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Get a Lee universal decapper and their hand press: You can sit and watch TV in comfort while you punch primers.
I decap, then SS tumble before resizing, then priming with RCBS hand primer (I usually walnut tumble after that to fine polish & clean off lube) then add powder and plug with bullet.
Then go shoot it and repeat. I primarily load rifle calibers and prefer sizing with real clean cases.
Enjoy!
Harry"If we make enough laws, we can all be criminals."
Walnut media for bright brass
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=621214 -
Lee has a universal decapping pin / die and its inexpensive and works like a charm.Comment
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Here:
Search "lee universal decapping tool" for the die
I use a Forster press for rifle calibers, but if you are loading in quantity you'll want a Dillion."If we make enough laws, we can all be criminals."
Walnut media for bright brass
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=621214Comment
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There are hand decapping dies (the kind you put the spent case in and whack with a hammer) that would be cheapest, but in this case I'd recommend getting an inexpensive press from Lee if you can swing it and combine it with the Lee decapping die. The Lee single stage is about $28, the decapping die $11, and a shell holder maybe $3 for each caliber, so total price $45.
Compare that to the Wilson hand die approach - you need a decapping punch and base for 9mm and 45 acp separately (about $20 total per set) plus a mallet to do the whacking, so that's close to the same total cost. I personally would prefer a press to doing a lot of hammering.Comment
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Not sure I would want to sit at the couch and hand deprime brass. Be careful of the primer residue.Comment
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+100
The Lee Universal decapper is about $11 and the hand press goes on sale for around $30 from time to time. Decapping is a PIECE OF CAKE. Oh yeah, and you should also get a pack of shellholders that are made for the lee presses (not the ones made for the primer, they need to have the hole in the bottom of them).
It sounds like you are starting down the same road that I did. Before I got into reloading I got a decapper and the lee handpress and once you get a rhythm going you can knock them out pretty quick. I hit about 1000-2000 .223 shells in a few hours. I forgot exactly how many but I would knock out the primers and then back and seperate them. Later on I cleaned them via ss pins and wet method and then put them into different containers so that I could remake rounds whenever I wanted to.
BEST way to be fast is to (right handed) hold the press in your left hand and aim the shell holder (it can be spun around 360 degrees) to your front while your right hand feeds in a shell and squeezes it shut, tilt it forward a tad to let the shell fall out on its own as you put another one in the holder. LEt the shells fall into a box. About every 35 shells you have to stop and dump out all the primers and residue. I think it is every 35-55 depending on the size of the primers. Good luck and have fun. That Lee decapper is a trooper...7 Billion people on the planet. They aint ALL gonna astronauts. Some will get hit by trains...
Need GOOD SS pins to clean your brass? Try the new and improved model...
And remember- 99.9% of the lawyers ruin it for the other .1%...Comment
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My take:
cheapest decapper: pin punch from harbor freight (like 50 cents) and a small hammer. Fits in the primer pocket then tap out the primer. Very slow and pointless.
Convenient decapper: size die or universal decapper and your press. fast and easy. I have dreams of a progressive with case feeder just for decapping. Really.
my recommendation: buy the CHEAPEST PRESS that you can find that has a hollow ram and primer disposal tube. Don't worry about anything else. Then plan to buy two presses. Use this cheap-as-you-can-find press to do everything. decap, reload, bullet size if you want, everything. Your selection criteria is: cheap, and doesnt spill primers all over the floor.
As you reload more, you'll think about features you wish you had. Then buy press #2 as an informed consumer. You'll ALWAYS want an extra press laying around. That way you dont have to remove your setup to re-set something up just to perform one operation.
No wasted money.
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edit: reread your post, you are decapping 45 and 9. Do you shoot ALOT? if so, consider the cheapest LEE progressive with case feeder. You could pour your brass into the case feeder, then pull the handle. No wasted time, every pull through a universal decapper will bang out all your brass in no time. I really do have dreams of doing this. With two tool heads. One for decapping, then the next operation sizes, expands, new primer, maybe even trim. Then I charge seat and de-bell on a single stage one by one cause I'm like that. But if I weren't, back to toolhead 3 with a bullet feed die and a powder drop.
If you shoot just a little, single stage with hollow ram. Cleaning up primers off the floor is ridiculous.Last edited by Whiterabbit; 12-21-2012, 9:52 AM.Comment
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you can buy a "lee loader"Comment
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If you really are going to be shooting 1000rds +/- a month, a Dillon 550B or Hornaday LnL AP would be perfect. You will make back your investment in either in less than a year in savings over store bought ammo.Originally posted by LTC-J
In either case, if you decide to go that way, if it works out you don't actually end up using it, resale values are good on reloading equipment.When asked what qualities he most valued in his generals, Napoleon said, "give me lucky ones."Comment
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you can decide what level of investment you want ot get into.
If it were ME, shooting 300 rounds a weekend, I would be getting a LEE progressive with case feeder with multiple heads. One to decap, one to prep, and one to charge and seat.
Actually, since I clean with the primer in, it would be 2x toolheads per cal for me. But since you want to decap before clean, I'd make it three.Comment
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