I think I messed up 300 cases

[wallacem]

I swaged 300 LC .556 cases with my Dillon Swager. I had not tightened it in a long time so I thought it might be good to adjust it a little more to make sure I am swaging it enough. I think big mistake. Went to prime them and noticed the first case, the primer won't go in far enough. sticks up just a bit. Couldn't make it go down. Tried a half dozen more and same problem. I am assuming I crushed the primer pocket just a little bit. Is there any way to reverse this problem? I can't see how to. I think I just made 300 junk cases. Wallacem

 

[97 winchester]

I am not familiar with the Dillon swager. But I would just try to set it with a case the way it is meant to be and try part of the 300 again. I cannot see how you could have ruined the cases with the swager.

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Pics?

 

[medium187mph]

Seems to be a common issue topic with over doing it ruining brass. Doesn’t seem to be a fix either.

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

Take your swaging tool and put into tjre primer pocket apply some pressure and turn the sawger back and forth 5-10 times an try that sometimes there is material in an angle and it has to be cut a small amout.

We have experienced this over the years several times,

Just a simple suggestion to consider....

 

[deathbeforehonor]

I swaged 300 LC .556 cases with my Dillon Swager. I had not tightened it in a long time so I thought it might be good to adjust it a little more to make sure I am swaging it enough. I think big mistake. Went to prime them and noticed the first case, the primer won't go in far enough. sticks up just a bit. Couldn't make it go down. Tried a half dozen more and same problem. I am assuming I crushed the primer pocket just a little bit. Is there any way to reverse this problem? I can't see how to. I think I just made 300 junk cases. Wallacem

I get what you're saying, I haven't experienced this issue.. But I got to thinking and all I could come up with is..
Use a case gauge, place the shallow primer pocket brass in there on a hard surface neck down, pocket up..
You're going to need a 3/16" steel rod ($6/48" Home depot) Cut to 6 or so inches "turned down" (chucked up in a drill and sanded to ~.170".. Small rifle primers are ~.175"
After getting the rod to proper diameter, make sure the end is flat/square..
Hold rod in the primer pocket and give it a couple taps with a hammer.
Try seating some spent primers, repeat until proper seating depth is attained
You might be able to scribe a line on the rod to know when the pockets deep enough.
A nail head punch or metal pin punch might also work, you just don't want the punch opening up or swaging the pockets anymore..

It might work, or it might not be worth the time, money, and trouble. I rescue all of the brass I can.. Something about me believes everything in Life deserves a second and third shot. But I've also ruined 4gal. of .223/5.56 brass by over swaging it, before I had a swage gauge and knew any better. I wouldn't get too upset about it.. Heck you could spend the $6 on some screw in Eye hooks, spray paint some bullets. Make some Christmas ornaments or key chains

 

[wallacem]

Yeah I understand your idea and it probably might work, but as you mentioned, it will be more time and effort than it is worth. I have more brass than I will ever need anyway. Thanks for your idea and all others above. Wallacem

 

[Mk319]

I have ran into a few cases that when deprimed only the end came off leaving a ring of old primer stuck in the primer pocket, causing exactly what you described.

 

[CRCOLLECTOR]

You need a primer gauge to verify that the crimp was removed and a primer will seat. There is a chance you have not completely removed the crimp and the brass is still good. https://www.amazon.com/Burstfire-Primer-Pocket-Gauge-Reloading/dp/B0B545ZQ6C?th=1

 

[wallacem]

Appreciate your thought but no, the primer is going in about 95% of the way. Crimp is well removed.