Why can't I decap certain .308 cases?

[Sapperforward]

I've run into an issue. For the first time I am decapping . 308. I waited until I had a bunch to do at once.

The problem I ran into is about 50 cases out of 1000 have primers that won't budge. I even broke a decapping pin trying to pop them out.

My brass is all once fired. It's a mix of whatever was on sale at the time. I'm using a Lee single stage press with a Lee universal decapper to do all of my depriming.

****** I also have the same problem with 100% of my 357 Sig pistol cases.

Can someone educate me as to what I'm running into?

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[highpower790]

Look into the case,if you see two small holes they are berdan primed,for most people not reloadable.
Throw in scrap can for recycling.

[PatC415]

Looks like you have a mixed bunch of old milspec /Nato ammo with "staked" and crimped primers. The black, red and green stuff around the primers is a sealant they use to help keep the moisture out. I've bent a few decapping pins on those.
I'd just shoot-em, and toss em. Too much trouble if you're bending decapping pins.

[Sapperforward]

I only bent a pin because I wanted to see if I could push through. Lesson learned. Glad I have extra.

I'll just toss these in my copper/brass recycling can.

Thanks for the help guys.

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[Milsurps]

All look like heavy staked mil primers.
My limited experience, they are no go.
I've had many too.
recycle bucket they go.

Edit Add:
Revolver stuff staked too, (357).

[knucklehead0202]

I've run into some that have tiny flash holes too. That'll bend a decap pin in a hurry. Staked primers should still be able to be decapped but having such a mix will make things interesting. Definitely check if any are berdan primed though. That's a no-go. The staked/crimped primer pockets can be remedied if you get the primer out.

[AGGRO]

Universal decapper has a thick pin and will bust those open. You don't know what chamber they were fired in so it could be blown out beyond full length resizing.

[tonyjr]

Take a look at base , I have seen from 2 , 3 or 4 stake marks . They may have different colors - the primers are sealed .
You can also look into case , if you see 2 holes instead of one in center , they are berdan .
I have 6 nephews and 2 nieces that reload here [ at my house ] When they hit the gun shows , they know enough to check before buying . They offer 1/2of what is being asked because of the stake mark [ berdan primers ]
They are mostly on 308 , 762 , 45 , 223 , 556 but I have come across a few 38 . This is from range brass .
We won't even look at steel cases .

[AGGRO]

Take a look at base , I have seen from 2 , 3 or 4 stake marks . They may have different colors - the primers are sealed .
You can also look into case , if you see 2 holes instead of one in center , they are berdan .
I have 6 nephews and 2 nieces that reload here [ at my house ] When they hit the gun shows , they know enough to check before buying . They offer 1/2of what is being asked because of the stake mark [ berdan primers ]
They are mostly on 308 , 762 , 45 , 223 , 556 but I have come across a few 38 . This is from range brass .
We won't even look at steel cases .

Ya, steel case screams Berdan. They are re-loadable but a real PITA. I'd have to be deep in an ammo shortage to load that but I have before.

[bigbossman]

The brass with the RG head-stamp is Radway Green, so Berdan primed and will bend your decapping pin. HP is Hirtenberger Patronen brass, and should be Boxer primed and so compatible with your decapper. The "12" head-stamp is Pretoria Metal Pressing Ltd, or PMP, and the DAG marked stuff is Dynamit Nobel A-G. Don't know if those is Boxer or Berdan.

Look inside with a flashlight.... see two holes instead of one in the center? Then you have just found the cause of your bent/broken pin.

[RegionRat]

I learned long ago that "unknown" Mil-Spec brass had to be sorted first, and any unfamiliar headstamps had to be 100% inspected because they were often garbage or Berdan. It helps to really know where the brass is coming from and how reliable the sort would be.

Suppose you don't recognize a headstamp, the inspection tells you very quickly if the flash hole is present, and at the same time, if the web thickness (and therefore the internal case volume) are close to the same as the rest.

To go quickly with brass that is still dirty, I use the hand tool depriming pin from Lee, the kind you would use with a hammer. That tool should find the hole. If it does I pound it out. Once out, I can use the length of that tool to tell what the web thickness looks like compared to typical.

It is best when you recognize headstamps and then you can decap Mil-Spec staked primers on a press very quickly using the Universal Depriming die very quickly using a case kicker. In large batch I get a rhythm going and can process a few thousand .30-06 or .308 without much fatigue.

So, the real key is... did any other samples with those headstamps deprime normally? If those did, then these should too. If these are different, then either inspect them closely or put them aside till you know they are not Berdan.

[nstoolman1]

If they are not Berdan primers I take a 3 " concrete nail and grind the point to a thin spike. Then using a shell holder I drive them out with a hammer. I usually have to do this on once fired military rounds or staked ones. After I debur the primer pocket and decap as usual on the next use. Hth

[kcheung2]

Berdan primed. Like others have said, shine a flashlight down the case & see if it's 1 hole or 2. I've had no problems at all with staked primers, the leverage a press provides is easily enough to pop them out, provided they are boxer primed.

Modern Hirtenberger 308 is boxer primed, but stuff from the 70s is Berdan. Same with DAG.

[bigbossman]

If they are not Berdan primers I take a 3 " concrete nail and grind the point to a thin spike. Then using a shell holder I drive them out with a hammer. I usually have to do this on once fired military rounds or staked ones. After I debur the primer pocket and decap as usual on the next use. Hth

Easier just to buy a Lee decapping die for $15 and call the good. In 20+ years of reloading military .308, 30-06, and .223, I have never bent a Lee pin decapping crimped and staked Boxer primers. Not once.

[nstoolman1]

Easier just to buy a Lee decapping die for $15 and call the good. In 20+ years of reloading military .308, 30-06, and .223, I have never bent a Lee pin decapping crimped and staked Boxer primers. Not once.

You are right. I like to McGyver stuff and this fits my needs.
If a person is not doing these cases all the time my fix is quick and a one time thing.