Primer pocket swagers

This could work

Donald said:
There was an article or part of an article in PS in the last year that addressed this issue. The writer was using part of a 22-250 die cut off to push a 6ppc case thru it to squeeze the web area down a bit. Don't remember the issue, but could probably find it.

Donald
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I just remembered I have a .308 die I cut off which may work. I will try it or, go measure it to see if it isthe right size ;).
 
Pete: Back in my pre-BR days, I had a 220 Swift that I used for Winter fox hunting. At that time, about the only decent quality commercial brass available was from Norma but they were very hard to find. The gun shot great with the Norma brass, but the primer pockets would rattle loose in about 3-4 firings. I got a 6PPC small base die, cut it off about .250 from the bottom, then ran the cases through this 'ring die' to hopefully decrease the diameter of the web area and tighten up the primer pocket. It did, in fact, do just that. But the gun shot worse with cases done this way...the case fit in the chamber was pretty sloppy.

After being fired once, the gun shot fine with these f-formed cases. Until the pockets loosened up again after about 3 firings. Then I'd repeat the process. As I only had 50 cases, this really sucked.

Tired of doing that, I ended up lightly peening the outside of the primer pocket with a hardened steel round 'punch' that was .025 larger in diameter than the primer pocket diameter. This small amout of peening was barely visible to the eye....just a small ring around the primer pocket....but the primers never loosened up again in those cases.

I leaned on that Swift just a bit......:eek: ;)
 
Pete...not saying this is an end all for your issues, but it's something easy to try. Mark the outside cup of a new primer with a black Sharpie, then carefully seat it, decap it and look at how much of the marking is actually scrapped away, you'll have a better idea how the outside of the cup actually contacts the o.d. of the primer pocket. ;) Don't use layout fluids that have a thickness, for obvious reasons.

Dirt Clod Engineering at it's worst......:D
 
good idea...

Al.. Howdidhold the .220 brass to use the punch....were they in a die of some sort....culd we fabricate a ram with a punch incorperated in it to push the cases through such a "ing die"...???? just kinda thinking out loud!! What do you think...Roger
 
I'll let Al speak for himself

expiper said:
Al.. Howdidhold the .220 brass to use the punch....were they in a die of some sort....culd we fabricate a ram with a punch incorperated in it to push the cases through such a "ing die"...???? just kinda thinking out loud!! What do you think...Roger
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but the tool I bought from Hart came with an Anvil which is a rod standing in a base which I think is just a piece of steel plate with a hole drilled half way through it the rod plugs in to. I made one like it to remove RF cases from a 22-250/ rf adapter. Works good, the one for the adapter but the Hart anvil is too soft and will compress and flatten out sideways. I was gonna say peen but Webster didn't convince me it was a proper use of the word :rolleyes:
 
expiper said:
Al.. How did hold the .220 brass to use the punch....were they in a die of some sort...Roger
Click to expand...

Roger, the way the case was held was just as crude. A 6" piece of .250 steel rod was used and about 3" was polished down until it just fit inside the neck of a fired case. The rod was clamped into a bench vise (pointing up) and the case was dropped over it. The inside of the case head was supported by being against the top of the rod and the case stayed stable on the rod because of the fit of the neck over the rod.

Basically, the rod served the same purpose as the anvil in the Hart tool. We don't use words like "anvil" out here, 'cuz folks get suspicious if'n 'ya talk that ways, dontcha know? :eek: So, it's just a "hunk of rod"........

All that was missing for a true South Dakota Engineering Marvel was a piece (hunk) of baling wire and some twine.....:eek: :D
 
Pete Wass
I said exactly what you just said about the Hart Tool and the RCBS Tool and it upset the boys from North Carolina and Hawks Ridge to no end.
Glad your results and mine were identical.I was starting to think things on the eastcoast worked differently than out west.

CH4D makes a 50 caliber bullet swager for fixing pulled bullets that measures 0.5095 and comes with a ram.If you call them they will make you one any size you want and its not a piece of junk.

With our bullet sizing dies, you can size a bullet down a few thousandths or use a series of dies to really shrink it down. They work best if you step the bullet down .004" at a time. Available in any diameter, but they are made as needed so please allow 8-12 weeks for delivery. Price is for any diameter that will fit on a 7/8-14 die. Please call for quote on anything larger.



Part # Description Price

BSDXXX Bullet Sizing Die 7/8-14 - XXX = finished bullet diameter $ 62.32
BSD5095 Bullet sizing die, 50 BMG, 1 1/4-12 thread $ 113.40
BSD5095-2 Bullet sizing die, 50 BMG, 1 1/2-12 thread $ 113.40

Waterboy
 
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Thanks Lynn

Appreciate the research. I don't think I want to spend that much to save the few cases that crop up.

Interesting how some folks like that Skunk Meat, ain't it? One's man's meat is another man's posion I have heard. ( regarding those junky tools ).

I made a discovery of sorts I think . I pulled the Hart unit out to look it over and discovered that the large primer "shrinker" was about the right size to do the operation Al discribes. A nice feature of the Hart tool is it uses a small decapping pin to center everything up. I also learned the pockets were pushed back thus causing them to open up. By hammering or punching them forward, the hole closed up some. Perhaps an anvil with a dished out face might provide a space for the pocket to move forward when it is punched. Worf a try with a piece of round stock. Clamping it in a vice is a marvelous idea. Solves a couple more problems :). This may be why some fink the RCBS tool works. It has a dished out anvil and may push the pocket forward into it. I have not had a great deal of luck wih it, however.
 
'Morning, Pete.

If the floor of the primer pocket is ballooned foward, you could try standing the case up on a nice, flat piece of thick alum. or steel and giving the case floor a good whack with a hunk ;) of rod. That may take the dish out enough to tighten things up. Or not.

I don't do any primer pocket uniforming before firing new cases for that very reason. Even with Lapua cases, the pocket moves around in those first few firings.

My 2 cents worth....... -Al
 
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