Marathon decapping session pains.

[DueceMcGurk]

[QUOTE=Calguns77;19790292]He's wet tumbling, you still have to deprime before wet tumbling even when using a progressive press.

For range loads, I am wet tumbling with the primers still in. Then depriming on the LCT. Is there a problem coming?

[DueceMcGurk]

Wet Tumbling with Primers In

[QUOTE=Calguns77;19790292]He's wet tumbling, you still have to deprime before wet tumbling even when using a progressive press.

For range loads, I am wet tumbling with the primers still in. Then depriming on the LCT. Is there a problem coming?

[OzzieDoc]

That's what I'm using at the moment. It's slow going though.



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I have that same setup and it's fine for a few dozen cases at a time. It sucks for large quantities because there really isn't much left hand room and that press has poor mechanical advantage for your right hand.

Ignore any suggestions re using hand depriming tools in front of the TV unless you like spreading lead dust around.

The way I manage it these days is to have a dedicated old progressive press that uses a universal deprime die in station 1, FLS in station 2 (with the decap rod removed) and partial neck expand in station 5.

Liberally lube straight cases and go at it.

Without a case feeder I can cycle at 1800 per hour for about 5 minutes but can sustain around 1200 per hour if I keep sessions down to 30 mins.

As others have said, do a short run, do something else and come back. Before you know it thousands of cases are done.

Wet tumble and you are ready to complete the reloading process.

Because you have done the "hard" work of FLS and most of the neck expanding, the rest of the process becomes much easier.

If you are getting the 650 soon, I would be tempted to get a separate toolhead just for the decap. FLS and neck expand.

[Calguns77]

He's wet tumbling, you still have to deprime before wet tumbling even when using a progressive press.

For range loads, I am wet tumbling with the primers still in. Then depriming on the LCT. Is there a problem coming?

Probably not. Some water will stay in the primer pocket after you deprime and work its way into the new primer/powder, but its not really an issue. If you store wet tumbled brass the primers can corrode and stick to the brass.

http://forums.brianenos.com/index.php?/topic/216579-wet-tumbling-brass-primers-in-or-out/

[Calguns77]

Spend $30 more for a Lee Hand Press. You can decap very quickly with that loaded with a universal decapper and a pack of shell holders.

Gonna have to disagree there. I had a lee hand press and while it was surprisingly well made its a pita especially compared to the single stage lee press he currently has. It got old real fast, constantly having to remove the shell holder and shake the press upside down to clear the spent primers from the ram and they would constantly get clogged.

[SquidBilly]

I use the Lee C press also and it's great for the money.

I decap and size all in one shot, 38 special is leisurely and I can do a big batch in a sitting, 44 mag is another story, I do about 250 and take a break.

[wbunning]

That's what I'm using at the moment. It's slow going though.



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I use that set up. I decap when I get back from the range, and toss the cases in caliber-marked ziplocks until I have enough to wet tumble in the FART. That way, I only do a couple hundred at a time at the most, and it only takes a few minutes. If you have a bucket under the press, you can just flick the deprimed case out of the shell holder with your left hand ring or middle finger as you place the next one. Goes fast.

If I were you, I'd just go ahead and tumble with primers IN this time, then de-cap as you resize for the first go-round. Then de-cap them after you shoot them from then on.

[Jason_2111]

I feel your pain Sapper... I also do monster batches, but in smaller bites. Usually around 2 or 3K at a time, then it's thrown in a container and tagged with caliber and what stage the brass is in so I don't lose track.
My reloading storage rack is a big bakers rack that is full of bins at various stages, with the last stage being primed and ready to load.

I'm a bit OCD when it comes to my brass prep, so I get the decap before wet tumbling. We all know that the true source of those occasional flyers is dirty primer pockets!

On my dillion 550, I have a single stage adapter that I run with an extra sizing die that is dedicated for decapping. The Lee one was a pain to change the pin on, even though it was so much cheaper. I only use that on lake city crimped brass.

If you're concerned about scratching up your sizing die with dirt... just run the brass through the wet tumbler for a cycle first with soap and no pins for like 20 minutes. That usually does the trick for cleaning up the brass enough to keep the press from sand and grit that could damage your dies.

Once upon a time I was working on the design for a sort of spoked-wheel decapper that could handle huge quantities... but too many other projects got in the way.

[Sapperforward]

.........Once upon a time I was working on the design for a sort of spoked-wheel decapper that could handle huge quantities... but too many other projects got in the way.

Dude, you need to free up some time and put up a gofundme page and make this a reality.



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[divingin]

I have that same setup and it's fine for a few dozen cases at a time. It sucks for large quantities because there really isn't much left hand room and that press has poor mechanical advantage for your right hand.

I decap on a Hornady Classic single stage press. All brass (rifle and pistol) gets decapped before the wet tumble (I like clean primer pockets.)

Using a Lee Universal decapping die, I can flick the press handle with 2 fingers, and that is generally enough to decap anything other than military crimped-in primers.

The only other problem stuff is 32 S&W Long; some of that has the flash hole off center and I have to play with how the case is in the shell holder to get the punch through to the primer.

jky

[stilly]

Gonna have to disagree there. I had a lee hand press and while it was surprisingly well made its a pita especially compared to the single stage lee press he currently has. It got old real fast, constantly having to remove the shell holder and shake the press upside down to clear the spent primers from the ram and they would constantly get clogged.

Yeah, you DO need to stop after about 43 or 53 SPP or 37 or 43 LPP, but it goes real fast still.

You put the shell in, decap, let gravity pull the shell out and pop in another... My point being that you can decap fast enough to make up for that lost time emptying them out.

I would make a movie of how fast it can be, but I would be too tempted to start singing the pick-a-bale-of-cotton song...

[bruss01]

I recently got my wet tumbler up and running so I decided it was time to start cleaning all the brass I've been collecting for the last year or so.

I don't have a reloading setup yet. Just everything to process my brass. I also bought a cheap lee single stage press, shell holder assortment and a universal decapper.

I started decapping over the weekend. So far I've got about 1 five gallon bucket of .45, one of .40 and 2 five gallon buckets of 9mm decapped. My hands are fried. I can't make a fist with my right hands and my palm is kind of swollen. My left hand is stiff and sore. My lower back is screaming from sitting in a chair for hours on end and my head hurts from the sound of my tumbler going just behind me.

The more I write the more I feel like I'm doing a parody thread of that lib reporter who claimed ptsd and injuries after shooting an ar15.

Anyway I think I'm off the brass for a while. I can't pull that lever anymore with my right hand. Too much of anything can be a bad thing I guess.

I need to figure out a way to streamline decapping of bulk brass.

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Two thoughts here...

You jumped right in without "working up". Would you just out of the blue decide to do 500 push-ups when up to now your daily average has been zero? You would be absolutely wrecked the next day. Start with 10. Add another 5 every day. If it gets to be too much, plateau for a while... then when it seems like nothing, start ramping up another 5 per day... it may take you a few weeks or months, but eventually you will be doing it and thinking nothing of it.

Now, the second thought is actually pre-supposed by the above, and that is - make sure you are positioned properly, and your gear is situated such that you don't have any unnecessary ergonomic strain. Leaning forward 10 degrees to get something - doesn't seem like anything the first 5 times you do it.... multiply by 5000, yeah, it adds up on you. Position things so they provide minimal repetitive motion injury potential. Maybe swap out hands at some point, become a "lefty" for half your strokes, relieve some of that strain on your "primary".

[Divernhunter]

Move the tumbler to the garage or outside.

Not sure just how weak you are or what you do for a living but just work up to larger numbers. Your arm will get better as you go. Before you are too weak stop and take a break. Then start again. I have spent a whole day just resizing brass but I have been reloading for many years and will stop and take a short break when needed.

[Calguns77]

Yeah, you DO need to stop after about 43 or 53 SPP or 37 or 43 LPP, but it goes real fast still.

You put the shell in, decap, let gravity pull the shell out and pop in another... My point being that you can decap fast enough to make up for that lost time emptying them out.

I would make a movie of how fast it can be, but I would be too tempted to start singing the pick-a-bale-of-cotton song...

It's definitely fast enough, I just view it as a downgrade from his single stage press.

I would make a movie of how fast it can be, but I would be too tempted to start singing the pick-a-bale-of-cotton song

That's the only way I'd be interested in watching it.

[Sapperforward]

Move the tumbler to the garage or outside.

Not sure just how weak you are or what you do for a living but just work up to larger numbers. Your arm will get better as you go. Before you are too weak stop and take a break. Then start again. I have spent a whole day just resizing brass but I have been reloading for many years and will stop and take a short break when needed.

The tumbler is in the garage. I run it in there with the garage door down so I don't annoy neighbors or get their dogs barking all day. I also deprime and sort in the garage so I don't contaminate the house (truthfully, the old lady wont let me bring it inside).

I'm not weak at all. I'm actually a healthy strapping 6 foot man in his late 30's. I'm in reasonably decent shape and work a physical job. I go to a gym a couple or three times a week. I'm usually not one to complain about pain and have a pretty high threshold for pain. I'm also an active outdoorsman. I hike, camp, hunt all the time. I was just shocked at how ****ty I felt after a few marathon days in the garage decapping and hearing that tumbler going 5 feet away the whole time. I took both Friday and Monday off to create a 4 days weekend to get a huge jump on this project and I way over did it. My hand was a real shock. The center of my hand was swollen and I couldn't close my fist fully until yesterday. This was my first time trying my hand at anything reloading related.

Everything seems to be all better now. I had a friends wife (nurse) look at it yesterday and she said it was a muscle strain in my hand and would be fine in a few days. She was right as best I can tell. Last night I decapped about a gallon and a half or so worth of 9mm. I was getting antsy at the end and just wanted to finish. My new goal is 1 gallon per sitting until I get through it all or can bring in some neighbor kids for support.