Broken decapping pin

[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

[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.

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.

[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.

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.