OT Reloading Question

[RKrodle]

I recently went over to the dark side and traded into one of them Evil Black Rifles . I've been having a lot of fun and accumulating quite a bit of brass. Most the brass has the crimped primer and there in lays my question. I know I need to remove the crimp but do I use the standard sizing die to remove the primer or do I need to get a dedicated de-caper for this, will the standard (RCBS Small base) dies do the job without breaking the de-caper pin? I've never messed with military brass before.

[3leggedturtle]

I done all three tho last 1m brass i did, used the lee depriming "rod" after that had Lyman Die to put crimp back in place. Also used "chamfer tool with cordless drill to get rid of crimp both worked equally well. Same amount of time with either method. BTW the newer 223 mil bras from 01 to 09 had no primer crimp. Have fun 3leg/ Todd

[jhrosier]

I have used the RCBS primer pocket swage to remove the crimp from milspec brass for many years.
It does require a stout press for best results.
It will swage the pocket to size and form a small radius on the corner to ease seating new primers.


Jack

[AJMD429]

I've used the

• separate Lee Universal Decapping die - http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=136543, and
  the RCBS pocket swager shown above - http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=447022.

Nothing to compare them to other than I did break an RCBS small-base decapping die's pin before I got the Lee Decapper. The Lee Decapper seems indestructible.

Maybe I've been lucky, but some folks manage to break the RCBS swager by setting it up wront; I think the 'Version II' one supposedly gets around that, but I've had no trouble in maybe 1,500 rounds over the years.

[Washita]

I've decapped a lot of .30-06 and .223 cases over the years using just ordinary sizing dies, never had a problem. For removing the crimp, I like the CH primer pocket swage, which I believe is about the same as the RCBS unit. Easy to set up, fast and effective. Available here: http://www.ch4d.com/

I'm curious, though. What BP cartridges use crimped-in primers? Don't think I've ever seen milsurp 45-70's!

[mikld]

I've only done 45 ACP, and .223/5.56. I use normal methods to deprime, Lee Dies and Pacific Dies. I use a 60 degree countersink to remove crimp; a quick twist with the countersink, or a second with the countersink in a cordless screwdriver. Doesn't take much. Swages, pocket formers, special dies, and pocket reamers abound but I'm cheap and use a standard countersink (the one I'm using now is a 4 flute avail. from McMaster Carr Tool supply).

[shooter]

I just use a standard RCBS decapping/sizing die and a Lyman reamer for small primers. Works like a charm. I'm not looking for bench rest accuracy, just decently accurate, cheap plinking ammo, and it does that job nicely.

[RKrodle]

Thanks for the information everyone. I ordered a Lee decapper and a RCBS swagging tool. I think this will get me up and running on the 223. It sure is easy to go through a lot of ammo with these AR's.