I've begun reloading, and I have quite a bit of Lake City brass, which I've cleaned, deprimed, and cleaned the primer pockets out.

 

However, I'm not sure if I decrimped them or not, I really don't see any crimps in the primer pocket. I was wondering if anyone had a photo of what the crimps look like, so I can be sure I have them out, and how to remove them. I used a Lee primer Pocket cleaner, and they appear to be smooth on the inside, but I want to make sure before I reprime them, since I know that can set a primer off in one's hand, something I want to avoid.

you seriously haven't typed "crimped brass" into google image search? Or better yet crimped primer pocket? There's plenty of pictures out there of what they look like.

 

if it is lake city, the only way to NOT have crimped pockets is if you got new unprimed surplus. If they have been reloaded previously, someone already took the crimp out.

 

You either need a swager, or a primer pocket reamer. Reamers are MUCH cheaper than a crap swager, and way more than a good swager. The hornady one with the aluminum handle is sharp and not too expensive. Some guys get buy taking the crimp off with an inside neck chamfer tool. Lots of reloaders get all pissy about that and tell you it is wrong. However the rcbs reamers look just like VLD chamfer tools with the point taken off the end so. Some folks use drills. The keepers of the one true way have apoplexy over that, but reality is a cutting tool is a cutting tool. The main problem with them is keeping from tilting the bit, but that's an issue to more or less of a degree with all the reamers too.

This is a ring crimp, probably what you have. Must be reamed or swaged. Swaged is prefered but reaming is easier. Will make no diference in feel with a pocket cleaner.

I use the inside neck chamfer tool. A couple of twists and it's good to go. You don't need to remove much.

I use the inside neck chamfer tool. A couple of twists and it's good to go. You don't need to remove much.

 

 

Excellent, that's what I have, I wasn't sure if I had to remove the entire ring there or not.

 

and Glenn P thanks for the picture, I looked on google, but I wasn't exactly sure what part was the crimp or not. Actually, I didn't even notice the rings, glad you pointed that out, thank you!

Some companies make nice Swagers, but they cost like 100 bucks, they do make easy work of it though. Dillon makes one. A 10 dollar chamfer tool is cheap but a PITA in comparison, and not as accurate depending on what your trying to do it can make a big difference. The problem with shelling out the 100 bucks for a swager, is that it will barely get used. Once your brass is de-crimed, that's it.

If you do your rifle reloading on a single stage press you can get a primer pocket sweging die from RCBS. I dont know if they would work in a prgressive press or not. Its a little difficult to use at first but it does a nice job. I think the set is $30 or so and includes both small and large rifle dies.

Ken

If you do your rifle reloading on a single stage press you can get a primer pocket sweging die from RCBS. I dont know if they would work in a prgressive press or not. Its a little difficult to use at first but it does a nice job. I think the set is $30 or so and includes both small and large rifle dies.

Ken

 

They do not work in a progressive. Read the reviews on midway for any of them. They aren't worth it. You either she'll out the cash for the dillon, or the new Rcbs/redding (one of the green guys) knock off of the dillon, or you go the reamer route.

I used the campher, and most of them were fine, but I've had two primers get stuck, and not go in, which is prompting me to go back and decrimp all my shells again. Perhaps I'm just being a little too sheepish...

 

...You read those reloading manuals, and they damn near scare you out of pursuing it lol.

I used the campher, and most of them were fine, but I've had two primers get stuck, and not go in, which is prompting me to go back and decrimp all my shells again. Perhaps I'm just being a little too sheepish...

 

...You read those reloading manuals, and they damn near scare you out of pursuing it lol.

That is all due to the lawsuit lifestyle so many people are used to. Remember, you need to protect the stupid so they can be free to breed and continue their blood lines.

Whatever hapened to survival of the fittest anyway......

Just dont overload something and you will be fine.

Ken