Breaking decapping pins

[Blue Ghosts]

Why are my decap pins breaking? Reloading 223, military brass. Is it because of the crimped primer pockets. If so, how can I alleviate this problem, do they make a hardened pins? I'm using RCBS dies.
My dad was the big reloader in the family, but passed away in '99 . Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[korykhunter]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

I've had two different problems with decapping pins. First flash hole was to small. Second was flash hole was off center. Not sure what is wrong on your end but I learned to keep extra pins on hand.

 

[gimpy]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

Are you positive the brass isn't Berdan primed? Also, is the decapping stem bent? Check that first.

 

[Blue Ghosts]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

I'll give it a look over, once I get some more pins..... looks like a trip to BPS or Cabela's is in the near future.

 

[Shadowofjudgment]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

Sometimes if the decaping pin isnt tight it wont hit the flash hole correctly and break a pin. Might check that..

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

Guatemalan Bras has small flash holes. I had to take my Redding pin down from 0.062 to 0.059 to get the primers out cleanly. {Not really a problem for someon with a lathe.}

 

[TenZero]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

I've seen lots of 223 brass with off center flash holes that will bust a pin. Be careful, and go slow.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

I'm with gimpy, check to see if the decapping stem is bent after breaking the first time, or crooked.

 

[khdudley13]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

rcbs has always been extremely good about warranting just about anything.... give them a call.. i bet they will drop some in the mail for you...

 

[Beef82]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

I haven't broken one, crimps won't do it, reasons listed above will. I use a Lee universal decapper for range brass, stem is collet mounted it'll slip before it breaks, out of thousands of cases it has once, ended up with a few berdan primed.

 

[JoeBUtah]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dudley</div><div class="ubbcode-body">rcbs has always been extremely good about warranting just about anything.... give them a call.. i bet they will drop some in the mail for you... </div></div>


I won't even take that bet; I KNOW they will take care of you; I've broken de-capper pins in the past and they'll send you several in the mail. Call them Monday, you'll have your parts by Friday! (If not sooner.)

I've even broken things being a bone head. Totally my fault, and they still hooked me up. Some of the best customer service I've ever had with any merchant anywhere, anytime.

 

[jdgray]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

Lee dies have a much tougher pin design....
I did manage to break a Lee however, on a case with no flash hole!

 

[zuke]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JoeBUtah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dudley</div><div class="ubbcode-body">rcbs has always been extremely good about warranting just about anything.... give them a call.. i bet they will drop some in the mail for you... </div></div>


I won't even take that bet; I KNOW they will take care of you; I've broken de-capper pins in the past and they'll send you several in the mail. Call them Monday, you'll have your parts by Friday! (If not sooner.)

I've even broken things being a bone head. Totally my fault, and they still hooked me up. Some of the best customer service I've ever had with any merchant anywhere, anytime. </div></div>

I called them about a stuck case I was pulling out for a friend after he mangled the stem.
It took 2 month's for me to get that stem. He' bought a good set of LEE dies and told me to either throw out or sell the rcbs crap.

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

If I'm processing crimped brass I just get out the Lee Universal De-priming die.

Even if you encounter an off-center flash hole, or berdan primed case, the Lee pin will just get pushed up through the retaining collet nut. The trick is to not over tighten it. Just tight enough to push out the primer but loose enough to slip up when hitting the brass. I've never seen a crimp that in itself would break a Lee decapping pin.

 

[afate45]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

Deadshot is right on. Yesterday I de-primed about 600 crimped PPU .223 cases and they all took considerable force to remove the primer. The Lee die holds up well. I've deprived 10s of thousands of cases with it and have never broken a rod.

RCBS dies on the other hand are another story. I've had numerous problems with their decapping rods in several calibers.

 

[blackblue]

Re: Breaking decapping pins

I've broke several running large amounts of crimped brass so I picked up a Lee universal die and haven't had any problems, just adds another step.