I bought a primer pocket swager from ch4d about a week ago and it arrived today. So far I've followed the directions included with the box but have managed to f@$* up every case I stick in the die.

Anyone out there have any experience with one?

how are you messing it up? it's fairly straightforward...

are you over swaging? not centered?

Sure it looks easy in the video, that's why I bought it!

I'm definitely over swaging. It's ripping the rim on the case. I can't tell where I'm supposed to stop the ram. I'm using the Lee #4 shell plate on the die and it feels like the case (5.56) just wiggles around more than it should and doesn't grip enough of the rim.

Edit: I've done some searching on the web and people seem to have the opposite problem with their shell holder. Theirs stick very badly, mine wiggles around and doesn't hold tight.

your problem is the Lee shellholder. they have poor tolerance and lots of people note this on their single stage presses...... buy some rcbs or hornady ones..

as for the amount of swage, it is very small, if you can feel much pressure, you're overdoing it

with the ram up, screw the die down until the swage rod contacts the primer pocket and stops. screw the die down one turn and start there.. that may even be too much..

not sure what you mean.. the ram should go all the way up (arm all the way down).. the die should be adjusted so that it barely swages at that point when the ram maxes out.

which single stage press are you using?

I have the Lee Classic Turret with the auto index rod removed. Is the swager supposed to hit the bottom of the primer pocket?

no.. it's just supposed to barely touch the rim of the primer pocket.. if it goes in all the way, you've overdone it..

swage your brass, then prime it.. if it primes without sticking that's all you need...

This.

Most reloaders have either an additional press for priming or a hand primer like the rcbs or lee hand primers. I like the rcbs better. Their shell holders, and Hornady are just tighter. Adjust the swager so no swager takes place, then adjust the die so it just kisses the primer pocket, 1/8 turn at a time. Then toss in the hand primer. Once they seat easily, you are done. Time to swage.

We've used the 1050 and superswage 600. The ch4d should work fine, just adjust it correctly.

I bought a hornady shell plate today and it does hold the cases much snugger but it won't fit in the ram on my Lee Classic Cast Turret...

Get some sandpaper and make it fit

I just tried. Its the inward part off of the base that is too wide not the outside lip. (Does that even make sense?) Any other ideas?

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Light touch with the dremel.

sandpaper, dremel or file... whateverit takes, make it fit.. shouldn't be that much work..

if you have a half inch drill, chuck it in the drill and slowly polish the offending areas and take a few thousands off...

Hornady shell holders are "odd-balls". They don't fit any other press but Hornady. RCBS, Redding, and Lee are interchangeable but not the Hornady. Of all the shell holders I prefer the Redding. Much closer tolerances and nicer finish. Lee? What do you expect for a shell holder where a full set costs not much more than a single shell holder of better quality.