So I have a 650 and redding T-7, and just recently got everything set back up since my move from AK. Going through my brass, I noticed most of what I have left to process is 5.56 with crimps. My last foray with swaging was the RCBS die set, and I am done with that thing. It works, but on the redding I have to slam the thing dang near to get the case to pop off the swage insert, unless I spray lube on it every third piece. I’ve got my finger a few times with it too, but it’s not smooth at all and I started looking for other options.

I’ve used the dillon, and know what an absolute unit it is, but I ran across the Lee APP on another forum and started digging. For less money, I can have a small brass processing press that swages, decaps or even size bullets AND able to use my case feeder with it. I’ve owned several Lee presses in the past, Pro-1000’s and several single stages (even broke one in half on 338LM) and I an always a little wary of the quality. I decided to say screw it and try it, since Midway has it on sale for $80 shipped. I also went ahead and got the roller handle, swage kit, bin mount and the case feeder for it in case I have issues plumbing in the dillon case feeder.

The APP comes with 3 shell holders as it is, for the 60 most common calibers (5.56 and 30-06/308 parent cases included) which made it even more convenient. Reports I’ve read say it’s robust and able to process brass quickly, so I’m excited to try it.


I’ll post back when it arrives friday or monday, but curious to see if anyone else here is using one and their experiences.

FWIW, I gave up on swaging 223/5.56 brass a long time ago.

I use range brass and different brands tend to need different amounts of swaging.

So I went to reaming. Works great on everything. Try it, you might like it.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:
FWIW, I gave up on swaging 223/5.56 brass a long time ago.

I use range brass and different brands tend to need different amounts of swaging.

So I went to reaming. Works great on everything. Try it, you might like it.

I have, used a pocket reamer on my lyman case prep and got over it quickly. Not a huge fan of removing material anyways.

quote:

Originally posted by Zacsquatch:
I’ve used the dillon, and know what an absolute unit it is,

Does this mean the Dillon swager is good or bad? I have one but haven't tried it out yet.

Interested to hear your experience with the Lee as I have quite a bit of 5.56 to swage (when I get around to it).

Interesting...looks like it could be a really useful item. I hate brass prep as well, and anything to streamline it would be welcome. My only concern in reading the descriptions is this:

"The upper and lower die carriers are aluminum"

With the amount of force sometimes necessary for swaging and re-sizing, that concerns me. I can see threads stripping out of an aluminum block...heck, I've broken steel parts on my Lee Turret before, and I just ripped the threads out of an aluminum neck sizing die cap last week (thankfully Lee had the foresight to make the die body out of steel, so all I needed to order was a replacement cap).

I'll be interested to hear your review...if it's solid I might be tempted to grab one of these. The price is certainly attractive.

quote:

Originally posted by marksman41:

quote:

Originally posted by Zacsquatch:
I’ve used the dillon, and know what an absolute unit it is,

Does this mean the Dillon swager is good or bad? I have one but haven't tried it out yet.

Interested to hear your experience with the Lee as I have quite a bit of 5.56 to swage (when I get around to it).

The dillon swager is hands down the best I’ve used, albeit slow. There are guys selling kits to mount them vertically and auto-eject cases, but to the tune of over $200 invested by the time it’s all said and done. Having this work as my full-time decapper and switch to swaging as needed, and being able to use my 650’s case feeder (gotta mount it close and angle the drop tube over) will make a world of difference for me. If I can keep from switching my 650 toolhead over so often, and tie up tool heads for brass prep, then it will be worth it to me.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Interesting...looks like it could be a really useful item. I hate brass prep as well, and anything to streamline it would be welcome. My only concern in reading the descriptions is this:

"The upper and lower die carriers are aluminum"

With the amount of force sometimes necessary for swaging and re-sizing, that concerns me. I can see threads stripping out of an aluminum block...heck, I've broken steel parts on my Lee Turret before, and I just ripped the threads out of an aluminum neck sizing die cap last week (thankfully Lee had the foresight to make the die body out of steel, so all I needed to order was a replacement cap).

I'll be interested to hear your review...if it's solid I might be tempted to grab one of these. The price is certainly attractive.

My concerns as well, since I’ve known some lee products to be quite janky. We’ll see how it goes, and quite frankly, if I can make it last the 5000pcs of 5.56 brass I have to prep, it will have made it worthwhile to me already.

I picked up a Lee APP to use as a single-stage for 9mm. I tried the auto-feed on it and the shell holder kept shearing the case rims when trying to remove from the sizing die, so I'm not using that.

I'm curious to hear your results.

mine is in the box still. I am going to use it for depriming and sizing.

quote:

Originally posted by Zacsquatch:
I have, used a pocket reamer on my lyman case prep and got over it quickly. Not a huge fan of removing material anyways.

If removing small amount of material from the base constituted a possible safety issue, then the size and number of letters in a headstamp would also constitute a possible safety issue and it doesn't.

So, having said that, what do you have against removing a small amount of material? Just curious.

OP, did you get a chance to try this thing out? I'm curious how it performs, especially when decapping, resizing, and swaging .223, as that would likely be my primary use for it.

In researching them, I saw that they use a pass-through shell-holder, and a guy on another board said that he had problems with the diminished engagement surface (compared to a traditional horseshoe-shaped design) of that shellholder ripping the rims off of cases. I'm curious if you had similar issues, or if proper lube is enough to keep it running.

quote:

Originally posted by rmfnla:
I picked up a Lee APP to use as a single-stage for 9mm. I tried the auto-feed on it and the shell holder kept shearing the case rims when trying to remove from the sizing die, so I'm not using that.

I'm curious to hear your results.

Same thing happened to me. I swapped the 19 plate out for the a number 4 plate I had. I took a diamond file and cleaned up the rim groove till a 9mm fit and then it worked fine.

quote:

unless I spray lube on it every third piece

Are you using the proper lube also, there is a proper way to use lube.
I learned the hard way, when sizing brass, that different types of lube have different ways of use.
I was using a spray on lube that I was suppose to let dry before sizing but if I used it wet the cases would stick.