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First Look for Me: Lee Ram Swage - Another Winner from Lee!

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Bottleneck brass prep can be a pain at times considering the number of steps necessary to get it reload ready (as compared to straight walled brass).
For .223 and especially with range pick up, there is always the issue or potential of a crimp. I usually batch my .223 and then do my cleaning, full length resizing (small base for the levers), trimming, chamfer and debur. Then of course there is the swaging aspect. I try to handle (tooling wise) my brass as little as possible and I use a go/no go primer gauge to make sure I don't try to swage brass that doesn't need it.
I started swaging in 2010 with the RCBS Pocket Swage Combo on my LCT. I rigged up a "tool head" that would allow me to use my LCT with this swager. I later had SocalSW make me the same "tool" out of one piece of aluminum. The main problem with the RCBS dies is the diameter of the mandrel. For just shot brass, the case mouth fits fine. But I swage as a last step and the resized brass is BEYOND a tight fit on the RCBS mandrel.
I then tried the CH4D swager and what a mess. Instead of "riding" the case into a die, the CH4D design is the mandrel attached to the shell holder and a die that lets you snap in a shell holder. Unfortunately, with the shell holder up top and pushing the swage mandrel via the ram, the brass is always "tilting" in the shell holder and I can never get a good swage.
Moved onto the RCBS bench swager and this is my absolute go to swager. It just works! Love that I can mount it to my t-slot and it's rock solid and does the job. Also adjustable. No issues.
But, being the Lee fan, I recently came across the Lee Ram Swager. Didn't even know this existed. Best way to describe it is like the RCBS Pocket Swager (a shell holder thingy for either larger or small primer) and the brass glides (like a knife through hot butter) into the die with the swaging mandrel. No issues with resized brass like the RCBS. This works equally well with resized or shot brass. Simple, yet elegant. Not a bunch of pieces like the other solutions. One die and one shell holder (large or small primer). Worked great and I have since retired my RCBS Pocket Swager die for the Lee when I want to swage on press.
Another winner from Lee!

Опубликовано:

6 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 18

@talonted1990 4 месяца назад

I ordered the Lee ram swage because it was the only one i could find in stock and it works great. Mine came in a black case injection molded case and i definitely need more turns than expected to get it set-up but it works great now.

@Paul-dc6sp 3 месяца назад

This is the easiest to use, setup and works great. I have the RCBS and a Lee swage kit for the APP press and I sold my CH4D years ago. This one works the best.

@prb9013 6 месяцев назад

Good video. Just got one myself recently and, like you, needed to adjust the cap a fair bit more than a quarter turn - glad it wasnt just me!

@jackwebb5917 5 месяцев назад

“Directions? Directions? We don’t need no stinking directions!!” 😂

@catfish1master 3 месяца назад

Reloading Bench ... I wanted a Hornady Iron Press until I watch this video and I sure am glad I didn't buy 1 now..

@ReLoadersBench 3 месяца назад

When it first came out I really wanted an Iron Press...until I saw the price. Was as expensive as a Lock-n-Load...OMG. About a year ago, I found someone giving away their Iron Press set up. Here's the video...and at the price I paid for everything, I have zero regrets ;-) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KLcs5ehJNpw.html It's a bit...quirky in how it does some things. Not a favorite press, but it comes in handy at times depending on what I'm doing.

@projectturbocoupe4897 8 месяцев назад

Thank you for posting this! I've been fighting and hating primer pocket swaging for about 15 years. Tried the Dillon tool and hated it. Tried the Hornady reamers and although the small one works "okay", the large one has never worked for me. Been using a utility knife to cut out the large primer pocket crimps. Had no idea this little Lee devil even existed until now. Watched your video, then read some reviews on Amazon and MidwayUSA. Ordered one and it'll be here in a couple of days! Perfect timing too, because I'm currently working on a whole 5 gallon bucket of LC 5.56 brass. Thanks again!

@ReLoadersBench 7 месяцев назад

I think you will truly enjoy this die and how it functions. Simple, elegant and effective. Let me know how it works out for you. Amazon had them on sale recently for $40.

@cmb7481 3 дня назад

Are you concerned about neck tension?

@ReLoadersBench 3 дня назад

My .223 prep involves decapping/full length resizing after cleaning. That has ALWAYS presented a problem for swaging on the press in the past (unless I was using the RCBS bench swager). The case opening (neck tension ?) was always an issue for "fitting" the swaging rod easily. Not so with the Lee product based on my usage.

@bigjj974 7 месяцев назад

Great info thank you. Question: Can you use any of these tools to tighten up loose primer pockets?

@ReLoadersBench 7 месяцев назад

None of these will tighten a loose primer pocket. I toss my brass out for either too loose primer pockets or case mouth splits.

@nelhead4807 7 месяцев назад

I was thinking of getting the swage dies for the Hornady AP press. Have you ever tried that one before?

@ReLoadersBench 7 месяцев назад

I've read mixed reviews, but have no personal experience with the Hornady swage dies. My LnL is "dedicated" to 45ACP, so the idea of pulling out all my dies (even though they are in the bushings - where to put them?) and changing the shell plate every time I want to swage .223 seems a bit excessive to me. Then there is the issue of case feeding. I don't want to have to adjust my case feeder for .223. Too many "prep steps" for me to consider this solution considering the volume of .223 I go through. I just checked pricing (rain forest) and for the .223 version it's $116.57 and for the .308 version it's $150.70. For for small AND larger primer pocket swaging, the Hornady solution would run me $267.27. I paid $40 for the Lee that does both small and large primer pocket swaging. That's what makes the Lee perfect for me. Cost effective, nearly instant set up and nothing else to worry about dealing with. Simple and elegant. Good luck with whatever path you choose.

@nelhead4807 7 месяцев назад

@@ReLoadersBench totally understand and thank you for the advice. At the moment I don’t have a single stage press just looking at options on which way to go.

@livincincy4498 8 месяцев назад

Why not use your turret press instead ?

@ReLoadersBench 8 месяцев назад

I thought it would be quick/easy to do the video demonstration on the Iron Press...that didn't go so well. I had no more open holes on any turrets for my LCT...so I ended up (after making/publishing the video) removing my RCBS pocket swager die and replaced it with the Lee Ram Swage. No brainer. RCBS had more parts to "install", had to remove pieces from the LCT to make it work...the Lee solution just works straight out of the box, no compromises. This is a well thought out/designed product.