Broken decapping pin

[cleanguy46]

Last night right in the middle of FL sizing and de capping some .223 brass I without seeing this ran into my first Berdan primered case and laid waste to the first decapping pin. Live and learn I guess. Sportsmans Warehouse saved the day this morning and just for safety sake I bought 10 of them so I dont run into another interuption like this in the future. :thumbsup:

[USN CHIEF]

LOL.. Yeah, I think that all new reloaders have at least broken a few when we first get started.

For those of you that are thinking about buying reloading gear, buy extra decapping pins.

[cleanguy46]

LOL.. Yeah, I think that all new reloaders have at least broken a few when we first get started.

For those of you that are thinking about buying reloading gear, buy extra decapping pins.

Just loved the sound of "CRUNCH" in the casing. My response was "WTF!" :eek: and then I had a feeling like my best friend died on me. :( LOL! I will be up and running this afternoon!

[4literranger485]

where is this decapping pin? my kit came with extra's but i dont know where they go :D I use RCBS dies and they have a rod in them that pops out the primer, but it looks nothing like the spare "decapping pins" that came with my Lyman stuff.

[cleanguy46]

where is this decapping pin? my kit came with extra's but i dont know where they go :D I use RCBS dies and they have a rod in them that pops out the primer, but it looks nothing like the spare "decapping pins" that came with my Lyman stuff.

The expander/decapping unit is the long threaded rod in the middle of your FL sizing die. The pin is screwed to the end. If you break it you can unscrew the end cap and replace the tip. Make sure you get extras. I think a pack of 5 are a little less then $4 bucks. I got two packs so I'm ready for more breakage when it happens. RCBS part number #90164 for reference.

[USN CHIEF]

OBTW, I have noticed that the .223 brass that has a plastic coating around the primers will break your decapping pins, beware of this kind of brass. Can Not remember the headstamp. I broke two decapping pins trying to unprimed this brass. I only had like 25 pieces of it so I **** canned it, and also the primer pocket hole was a tad too small for the decapping pin.

[cleanguy46]

OBTW, I have noticed that the .223 brass that has a plastic coating around the primers will break your decapping pins, beware of this kind of brass. Can Not remember the headstamp. I broke two decapping pins trying to unprimed this brass. I only had like 25 pieces of it so I **** canned it, and also the primer pocket hole was a tad too small for the decapping pin.

First one I run into I'm going to nail it to the bench for future reference.

[JTROKS]

Be careful with mil surplus boxer primed brass, some of the primer holes are too small in diameter and will grab your decapper. It's a PITA to clear up.

[JTROKS]

OBTW, I have noticed that the .223 brass that has a plastic coating around the primers will break your decapping pins, beware of this kind of brass. Can Not remember the headstamp. I broke two decapping pins trying to unprimed this brass. I only had like 25 pieces of it so I **** canned it, and also the primer pocket hole was a tad too small for the decapping pin.

I hate it when that happens. I just processed 118 pcs of mil surp that had small primer holes. Even the smallest decapping pin from RCBS wouldn't fit and keeps getting lodge in there jamming up the reloader. I ended up tapering it half way to give it a bit of clearance. Those Prvi brass w/ crimp primers have that red plastic seal around it.

[anyracoon]

Had same type of problem the other night. Was using a Redding neck sizing die set high just to knock any stuff stuck in the flash holes of my processed brass. Noticed after loading about 100 rounds or so on the 650 that the decaping pin was gone. Pulled almost all of them apart & find the pin stuck in the primer hole of one. Better safe than sorry.

[USN CHIEF]

Had same type of problem the other night. Was using a Redding neck sizing die set high just to knock any stuff stuck in the flash holes of my processed brass. Noticed after loading about 100 rounds or so on the 650 that the decaping pin was gone. Pulled almost all of them apart & find the pin stuck in the primer hole of one. Better safe than sorry.

Ouch... Yeah, better safe than sorry. LOL.

[cleanguy46]

Had same type of problem the other night. Was using a Redding neck sizing die set high just to knock any stuff stuck in the flash holes of my processed brass. Noticed after loading about 100 rounds or so on the 650 that the decaping pin was gone. Pulled almost all of them apart & find the pin stuck in the primer hole of one. Better safe than sorry.

Brutal! All the good work done and you find that. Musta sucked, but at least you found the pin rather then maybe a catastrophic accident happen.

[bcrich]

You think broken pins suck? Wait till you get a case stuck in the die!

[USN CHIEF]

You think broken pins suck? Wait till you get a case stuck in the die!

Yeah, I was a victim of that already. LOL. Dillon was pretty quick on sending me a replacement die free of charge even before I mailed the one with the stucked case. LOL.

[11Z50]

You will find there are several small things that when broke, are a war stopper. Nothing worse than to get ready for a big loading session on a rainy weekend, all your components ready to go, and you snap a decapping pin, stick a case, break and auto-primer feed, etc. Everything comes to a screeching halt.

Although Dillon has a great fix-it policy, if it happens on a Saturday morning, you'll be waiting another week to do your big loading session.

Once you figure out what is prone to break or fail, you'll keep a supply of those widgets on hand.

[USN CHIEF]

You will find there are several small things that when broke, are a war stopper. Nothing worse than to get ready for a big loading session on a rainy weekend, all your components ready to go, and you snap a decapping pin, stick a case, break and auto-primer feed, etc. Everything comes to a screeching halt.

Although Dillon has a great fix-it policy, if it happens on a Saturday morning, you'll be waiting another week to do your big loading session.

Once you figure out what is prone to break or fail, you'll keep a supply of those widgets on hand.

I learned that too. LOL. I am now ready for WAR:D

[scr83jp]

Last night right in the middle of FL sizing and de capping some .223 brass I without seeing this ran into my first Berdan primered case and laid waste to the first decapping pin. Live and learn I guess. Sportsmans Warehouse saved the day this morning and just for safety sake I bought 10 of them so I dont run into another interuption like this in the future. :thumbsup:I did the same thing w/o checking the brass but my Military brass decapper was an LE Wilson Decapper tool with a built in pin,I had to order a new one now I look first before decapping Mil Brass.

[Twinspool]

My Hornady die set came with a spare pin and 100 free bullets. Nice to have both. Dies are churning out really sharp cartridges too!

[50BMGBOB]

I use a Lee Universal decapper die. It has a collet so if a Berdan primed case gets though it doesn't break, just gets pushed up. I use it for all range pick up brass. I'll deprime and swag the pockets in one pass, Then tumble and run it through a second time to load it.

I've found some brass that while it was Boxer primed the flash hole was so off centered that I thru it out sense it wouldn't deprime in my press.

[cleanguy46]

Damned if I didn't break another, but i had back ups. I found the culprit brass and and removed it with great prejudice! LOL!

[USN CHIEF]

Damned if I didn't break another, but i had back ups. I found the culprit brass and and removed it with great prejudice! LOL!

What brass was it?

[GrayWolf09]

I use a Lee Universal decapper die. It has a collet so if a Berdan primed case gets though it doesn't break, just gets pushed up. I use it for all range pick up brass. I'll deprime and swag the pockets in one pass, Then tumble and run it through a second time to load it.

I've found some brass that while it was Boxer primed the flash hole was so off centered that I thru it out sense it wouldn't deprime in my press.

+1 After crushing 2 decapping rods on a Hornady die and one on a Redding die I have had no problem using the Lee universal decapper. I am not a fan of Lee in general but this baby is the only thing I have found that works.

:61:

[ar15barrels]

Be careful with mil surplus boxer primed brass, some of the primer holes are too small in diameter and will grab your decapper. It's a PITA to clear up.

RCBS and Dillon decapping pins have a large head on them.
It's NOT possible to pull the pin out like you can on straight decapping pins.

[ar15barrels]

I did the same thing w/o checking the brass but my Military brass decapper was an LE Wilson Decapper tool with a built in pin,I had to order a new one now I look first before decapping Mil Brass.

My dillon dies punch through berdan cases, knocking out both the anvil from the case and the primer from the pocket.
I have done this a bunch of times and not broken a pin yet.
It is noticably harder to size a case when you are doing that though.
I pull those cases aside and trash them.

[ar15barrels]

Last night right in the middle of FL sizing and de capping some .223 brass I without seeing this ran into my first Berdan primered case and laid waste to the first decapping pin. Live and learn I guess. Sportsmans Warehouse saved the day this morning and just for safety sake I bought 10 of them so I dont run into another interuption like this in the future. :thumbsup:

Whenever you break a decapping pin, check your decapping stem for straightness when you replace the pin.
It's quite common to bend the decapping stem while breaking the pin.
This makes the new pin out-of-center and the die will become a chronic decapping pin breaker until you straighten or replace the whole stem.

[cleanguy46]

Whenever you break a decapping pin, check your decapping stem for straightness when you replace the pin.
It's quite common to bend the decapping stem while breaking the pin.
This makes the new pin out-of-center and the die will become a chronic decapping pin breaker until you straighten or replace the whole stem.
Fixed, centered and works just fine now. Gotta spare stem as well in case poo poo happens.

[cleanguy46]

What brass was it?

The brass casing stamp read ".223 rem GAL". When I took out of the cleaner it was bright and shiny without annealed necks. Closer look down the neck with a flashlight reveals a berdan primed case. Looks good, but very deadly to decapping pins! Keep an eye out for this stuff.