RCBS Reloader

[Whoneedsafety?]

Hello,
First I must proclaim that I'm a reloading weirdo. I'm not sure if it's something I picked up while enlisted. But, it really bugs me to mix brands of reloading equipment. I will only use RCBs stuff, I do have a few Lee dies (that I won't use) .

Maybe it's that I miss being a Staff Sergeant or leading Marines. So I've recently started buying Lake City 5.56 brass (I hope to buy a bolt action .223). I know I need to buy a special tool to remove crimped primers, a swage tool, and a primer pocket uniformer. Is there anything I'm missing?

More importantly is there somewhere I could send 300 brass to be processed? I can't justify investing the money in equipment I'll only use once or twice. It's not like dies that I would use regularly.


*I attached two pictures taken at Murrieta City Hall today.
There is a flag for each service member KIA in OIF & OEF

[curisu]

You *can* hand-swage crimped brass - I just ran 20 by hand to test.

I used the chamfer side of a debur/chamfer tool, hand twisting until the crimp was gone and i had a nice bevel that matched my commercial brass.

It's a PITA and slow, but if you're only going to do 300 or so, put a good TV show on and go to town. It'll save you a $100 or more.

Other folks here may recommend using a philips bit chucked into a drill - that'll probably work just fine as long as it's good steel; faster too

If you plan on doing lots of range pickup, the savings in time getting a dillon or similar will pay itself back quickly.

my $0.02.
chris

[thomashoward]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/643126/lyman-primer-pocket-reamer-tool-small

[ireload]

You also use the 1/2" countersink bit you can get from Home Depot. Chuck it into your drill and set at low speed. Faster than hand but be careful not to take out too much material. Do some test run to get the feel and check by inserting a "fired" primer.

I use to use that method by have since switched over to RCBS swager.

The swager (crimp remover), primer pocket uniformer, also a primer hole deburr are good tools to have in order to get a more consistent brass when processing. All there are not the expensive.

[ar15barrels]

I know I need to buy a special tool to remove crimped primers, a swage tool, and a primer pocket uniformer. Is there anything I'm missing?

You do NOT need a special tool.
Your regular sizing die will push the crimped-in primers out of the cases.
Then you only need to be concerned with getting rid of the crimps on the primer pocket to make it easier to put new primers in the cases.

If you already have an rcbs case mouth chamfer and deburring tool, they work great to cut away primer pocket crimps too.
A primer pocket uniformer is more of a benchrest brass prep tool and is actually not intended as a tool to remove primer crimps.

[b.faust]

I know you said you were all RCBS, 90% of my gear is too, but after reading a lot of people on the board here talk about it, I ended up buying one of these:

Super Swage 600

I got about 1200 LC .223 brass from a buddy, and over 600 .308 LC (all crimped)
This thing just flies through them.

RCBS came out with their own version, but I know nothing about it.

[BigBronco]

I use this.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/447022/rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo

Slower but works for me.

[ExtremeX]

I know you said you were all RCBS, 90% of my gear is too, but after reading a lot of people on the board here talk about it, I ended up buying one of these:

Super Swage 600

I got about 1200 LC .223 brass from a buddy, and over 600 .308 LC (all crimped)
This thing just flies through them.

RCBS came out with their own version, but I know nothing about it.

I use the RCBS Dedicated Bench Mounted swaging tool... works great, and a little cheaper.

The Dillon does have the perk of using the DIY rubber band mod tho, which is a plus.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

I use the dillon super swage. Its a good tool but perhaps a bit "spendy" at $100...

[ExtremeX]

RCBS or Dillon dedicated bench tool was worth it even if it was “spendy”…

Aside from preferring to swage vs cut, I didn’t have to tie up a press for swaging and it doesn’t make a mess from cutting which is nice.

I put my girl on the swaging tool and as FL sized brass comes out of my press she swages them.

[Eargasm]

I use this.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/447022/rcbs-primer-pocket-swager-combo

Slower but works for me.

I use that too.

According to Midway, it's been discontinued by the manufacturer.

[Revoman]

Just want to thank you for your service.

[Whoneedsafety?]

Thanks Revoman.

I'm proud of having had the honor to lead Marines.

Thanks to everyone who contributed advice. The drill method is cool, but knowing me I'll wind up with loose primer pockets. I do own a chamfer and debur tool. This may make sense for a few rounds. I guess I'll invest in the dillon swage tool. Apparently the vertical handle op is better than RCBS horizontal op.

I was told that a decapping die will not remove military primers and if I try that I will break the pin. Is this not true?

[Bill Steele]

...I was told that a decapping die will not remove military primers and if I try that I will break the pin. Is this not true?

I have never broken a pin decapping crimped primers, YMMV.

I use the RCBS swage die in my SS press, it works fine but is slower than a Dillon Super Swage. I wouldn't want to have to decap a 1000 cases with my on press swager.

[ar15barrels]

I was told that a decapping die will not remove military primers and if I try that I will break the pin. Is this not true?

That is not true.

However, there are two different types of cases and primers.
"Boxer" primed cases will have 1 flash hole centered in the case.
That is the brass that everyone reloads.
The other type of cases and primers are "Berdan".
Those are the ones with two or three tiny flash holes.
You want to inspect/sort your brass to get rid of all the berdan primed stuff because those will break decapping pins in most dies.
There are special methods to deal with berdan primed cases, but they are generally not used unless the only source if brass still obtainable is all berdan primed...