Crimp removal and other advice needed

[Just a hunter]

Okay, I have acquired a good amount of once fired 223/5.56 brass and need to remove the crimp from a large majority of it. I have a Dillon,750 and purchased the Swage It to use but do not like how much strain it seems to put on the shell plate and how it jostles the press as much as it does. I have tried the RCBS "die" that fits in my single stage Rebel but it took is pretty difficult to get the case to release sometimes, I have to hit the handle up to get the case to release. That gets loud and my hand begins to feel it after a while. The reamers and cutters wear my hands out trying to hold the little cases and apply pressure to them while I am trying to cut/team out the crimp. I know there are several options and they range in price. The easiest for me has been running them through the 750 but like I said, it doesn't seem like it would be a good option long term for my press and shell plate. Would the CP2000 or RL1100 be better suited for this since they have the option from Dillon? The tool for my 750 is aftermarket and Dillon doesn't recommend it, matter of fact it voids the warranty they say. I guess if the 2000 or 1100 are the two best options, would you think it would be better to spend a little more and get the 1100 or just stick with the 2000 and use it strictly for prep? Maybe add the trimmer too? Long post I know but I am trying to get it all out there the first time. My hands and fingers are the biggest problem for me, they hurt, cramp and go numb while trimming, primer pocket work and other things along those lines. Trying to save time and pain. Thank you for your help and input!

 

[Oak_Leaf]

I use the RCBS. If I had to do it again, I would find another way. That said, I cut a piece of cleaning patch off and put case lube on it and lube the swaging button each case. PITA, but better the slamming the press handle. Thank goodness I only have the swage once.

 

[Just a hunter]

I use the RCBS. If I had to do it again, I would find another way. That said, I cut a piece of cleaning patch off and put case lube on it and lube the swaging button each case. PITA, but better the slamming the press handle. Thank goodness I only have the swage once.

How about primer pocket uniforming? I know lots of people say that is a waste on brass for any discipline especially AR-15 shooting. However, I am not lots of people, I am me and I prep all my brass the same, regardless of discipline. I have a Sinclair uniformer clamped up in my handheld drill right now running some brass over it and my index finger and thumb are worn out. Any suggestions for that? Other than, don't do it.

 

[Oak_Leaf]

How about primer pocket uniforming

Totally up to you and your goals. Me personally, I just debur the flash holes and shoot it. But, I am not looking to squeeze every ounce of accuracy out either. If I have a problem seating a primer, or if a round doesn't play well with the group, I'll separate those cases and check them on the next loading.

 

[Just a hunter]

Totally up to you and your goals. Me personally, I just debur the flash holes and shoot it. But, I am not looking to squeeze every ounce of accuracy out either. If I have a problem seating a primer, or if a round doesn't play well with the group, I'll separate those cases and check them on the next loading.

I'm going to uniform them, my question is more along the lines of, is there a good way to hold the cases so they don't hurt so bad? Is there a tool holder or something that will hold the case while I uniform them instead of my finger and thumb?

 

[Ckgworks]

I use the Dillon 600 super swage......it's a totally separate process, but it works extremely well. I've used it on 223, 308 and 30-06 military brass. It's easy enough that I can even put the boys running it.

 

[Oak_Leaf]

I wish I had spent the money on the Dillon. I would happily drop an extra $100 to not have to repeat that misery. I did over 1500 cases.

 

[Just a hunter]

Let me ask this, would it be worth the money to buy the CP 2000 or RL 1100 and the motorized trimmer? It's a lot of money but I could deprime, size, swage and trim on one machine. There's probably more I could do but at least those things. If I got the 1100 I could get two tool heads, one for prep and one for priming, flaring, powder drop, bullet drop, seat and crimp. Am I right? Then the only thing I have to figure out is how to deal with the tedious work, primer pocket uniforming/cleaning, flash hole deburr etc. Right?

 

[Oak_Leaf]

is there a good way to hold the cases so they don't hurt so bad?

You're gonna laugh, but those latex palmed gloves work great for that kind of stuff. I do tree work and landscaping, and I keep boxes of those gloves around. Just bought 2 more 10 packs today at Costco. You will rarely see me without them, except if Im running ropes. I climb with them though. Not the nitrile palm, they disintegrate quickly.

 

[Just a hunter]

I'll check them out, I'm not going to laugh at anyone trying to help me.

 

[Ckgworks]

I'm not up to speed on the model numbers, but for 223 I run one head with a small base sizer and electric trimmer (which is SWEET). I have a lyman prep center which I clean primer pockets and debur before they hit the polisher. My second head has a no sizer die and I run the rest normal. I typically wait until I have a large pile of brass and just buckle down and prep it all in one go for the year. I do have a small quantity of quality brass for one certain rifle that I handle totally separate. For gloves I have a box of extra heavy latex gloves I wear but I do go through them. I guess I wear them more for keeping clean. I'm lucky with the boys we can make a team sport out of it and switch up positions once in awhile.

 

[Just a hunter]

I can get the trimmer and another tool head for my 750 to do trimming. However, I am still stuck with the swaging problem. Gosh how I wish I was rich.

 

[Stevenstl86]

I have done thousands of cases with a rcbs reamer hooked to pneumatic drill in a vise and a foot pedal. Way faster than the Dillon Swager.

 

[Laelkhunter]

RCBS is what I use. Agreed it is a major PITA, but only needed once on each case. If you use a chamfer tool (the one designed to chamfer the mouth of the case), you could remove too much metal from the primer pocket and cut too deep. If you do that, the primer could not be fully supported (on the side of the primer pocket), which could lead to blown primers and bigger problems. Use a tool designed to remove the crimp (RCBS or Dillon).