chamfer tool or pocket reamer to clean military primer pockets

[s-works]

I have a chamfer tool that came with the Hornady cse prep trio and it works okay but would a reamer work better to clean the primer pocket out?

 

[BGDave]

I have always had trouble reaming without egging the primer pockets. Used to use an RCBS primer pocket swag tool. Many mashed fingers later I bought a Dillon super swag. The RCBS will work well if you are doing small lots though.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I have been using a chamfer tool on mine. I'm going to order a Lyman reamer tool and try it.

 

[Electronrider]

I went with a super swage. I like the idea of reforming the brass back into a primer pocket shape, rather that cutting a bevel in the primer pocket. Swaging also uniforms the primer pocket. Besides that, it gave me another peice of blue equipment on the bench lolz.

 

[Broom_jm]

The fastest, easiest, cheapest way to do this is with a simple counter-sink bit, like you would use for wood or metal-working. You chuck it up in your cordless drill, which you set on a counter, press the button with your thumb and use your other hand to hold the primer pocket of the case up to the slowly spinning bit. Be cautious with the first 5 or 10 and you'll quickly learn how much pressure to apply, and for how long, to cut away enough of the crimp to allow the next primer to go in easily.

It takes almost as long to explain this as it does to do it. With the first few, cut away a little material and try to seat a primer. If it doesn't go in like you would expect from a commercial case, stop and trim a little more, then try again. Before you know it, you'll have it down to a science. The thing about using this process is that it is faster than ANY other method, bar none, and with military primer pockets usually being pretty darn snug, you don't have to worry about loose pockets.

I processed over 400 '06 and 308 cases this way and it was CAKE!

 

[ckcollins2003]

I have a chamfer tool that came with the Hornady cse prep trio and it works okay but would a reamer work better to clean the primer pocket out?

My first question is, are you wanting to remove a military crimp, or actually CLEAN the primer pocket? There are actual primer pocket cleaner tools to remove the dirt and grime from the primer pocket, then there are reamers and swages to remove crimps.

So before taking everyones advice by using a drill and what not, you need to know which you are wanting to do. A drill bit isn't the best way to CLEAN your primer pocket, but it will work to remove a crimp.

 

[Broom_jm]

Actually a primer pocket reamer, or uniforming tool, is meant to cut the internal dimensions of the primer pocket, making them square and, well..."uniform".

A chamfer tool, or counter-sink bit, is only going to cut away a beveled section of brass at the very top of the primer pocket...it won't touch the sides or bottom like a reamer will.

 

[s-works]

My first question is, are you wanting to remove a military crimp, or actually CLEAN the primer pocket? There are actual primer pocket cleaner tools to remove the dirt and grime from the primer pocket, then there are reamers and swages to remove crimps.

The goal is to remove the crimp with the chamfer tool

 

[ckcollins2003]

Actually a primer pocket reamer, or uniforming tool, is meant to cut the internal dimensions of the primer pocket, making them square and, well..."uniform".

A chamfer tool, or counter-sink bit, is only going to cut away a beveled section of brass at the very top of the primer pocket...it won't touch the sides or bottom like a reamer will.

See when I think of a chamfer tool I think of my little rocket looking chamfer/debur tool used to chamfer the case neck . For my first batch of .308 I used Lake City brass. Couldn't for the life of me figure out why I couldn't get a primer to go in. Then my friend told me they were crimped and he would "ream" them for me. So for me, the answer is a reamer because that's the only way I know.

The goal is to remove the crimp with the chamfer tool

Makes much more sense to me now. Because if you were going to use a reamer just to clean the primer pocket I was gonna say you were nuts!

 

[Broom_jm]

Yep, you use the chamfer end of your dual-purpose tool to cut away the rim created by the military crimp on the primer pocket. If your buddy said he would "ream" them for ya, he may have meant swage or chamfer, but the tool used for truly reaming a primer pocket will not do much, if anything, to remove a crimp.

I take that back: I believe there IS a tool that does both, now that I think about it!

 

[ckcollins2003]

Well hell I wish I knew before that you could use that chamfer tool to do that. Thanks for the tip! I thought you had to have a primer pocket reamer.