, the guys who are shooting that are picking up their empties themselves.
I traded off a bunch of pristine .30-30 for several nice LH handgun holsters a while back.
Now that I know you look for these, I'll send you some when I come across a good batch.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
LOL, me neither.
OTOH, I got my first .30-06 a couple of years ago, went digging thru my misc. brass stash. Found 48 pieces of PMC I'd picked up at the range a few years back; killed a very nice buck later that year with it.
'Four legs good, two legs baaaad." ---------------------------------------------- "Jimmy, some of it's magic, Some of it's tragic, But I had a good life all the way." (Jimmy Buffett)
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
Dan, I occasionally am able to pick up a little .44 Mag, .30-30, and 7x57. But usually, the guys who are shooting that are picking up their empties themselves.
I traded off a bunch of pristine .30-30 for several nice LH handgun holsters a while back.
Now that I know you look for these, I'll send you some when I come across a good batch.
I will occasionally find and pick up 44 magnum brass. I scored big a couple months ago when a local ammo manufacture was at my range. He said he leaves his starline brass behind for members of the club to pick up. I was all over that 10mm, 357 sig, 300 blackout and yes, even some 44 magnum. It wasn't all starline brass, but was quality once fired stuff....and yes, he left a chidt load of .223 rem brass laying there too, but I didn't touch that stuff..
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
LOL, me neither.
OTOH, I got my first .30-06 a couple of years ago, went digging thru my misc. brass stash. Found 48 pieces of PMC I'd picked up at the range a few years back; killed a very nice buck later that year with it.
At the range last week someone left a box of Nosler 7-08 brass. Picked that up and resized to 243. So now have 20 pieces of Nosler brass. One the best finds ever.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
LOL, me neither.
OTOH, I got my first .30-06 a couple of years ago, went digging thru my misc. brass stash. Found 48 pieces of PMC I'd picked up at the range a few years back; killed a very nice buck later that year with it.
At the range last week someone left a box of Nosler 7-08 brass. Picked that up and resized to 243. So now have 20 pieces of Nosler brass. One the best finds ever.
Keep finding those acorns.
Slaves get what they need. Free men get what they want.
How come peeps don't leave the good stuff on the ground at the range? You know, .44 Mag, .38-55, .30-30, .45-70, 7x57, .250 Savage? Stuff like that. I NEVER see any of that layin' around. -sniff-
One thing nice about living on the border with California, is I see a lot of that stuff laying around...
when I use to go down to So Cal, to visit my folks, had a friend from another site, who'd invite me out to his range, when he was going to go...not only do people not pick up their brass, the range people picked it up.. nice concrete ground instead of out of the dirt.. each time I'd go, I'd come home with several hundred rounds of 6.5 x 55, 7 x 57, 257 Roberts, and plnety of 308, that I neck down to 7/08 or 260 Rem....
those people would laugh at me for doing so... I didn't care... I'm from Oregon, they laugh at ya just for that.. so WTF.. why not..
They come up here also.. last week, I came home with 300 6.5 Creedmoor cases, just having a conversation with some guys visiting for CA.. they were out shooting some sort of bolt action Rambo looking set up... each having those $2500 Vortex scopes that power range was something like 4 to 27.... one of those Razor models..they had a 100 boxes of store bought ammo with them...
they thought I was a pretty good shot, as they started the conversation... they were shooting some of the gongs at 600 meters.. with their scopes set on 27 power... I was hitting the same gongs with mine set on 6 power...
But hey, I live here...I know already were to put the elevation knob...have had plenty of practice...
they just thought I was real good...I picked up their brass.. they thanked me for that.. as they loaded up in their Lexus 460 SUV, and left as the range was closing...
Not all Californians are bad folks...
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez