Swagging Woes

[Jester896]

I just thought I would take a minute to share some recent woes. I knew better but it slipped my mind. I am in the middle of a project with some 6.8SPC. This is Federal XM68GD once fired brass I am working with. They have crimped small primer pockets.

The part I knew better about was... it is a great idea to cut the slag from the flash hole prior to swagging the case. That is the way I did the first 2 batches I did. If you don't do that you compress the slag back into the flash hole when you swag them. It can/will also give you inconsistent swagging results. When you push it back in the flash hole a lot of the time the Lee Case Length Gauge pin will no longer enter the hole. It really isn't a big deal...just frustrating. It doesn't happen to every case but a good bit.

With the shortages and more possible reloading I thought I would share this if you are loading with crimped primer pockets...it take a step or two more...IMO. When I do them out of my normal order it is aggravating...rather than just being a nuisance

rant ova

 

[transfixer]

slowly working my way through some brass I bought a couple years ago, .556 that was already processed, primer pockets were " supposed " to be swaged already, but I have found many that were not, so I'm rechecking every case, 1,000 cases , lol at least they were tumbled with steel pins it appears as the primer pockets are clean.

 

[Jester896]

probably the same inconsistencies I mentioned. You might be able to chuck a deburring tool in a drill press and lightly deburr the pocket the rest of the way. Might want to check to see if the flash hole is smaller. Being cleaned in stainless will let you see in. I cant tell looking from the pocket (not cleaned yet) but it is easy to see through the neck.

we ran into the same thing with some 9mm (5 gal bucket) that had been loaded on a 1050 once already. With the 1050 the swagging die is also the die that bells the case. the old automation equipment was moved to a processing machine... is breaking decapping pins at an alarming rate.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Get a Lee app press and the swage die and it will make that 6.8 brass prep go a lot smoother

 

[Jester896]

Get a Lee app press and the swage die and it will make that 6.8 brass prep go a lot smoother

have you used one..if so...wouldn't it create the same situation I'm dealing with now? If I wasn't using the Lee Case Trimmer the problem would go unnoticed wouldn't it? The flash hole remains closed up. Won't that create firing inconsistencies?

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

have you used one..if so...wouldn't it create the same situation I'm dealing with now? If I wasn't using the Lee Case Trimmer the problem would go unnoticed wouldn't it? The flash hole remains closed up. Won't that create firing inconsistencies?

It's what it use to swage crimped brass, the decapping pin in that set is different, it usually gets the flash hole clean cause it's a pain to get a perfecta 223 case in it because they don't have centered flash holes. Plus the swaging die works off compression and the crud falls out when the die retracts.

 

[Jester896]

I use a Dillon Super Swag 600 now and also have an RCBS Swage Die. Both create the same result.

Some flash holes are drilled and some are stamped. On a stamped case (most Military) the slag created inside the case is pushed back into the flash hole closing off the flash hole from inside. This is going to stop some of the primer flash and make inconsistent rounds. You would need to run something like a Lyman Flash Hole Deburing Tool https://www.lymanproducts.com/flash-hole-uniformer prior to swaging the pocket. It is basically 3 steps...size decap...debur...swage

How does this press system alleviate that issue?

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I use a Dillon Super Swag 600 now and also have an RCBS Swage Die. Both create the same result.

Some flash holes are drilled and some are stamped. On a stamped case (most Military) the slag created inside the case is pushed back into the flash hole closing off the flash hole from inside. This is going to stop some of the primer flash and make inconsistent rounds. You would need to run something like a Lyman Flash Hole Deburing Tool https://www.lymanproducts.com/flash-hole-uniformer prior to swaging the pocket. It is basically 3 steps...size decap...debur...swage

How does this press system alleviate that issue?

The swage is done vertically instead horizontal like a Dillon super swage, the base that does the swage is spring loaded and beveled, it doesn't swage the pocket all the way to the flash hole. Here's what a crimped 6.8 looks like on it, just ignore the rim damage.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Next time you're over the Warwick way drive another 30mins and try it out if you'd like.

 

[Jester896]

Yes Sir, thank you for the offer and I just might.
The RCBS is vertical. I am not sure you are following what I an asking. The issue is on the inside of the case. The decaping pin has already pushed the primer out and the case is swaged. Since I am using the Lee Case Trimmer that goes back through the flash hole...it won't. If I used a collet type case trimmer there would still be the issue of the closed up flash hole from the inside of the case. If I had chosen to simply cut the crimp out with one of the crimp cutting tools this wouldn't be an issue. That takes a great deal of time and my hands cramp for days

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

The decapping pin is different on the app, it also flares the case mouth, my Lee trim die fits no problem after swaging, I'm thought you were talking about junk getting pushed in the flash hole during swaging, are you talking about crud on the other side of the flash hole? The app is the way to go anyway because it's automatic, it has a case feeder and all you do is pull the handle, you still have to decap first of course but the case feeder makes it a breeze.

 

[Jester896]

are you talking about crud on the other side of the flash hole?

yes sir, it swages it back into the primer hole on the inside.
which Lee case trimmer are you using?

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

yes sir, it swages it back into the primer hole on the inside.
which Lee case trimmer are you using?

The one that chucks into a drill

 

[Jester896]

that is the same one I am using

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

The major difference between the rcbs and app is the swage on the app is spring loaded and the depth of the swage is adjustable

 

[Jester896]

So it doesn't compress from inside and outside?

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

The rod presses the case down from the top and the base swages to the depth you set and snaps back on the up stroke, the shellholder is also spring loaded and allows the case to slide out. I can take a video of you want but it'll be of 223 my 6.8 shellholder didn't show up today.

 

[Jester896]

if I don't cut that slag off like on the left case to look like it is in the case on the right case prior to swaging it folds it back over into the flash hole.

The pin on the trim tool will not go back through the flash hole


If it does as good or a better swage than I am getting and don't do that to the case...I would like to see it.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I don't see a closed off flash hole in any of my brass and the case trimmer fits fine, if there was slag like in that picture, the pin in the swage die is as large as the case neck of a 223 more or less, it should push it out of the way and it would get dumped out of the case when the case feeder kicks it out.