Hi all,

When I use to use a single stage press, I use to clean, deprime/resize and then deburr/chamfer and clean the primer pockets. With the Progressive press, do I cleaned my brass with the spent primers in the cases and then deburr/chamfer before reloading with the Hornady LnL AP?
I have my AP set up for:
1) Deprime/Size
Prime
2) Charge/Expand
3) Powder Check (Powder Cop)
4) Seat
5) Crimp

Do I not need to worry about cleaning the primer pockets anymore? Do you Progressive Press users, ream primer pockets at all?

Only if using Milltary casing for the frist time.

I have been loading handgun ammo on a Star Loader since @1968.

I still have some 45 ACP cases dated from the 1950's and a bunch dated from the 1960's. They have been reloaded a BUNCH of times, the primer pockets have never been cleaned, and they have never been trimmed.
I have never had a malfunction because of this.
Same for the 44 mag cases I have loaded on the progressive since 1970.

That being said, I do clean the primer pockets and trim the rifle brass I load on a regular press.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
I have been loading handgun ammo on a Star Loader since @1968.

I still have some 45 ACP cases dated from the 1950's and a bunch dated from the 1960's. They have been reloaded a BUNCH of times, the primer pockets have never been cleaned, and they have never been trimmed.

I have never had a malfunction because of this.
Same for the 44 mag cases I have loaded on the progressive since 1970.

That being said, I do clean the primer pockets and trim the rifle brass I load on a regular press.

I gather they weren't ever "crimped" primer pockets?

I've reamed an awfully lot of crimped primer pockets for the simple reason I couldn't seat new primers if I didn't either ream the pockets in those cases or swage them to get rid of the crimp.

Must have become a habit. Now I still clean all the primer pockets of my brass before reloading the cases. Oh well, I guess it gives me something to do to keep me out of trouble....at least part of the time

A.C. Please explain the "swaging" process of the primer pocket; ie. what make of tool etc.
I have some p-pockets still giving me trouble after reaming with pocket reamer on mil brass.
I guess the reamer is undersized/faulty.

i do both swaging and reaming. of the 2 i prefer reaming. I use a carbide ball nose burr of the right size in a drill press. If i'm running military cases through a progressive i always make sure that there are no crimped cases in the lot. makes a mess out of the loading sequence

quote:

Originally posted by Rae59:
A.C. Please explain the "swaging" process of the primer pocket; ie. what make of tool etc.
I have some p-pockets still giving me trouble after reaming with pocket reamer on mil brass.
I guess the reamer is undersized/faulty.

Swaging is the process of moving material without removing any material. RCBS and others make primer pocket swaging tools. They are a small primer sized projection that has a fillet at the base so when inserted into the primer pocket the fillet contacts the brass and forms a radius to the edge of the primer pocket. Does that make sense?
http://www.grafs.com/retail/ca...oduct/productId/3086

Yes it does blacktailer, thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Rae59:
A.C. Please explain the "swaging" process of the primer pocket; ie. what make of tool etc.
I have some p-pockets still giving me trouble after reaming with pocket reamer on mil brass.
I guess the reamer is undersized/faulty.

Sorry Rae, didn't mean to ignore your inquiry; just hadn't seen it 'til just now.

Swaging primer pockets is done principally by forcing a very hard "button" or other tool which is the exact reverse of the shape you want to end up with into the primer pocket of your brass. That can be done either in a loading press, or in a special press which is part of the swager....it depends on the make of the tool.

The "buttons are very slightly larger than the normal crimped primer pocket, and have well radiused edges. So, after applying the swaging button to the primer pockets, you have no sharp edges on or in the primer pockets for the primers to hang up on and the diameter of the pockets is increased a very, very, small amount so that primers fit into them more easily wthout being loose.

For mine I much prefer the Dillon swaging tool. I have owned several others by makers such as Saeco, Lachmiller, and RCBS, but the Dillon has worked by far the best for me. (It also costs about three times as much or more, unfortunately.) It is part and parcel of its own special press (not a case "sizing" press) which has great leverage and comes with an L-shaped pair of "buttons" on arms about 2" or slightly longer. That way one just swivels up the other leg of the button assembly to change from small primer pockets to large primer pockets, and vice-versa. It also has adjustable swedging depth, so you can re-make your primer pockets to be as deep as you may wish. Makes it very handy if you want to swedge both .223 and .30-06 brass with military crimps.

The main reason I prefer swedging (swaging) primer pockets to reaming them is that with some of the older reamers, such as the Lyman hand-held ones, it was very easy to overdo the reaming and end up with primer pockets so loose as to make the brass essentially useless.