datguy Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I have mixed brass that I'm wanting to run on a brass processing head. I have every station running well except for swage. I've read tons of stuff and am not getting it yet. This is my first time setting this head up. I have the Ballistic Tools primer pocket gauge. When I've managed to get the gauge to go in the pocket, it is a bit shallow and the pocket bottom looks like it's lop sided. Based on other threads I've read I'm adjusting it using LC brass I've separated out of mixed brass. Any setup help appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Not being a dick, but adjust it according to the instructions in the manual. They are pretty explanatory. Once you adjust down the support arm lock it down tight. Then adjust up the swage rod. Find some crimped brass and swage them and then try to prime them. Once you get the crimped brass to prime easily then you have what you need. DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 The manual never discusses adjusting the swage rod.. I've got a few hours in this and no good swage, thought there might be something I'm not doing.. Looking into the case: This makes me think it's pushing the case bottom down..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brassaholic13 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 If you're pushing the bottom of the primer pocket inward, the case is ruined. The primer gauge doesn't have to fully engage. Remember, the crimp is only on the outer edge. Gauge a crimped case and notice that the gauge won't fit. Then adjust the swager to where the gauge will enter the case mouth. To verify, use a single stage press to push in a primer, then discard the primer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Thanks guys! I swear sometimes the trick to figuring something out is asking for help. I got it. Had the backup rod way to far down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonofVa Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I suggest that you get a representative case and cut a window in the bottom so you can see what is going on. As in the photo. There is a wide amount of adjustment where the swag rod merely has to pass the crimp area. I cut my windows with a milling machine. You can use a dremel, hack saw, or a grinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 Well, I broke the swage rod. I thought I had it set right. I was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonofVa Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Well, I broke the swage rod. I thought I had it set right. I was wrong. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1413638715.736028.jpg WOW! and...................ummm......ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Nice work on those pics RonofVA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonofVa Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Thanks benos, I worked on the photos to help others. But maybe I should have done a little bit better at explaining. I hope Datguy didn’t break his rod because of me. Datguy, I have been wondering how could have broken the rod, and if you cut a viewing window to set the travel. Now in the last photo in the series, the rod is at the top of the stroke, finger tightened. It does not need to be that high. Only the tip of the rod, the worn area of the rod, needs to pass the crimp. Note that worn area is marked with a couple of lines. You could even back it off a quarter of a turn, before you lock it down. Also the hold down die should only be tightened finger tight against the case before you lock it down. After you get the die and rod adjusted against a cutaway case, run the cutaway in the shellplate and feel for binding. If properly adjusted on a case that has already been swaged, you should feel nothing. If you feel binding during reloading, it is probably trying to swage a case that has had an old primer sucked back in. So it is trying to swage a case with a primer in it. Edited October 21, 2014 by RonofVa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 The replacement swage rod arrived today. I just spent an hour trying to adjust it using the instructions from Dillon: First adjust backer rod down to case bottom, finger tight, with swage rod removed. Then adjust swage rod up until I get a good swage. Using the Ballistic Tools go/no-go gauge, I'm not getting a good swage, ever. I adjusted it high enough that it was starting to flex the shell plate, and I know that's too high. I've wasted a ton of time on this and it still doesn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagewa Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Are you using the right end of the Ballistic Tools Swage Gauge? One end is a go gauge, the other will tell you if you are over swaging. The smaller of the 2 ends is the one that should fit in the case, not the bigger end. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) Yes, I'm using the correct end. It has a square cut groove. The no-go has a rounded groove and is larger. Is the S1050 supposed to cam over? Edited October 23, 2014 by datguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagewa Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 No cam over in the 1050. The handle should come down easy with no pressure when set up and no brass in it. If you feel resistance when empty. dies are touching the plate. If you add brass and get resistance at the bottom of the stroke, the swager may be to blame. I would set the swager lightly and test by priming a case. Measure the heads on your Ballistic Tools Gauge as well. Maybe you got one that is bad. I use their stuff all the time and have never seen a bad part from them, but maybe you got one that is out of spec. The true test is in priming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 It is definitely caming over, even with no swage backup or rod installed. No dies are touching shell plate. Starting to hate this thing. My .45 ACP head works great. I've done something wrong on both (brass processing and loading) .223 heads.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonofVa Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 It is definitely caming over, even with no swage backup or rod installed. No dies are touching shell plate. Starting to hate this thing. My .45 ACP head works great. I've done something wrong on both (brass processing and loading) .223 heads.. One of the screws in the shell plate lock ring standing proud, will cause that "cam over" feeling, as it hits the bottom of the tool head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 I'll check that. I appreciate any and all assistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ano Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 How far do you guys usually adjust the rod into the pocket? so that the tip of the rod enters? or so that when the rod widens, it hits the case primer pocket sides? makeing a flare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 How far do you guys usually adjust the rod into the pocket? so that the tip of the rod enters? NOT DEEP ENOUGH or so that when the rod widens, it hits the case primer pocket sides? makeing a flare THIS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ano Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 How far do you guys usually adjust the rod into the pocket? so that the tip of the rod enters? NOT DEEP ENOUGH or so that when the rod widens, it hits the case primer pocket sides? makeing a flare THIS!!! Thanks, that means I had set it correct, was just wondering, thanks for confirming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 I'm going to pull all of the dies and figure out where the caming over is being introduced. It worked as sagewa described when I was running .45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datguy Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 It took a while, but I figured out what's going on- I bought a shell plate bearing from Ballistic Tools. I installed it when I switched to the .223 toolhead. It raises the lock ring enough that the button head cap screws hit the bottom of the tool head - causing the cam over I was experiencing. Good to go now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiegunks Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 thanks ronofva, i cant believe i never thought of this. great idea! I suggest that you get a representative case and cut a window in the bottom so you can see what is going on. As in the photo. There is a wide amount of adjustment where the swag rod merely has to pass the crimp area. I cut my windows with a milling machine. You can use a dremel, hack saw, or a grinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigs Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Not sure why this thread was bumped, but since it was, I did some research and it looks like everyone that's selling 1050 bearing kits has the same issue with the screw heads. There's one guy selling them with countersunk screws, but I tried those on my press and it just shatters the plastic tabs. The real issue is that no one seems to make a plain 10-24 screw, 3/8s deep, with a 0.050" head thickness. They are all 0.100 head thickness or more. The weird thing is they do make such a screw in similar metric sizes. In any case, it looks like grinding the heads down to 0.050" is still the best option if you want to run a bearing kit on a 1050. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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