Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

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WalterGA
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Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by WalterGA »

I've swaged over 10,000 pieces of 5.56 brass, using the GS Custom swager, with good results.

Somebody on another forum directed me to a different swager for the Dillon 650; I viewed a video of the swager in action on YouTube and decided to give it a try. It's the Swage It swager.

The Swage It swager does not require that the priming disk be removed, as does the GS Custom swager. Also, the Swage It swager has no moving parts. My first impression is that less force is required with the Swage It swager, in order to properly swage a primer pocket, than is required with the GS. With the GS my technique is to pretty firmly bump the handle twice for each case. With the Swage It, you use more of a firm push than a harsh bump.

I installed the unit today and have only had time to process about twenty pieces of brass with the Swage It, but, so far, the primer pockets are well-swaged, and primers are easy to seat.

I'll do a follow-up after I've swaged a few thousand pieces of brass.

And, yes, I'm aware of Dillon's views on such aftermarket parts. I'm just reporting my experience with the swager(s). Particularly with the Swage It, not much more force is required to swage than there is to seat a primer in a tight primer pocket.

I'm using the GS shellplate, which is heavier and probably stronger than the Dillon shellplate. It's impossible for the Swage It swager to come into contact with the shellplate.

I'd estimate that I can do at least 1000 pieces per hour, using the Swage It swager.
RDA
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by RDA »

WalterGA wrote:I've swaged over 10,000 pieces of 5.56 brass, using the GS Custom swager, with good results.

Somebody on another forum directed me to a different swager for the Dillon 650; I viewed a video of the swager in action on YouTube and decided to give it a try. It's the Swage It swager.

The Swage It swager does not require that the priming disk be removed, as does the GS Custom swager. Also, the Swage It swager has no moving parts. My first impression is that less force is required with the Swage It swager, in order to properly swage a primer pocket, than is required with the GS. With the GS my technique is to pretty firmly bump the handle twice for each case. With the Swage It, you use more of a firm push than a harsh bump.

I installed the unit today and have only had time to process about twenty pieces of brass with the Swage It, but, so far, the primer pockets are well-swaged, and primers are easy to seat.

I'll do a follow-up after I've swaged a few thousand pieces of brass.

And, yes, I'm aware of Dillon's views on such aftermarket parts. I'm just reporting my experience with the swager(s). Particularly with the Swage It, not much more force is required to swage than there is to seat a primer in a tight primer pocket.

I'm using the GS shellplate, which is heavier and probably stronger than the Dillon shellplate. It's impossible for the Swage It swager to come into contact with the shellplate.

I'd estimate that I can do at least 1000 pieces per hour, using the Swage It swager.
Because the Swage It doesn't use a return spring (neutral) like the GS, I would imagine that accounts for some (or all) of the difference you are feeling in the force exerted through the handle. The force being exerted on the case with either should be the same I imagine.
WalterGA
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by WalterGA »

RDA wrote:
WalterGA wrote:I've swaged over 10,000 pieces of 5.56 brass, using the GS Custom swager, with good results.

Somebody on another forum directed me to a different swager for the Dillon 650; I viewed a video of the swager in action on YouTube and decided to give it a try. It's the Swage It swager.

The Swage It swager does not require that the priming disk be removed, as does the GS Custom swager. Also, the Swage It swager has no moving parts. My first impression is that less force is required with the Swage It swager, in order to properly swage a primer pocket, than is required with the GS. With the GS my technique is to pretty firmly bump the handle twice for each case. With the Swage It, you use more of a firm push than a harsh bump.

I installed the unit today and have only had time to process about twenty pieces of brass with the Swage It, but, so far, the primer pockets are well-swaged, and primers are easy to seat.

I'll do a follow-up after I've swaged a few thousand pieces of brass.

And, yes, I'm aware of Dillon's views on such aftermarket parts. I'm just reporting my experience with the swager(s). Particularly with the Swage It, not much more force is required to swage than there is to seat a primer in a tight primer pocket.

I'm using the GS shellplate, which is heavier and probably stronger than the Dillon shellplate. It's impossible for the Swage It swager to come into contact with the shellplate.

I'd estimate that I can do at least 1000 pieces per hour, using the Swage It swager.
Because the Swage It doesn't use a return spring (neutral) like the GS, I would imagine that accounts for some (or all) of the difference you are feeling in the force exerted through the handle. The force being exerted on the case with either should be the same I imagine.
While I agree that there's some logic to your analysis, I have no way of measuring the actual force on the case. Having used both devices, I just seem to have more control of the force of the swager's entering the primer pocket with the Swage It, than with the GS.

As I said previously, I've been happy with the GS. I do have to stop my loading 650 and hand-ream a case every-now-and-then. I won't know if the failure-to-swage rate is better with the Swage It, until I've loaded a bunch of the Swage It swaged cases.

One thing's for sure...from my perspective, either swager is superior for bulk swaging than is any bench-mounted, manually-operated device.
RDA
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by RDA »

Think of it this way, with the shellplate EMPTY, compare the force to push the handle completely forward with the GS Swager installed compared to the force to push the handle completely forward with the Swage It installed. Is there a difference?
WalterGA
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by WalterGA »

RDA wrote:Think of it this way, with the shellplate EMPTY, compare the force to push the handle completely forward with the GS Swager installed compared to the force to push the handle completely forward with the Swage It installed. Is there a difference?
There is no force required to push the handle forward with the Swage It and empty shellplate. Simply measuring the spring's strength on the GS still doesn't account for the efficiency of the swager punch design. Other users of the GS have reported failures of the mechanism. Unless the swager punch on the S.I. breaks, or if the platform to which the punch is attached breaks, then the S.I. won't fail.
RDA
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by RDA »

WalterGA wrote:
RDA wrote:Think of it this way, with the shellplate EMPTY, compare the force to push the handle completely forward with the GS Swager installed compared to the force to push the handle completely forward with the Swage It installed. Is there a difference?
There is no force required to push the handle forward with the Swage It and empty shellplate.
Which is exactly my point and why the Swage It would result in "less force" as you originally noted as your impression.
WalterGA wrote:Simply measuring the spring's strength on the GS still doesn't account for the efficiency of the swager punch design. Other users of the GS have reported failures of the mechanism. Unless the swager punch on the S.I. breaks, or if the platform to which the punch is attached breaks, then the S.I. won't fail.
I made zero claims on the "efficiency" of the swaging, my comment was strictly about the force being exerted.

Effectiveness of the swaging is basically going to come down to the shape/material/finishing of the rod that enters the primer pocket and if it is traveling the required distance (and no more).
Hardrockshot
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by Hardrockshot »

Walter,
Where did you get the tool? Please post a photo and a link so the rest of us poor slobs can get one.......... After your review......
De inimical non loquaris male, sed cogites
RDA
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Re: Preliminary Review of Swage It swager

Post by RDA »

They are on eBay. Keep in mind that Dillon will no longer warranty your press if using an aftermarket swageing system on a 650.
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