What is the easiest and cheapest way to get rid of crimped primer pockets?  Frankly I have been ignoring this issue, but it keeps me from achieving full producttion rate.  It is damaging my decapping pin about every 200 rounds.

Will decapping and reaming fix it.  I have the Lyman reamer, a primer pocket uniformer and a LNL press.  I don't have a single stage, so I would prefer a simple fix vs, the RCS swage tool, but if it is the best. . .

I use a swage tool. Works for me.

The cheapest will not be the easiest.

IMHO…..DON'T USE THIS STYLE OF TOOL..........

www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=364181&t=11082005

Someone once asked: Why Not?

A standard reamer/de-burr tool could be used but, your results will vary greatly.  In my younger days I tried using it but, I encountered problems with getting squared cuts and sometimes over doing it.

Currently, I use these tools......

Large Primer Pocket Size #7777785

www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=682934

Small Primer Pocket Size #7777784

www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=643126  

With, the Lyman Hand tool I've eliminated those problems. It has a safe edge on the bottom.....it won't cut the pocket deeper. The cutter will simply spin, via hand power, cutting off the crimp. It'll leave a slight chamfer to the primer pocket opening. It will correct an undersized pocket and an "out of round" condition, but only to the limits of the tool's cutting edge, under hand power. The main pocket diameter won't be enlarged, unless you force the tool to the sidewalls. And, the cutting edge can be dulled, IF you wanted to do that. It's a "hand tool" and I wouldn't mount it in a drill........but, that's ME.

BTW, my Speer #10 Re-loading manual has a picture of a pocket knife being used to cut a military crimp out (page 71).

And, for commercial cases, IF needed, the Lyman hand tool will also slightly "chamfer" the primer pocket opening that has that "sharp edge." And, while it's in there.....IF, the primer pocket is too small, it'll do it's magic for that problem, too. Then again, sometimes just changing your brand of primer can work.

Perhaps, using the wrong tool and/or other mis-useage of a hand de-crimp reamer, may be the reason why, some people are so anti-reamer?

You know the saying about using the right tool for the job?

Well, IMHO......the right tool, is the one specially made for the job of addressing the crimp. In this case, I use a Lyman Hand military de-crimp reamer tool.

Not to mention that, the learning curve is so short. Just insert the tool into the primer pocket, twist, remove the tool and it’s done.  It’s the sort of a mindless operation, that I can do while watching T.V.

IF, you choose the swage method (Dillon $94.95).........so be it.

YMWV.

Aloha, Mark

+1 One time I was at a place of business and they had a sign on the wall, it said:

Here we have 3 types of service and you can only pick 2,
We have Cheap, Fast, and Good Service
You can have Fast, Good Service but it won't be cheap,
You can have Cheap, Fast Service but it won't be good,
Or You can have Cheap, Good Service but it won't be fast.

I believe that is true for almost everything. You can have a fast method of removing them but it won't be cheap (swaging tool, Dillon is the fastest) Or, you can have a cheap way, but it won't be fast. Take your pick.

Lots of good info.  For me the cheapest is using what I have.  I have the Lyman reamers, so I will use them, I guess.  Can I use these under power?  It looks like they have a safe bottom.

Before, I was just decapping with my FL die and priming the cases.  It works ok, I had about 1% which the primer would not go back in, so I decided rather than buy a stronger die, maybe I need to figure out how to correct the primer pockets.  I just don't like adding all that time to the process of reloading 5.56, so I thought I would see if there was a better way like brand XYZ FL die will be strong enough to decapp crimped primers and then just ignore the crimp.

BTW. . .I am using Win silver primers for another 100, then switching to CCI SR regular type.

Are you breaking decapping pins? If not, then what is the concern? If you can get a primer in without crushing it, there shouldn't ever be a problem getting it back out. If the primers are going in fine I wouldn't touch anything.

i took the bit out of the Lyman and put it in my drill. its faster, but you have to be careful to not ruin the pocket

Removing primer crimp is covered in this Link,which is from the top of the page under Tutorials.

The method used in the tutorial is exactly what I do.

Good luck

I use the RCBS swager.. Works good.

I guess I'm going to try the reamer method.  Picked one up at Bass Pro for just under $10.  I've heard people say they chuck them in a cordless drill to do it faster, but I can't figure out how to get the reamer out of the handle.