Since I switched from Lee to Redding 223 dies, I have broken 4 decapping pins while decapping and neck sizing 300 cases. Obviousely, I'm doing something wrong as I can't imagine the Redding dies are designed like this. What could I be doing wrong?

Thanks,
Kory

Wrong size pin?

Berdan brass?

Die and decapping rod not straight?

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Originally posted by ricciardelli:
Wrong size pin?

Berdan brass?

Die and decapping rod not straight?

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Hi Steve,

Pretty sure it is the right size pin. Fits through the primer hole perfectly.

These are once fired brass that I bought, but I'm pretty sure they are not military. How can I double check?

With respect to the rod not being straight, I will double check. It certainly doesn't look out of whack and it is a new set of dies.

Regards,
Kory

Is there any polishing media packed in the bottom of the case?

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Originally posted by Willie B:
Is there any polishing media packed in the bottom of the case?

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Ah, very good point! I did tumble them earlier. I used one of those "rolling basket" type media separators, but I did notice some shells decaped with very little force while others required more force. Let me double check every shell from now one and see if I keep breaking pins. I still think its odd that the Lee dies never broke.

Regards,
Kory

The first thing I thought was "berdan". Snake eyes in the bottom is the tell tale.

Sounds like the decapping pin &/or the stem is out of line or bent. Fellas, Who the hell makes 223 cases that are Berdan Primed???? Godsdog.

Godsdog, I saw some Berdan cases in .223 last time I was at the range. Probably some overseas ammo. I didn't check the headstamp.

Steve is probably correct in all of his questions to you. You probably have a bent decapper, as that is the most common problem.

Also, the comment about the tumbling media is very relevent.

PMP out of the battle packs are berdan primed.

After the hassle of breaking several ( 5 or 6) decapping pins, I was introduced to the Lee Universal Decapping Die. It is like $7.00 at the Sportsmans Warehouse or from Midway. I own several. They deprime anything from 17 Rem to 458 Winchester.

The decapping pin is much harder than on a regular die. Yeah it adds an extra step, but it sure has saved some real hassles. I have broke a pin or two in the last two years on them when a Berdan primer sneaks into the 223 brass, and an occasional 8mm Mauser. I called Lee and they just sent me a couple of new pins.

I now full length size my cases with the decapping pin in the die, way up. This has eliminated a lot of stuck case problems for me.
Then I tumble the brass. Then when I am getting ready to reload them, I deprime them with the universal deprimer, then hand prime them.

Cheap solution to saving a lot of potential hassles, which show up at the least opportune time as always.

Cheers and Happy New Year
seafire

I used to break a decapping pin once in a while when I was resizing military 06 brass with my RCBS dies. That military crimp can be tough sometimes. Look for the brass to be rolled over the edge of the primer, if it is then you have crimped primers.
One can use the universal decappers as mentioned before. There is also a punch and anvil set available with which you use a mallet to knock primers from military brass.

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Originally posted by Idaho Shooter:
There is also a punch and anvil set available with which you use a mallet to knock primers from military brass.

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Thats what I use for the crimped millsurp brass, also a Lee produce. I think they cost all of about two bucks and work well.

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Originally posted by Wstrnhuntr:

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Originally posted by Idaho Shooter:
There is also a punch and anvil set available with which you use a mallet to knock primers from military brass.

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Thats what I use for the crimped millsurp brass, also a Lee produce. I think they cost all of about two bucks and work well.

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That's actually how I started off with, but this was brass shot out of an AR-15, so sometimes the case mouth was not round enough to use the Lee Decapping Pin, so I started running it throgh the NK Die and thus my trouble began.

Kory

My reloading stuff is predominately RCBS!

When I first started reloading .223 Remington, I used Military brass and I either bent or broke I don't know how many decapping pins!
Then I had a brain storm and checked to see if the LARGE diameter decapping pin would fit through the flash hole, and it did! I took a drill bit, the same size as the large decapping pin and then removed the small pin from my resizing die and, with the expander ball still in place, I drilled a new hole through it and into the bottom of the decapping rod!

That same pin is still there since 1978!

There is enough slop in the threads that the decapper is not straight and is hittin the web of the case instead of the primer at least some of the time. Back off the lock nut, and you can probably see it's off center by eyeballing it, bring it to center, make sure it stays there while you tighten the lock nut by hand, then snug it up. I've done this before, 20 years ago.

I'm betting on the polishing media. As to lee dies not breaking pins, it's just the way they are designed, you'd likely bend a Lee before you'd break it.
If I break an RCBS pin, it's usually a case obstruction.

It might be a good idea to remove the burrs inside around the flash hole and at the same time chamfer the edges of the hole SIGNIFICANTLY. Make sure that your decapping pins have a radiused or angular lead and that the holes in the cases are not noticeably acentric. Check your shell holder to make sure some abstruction isn't preventing the cases to be properly alligned. roger

HELLO THE CAMP FIRE!!

CHECK THAT THE DECAP PN IS SCREWED IN TIGHTLY. MY RCBS GETS LOSE SOMETIMES AND WILL NOT ALWAYS GO THROUGH THE FLASH HOLE.

JUDGE SHARPE A POOR WIDOWS SON

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Originally posted by Godsdog:
Sounds like the decapping pin &/or the stem is out of line or bent. Fellas, Who the hell makes 223 cases that are Berdan Primed???? Godsdog.

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MEN in Germany and a few Central European manufactures.


I got a batch of brand new WW 223 cases with primer flasholes off center.

The weakest part of any reloading die [set] is the decapping die assembly. We use mostly Lyman T-Mag presses. I have learned NOT TO rotate the territ with the handle down.
I have had good experience[s] with both Lee and Hornady Decapping pins. If you still have your Lee sizing die, USE IT instead of the Redding one.

I found everytime I broke a decapping pin, my decapping rod was off center. Here is what I do.
First back off on the decapping rod. Run the case up into the sizing die. Screw the decapping rod down until the pin contacts the primer. Back the case out a ways and screw the decapping rod down far enough to decap the primer. Do not lock the decapping rod. Now back the rod out until the expanding ball is firmly into the neck, It is now held exactly centered. Tighten the lock nut and your decapping rod is centered. Keep checking occasionally to be sure it doesn't loosen.
If you are working without an exanding ball, carefully decap the first primer and, with the pin still in the primer flash hole, loosen the locknut of the decapping rod and retighten with it centered.
Indidentally, check to be sure the nut holding the pin onto the rod is tight. Put your finger onto the pin as it saticks out of the die and make sure you can't wiggle it.
I know all this sounds very basic, and it is. It's just that whenever something bad happens to me (like breaking primer decap pins) I find somethin very basic that I lost track of.