dillon super swager wrinkles case necks .223 - how to fix

[Yar1180]

I probably did not have my dillon super swager set right and put a small wrinkle in the neck of several 223 cases. They load and case guage fine but when chambered in my rifle it stuck. It only happens with ejecting a live round and I have to motar it out by smacking the stock on the ground while pulling the charging handle.

All the brass has been trimmed to proper size and confirmed as such. The rifle is a JP and the chamber is in spec.

I will reset my swager to eliminate the wrinkle but I want to savage the brass I have done. I have tried to resize it again and it does not seem to remove out enough of the wrinkle. I am using a standard Lee .223 sizing die. Would I be better off using a neck sizing die or other specialized die?

[Steve RA]

I'd suggest you just shoot them since they load. That will iron out the wrinkle !!

[mlmiller1]

I agree if you are sure bolt is completely closed.

[CocoBolo]

Interesting, I sure don't know how that could happen unless the stem of the swagger is defective. The problem you describe is very common, not ejecting that is, I had that with the lee die trying to use it in a LNL AP, I cut .005 off the bottom of the die and that helped, but have since gone to small base RCBS AR series dies.

In the Wilson Drop Check for the AR, it passes my testing when I see no part of the rim stick up at all, in the valley cut in the top. Those will eject freely out of both my 3-G rifles, if it sticks up at all it goes in the Zero and practice bucket, and I always take a cleaning rod to those sessions because sometimes the extractor rips the rim off and they won't come out.

Deformation of the step in the case is also a common occurrance, this is minimized by cleaning the sizing die every 50-100 rounds depending on the lube being used. I just unscrew the decapping pin run a 22 cal cleaning brush down thru it spray a shot of brake cleaner thru it, then lube the expander lightly and put it back in and go.

I find it best to drop check after deprime and size and toss the ones that don't pass that check, a second check is done post loading, and again that will weed out another 2-5%.

The difference comes down to 1 ammo related issue in 250 rounds, or none, I prefer the none.

But I've done what you tried another resize, in fact some have had two or 3 resizes, with additional whittling on the old lee die, but it didn't cure all of them but most. But that whole batch filled the practice bucket, now I just need to do more practice.

Edited May 25, 2013 by CocoBolo