Lost a de-cap, primer punch out pin today.

Foul Mike

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 18, 2001
3,090
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Eastern Colorado
I was working up some brass this AM on a single stage Rockchucker and one didn't feel quite right so I checked and the pin had come out. It had pushed the spent primer out.

Where did it go? I knew something was up and stopped right there until I found it. I was remiss about tightening things up after so many rounds

The pin was stuck in the last round I had resized, right in the flash hole but not protruding enough that the next primer would not have gone in. it came out easy enough but I sure was glad I had not just put a new pin in and charged the case and tried to shoot it.

I think that is something for all of us to learn from. as I have been reloading for a lot of years but knew something was wrong.

This was single stage and I didn't have to look too far, ya dummy, it was the last one you did.

I think that for you that are running progressive, how long would it be before you discovered that? Probably not long as things don't work right but how much brass do you have to look thru before you find the problem?
 
I have to reach up in the die with extra long needlepoint pliers and tighten every couple hundred rounds.

Dont want to thread lock in case I break one. It's a Hornady.

My favorite was a Lyman universal till my grandson bent it.

Not sure how he got a shell sideways.
 
I was working up some brass this AM on a single stage Rockchucker and one didn't feel quite right so I checked and the pin had come out. It had pushed the spent primer out.

Where did it go? I knew something was up and stopped right there until I found it. I was remiss about tightening things up after so many rounds

The pin was stuck in the last round I had resized, right in the flash hole but not protruding enough that the next primer would not have gone in. it came out easy enough but I sure was glad I had not just put a new pin in and charged the case and tried to shoot it.

I think that is something for all of us to learn from. as I have been reloading for a lot of years but knew something was wrong.

This was single stage and I didn't have to look too far, ya dummy, it was the last one you did.

I think that for you that are running progressive, how long would it be before you discovered that? Probably not long as things don't work right but how much brass do you have to look thru before you find the problem?
On a Dillon xl 650, it would have self reported on the next complete cycle of the handle when the new primer wouldn’t seat. That is, if you didn’t feel/notice it immediately at station one.

Having said that, I have had rounds go through the press, not having been primed. As with anything else in reloading, it’s my fault/responsibility.
 
I was working up some brass this AM on a single stage Rockchucker and one didn't feel quite right so I checked and the pin had come out. It had pushed the spent primer out.

Where did it go? I knew something was up and stopped right there until I found it. I was remiss about tightening things up after so many rounds

The pin was stuck in the last round I had resized, right in the flash hole but not protruding enough that the next primer would not have gone in. it came out easy enough but I sure was glad I had not just put a new pin in and charged the case and tried to shoot it.

I think that is something for all of us to learn from. as I have been reloading for a lot of years but knew something was wrong.

This was single stage and I didn't have to look too far, ya dummy, it was the last one you did.

I think that for you that are running progressive, how long would it be before you discovered that? Probably not long as things don't work right but how much brass do you have to look thru before you find the problem?

One maybe two at most. The failure to deprime after the pin fell out would prevent that one from taking a new primer, and would be instantly noted when the handle would not bottom to prime.
 
My favorite on a dillon is when the primer alert fails and you dont feel it for a couple of rounds.

Dillon quickly replaced parts.

Most of the time I'm alert and can feel things wrong but grandkids can be a distraction.
 
Foul Mike....not sure if you're using the Lee Universal decapping pin but if you do and you need a new pin i'm happy to send you one, i bought an extra last time i broke mine but this one i've got has been running great for quite some time so i don't envision needing my spare.
 
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Two words - though one is a name: Harvey Deprimer


I got it because I was breaking pins on a new batch of brass. It's quicker, off the press (so I can deprime anywhere), and I have yet to break a pin.
 
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Interesting tool. I just use the Frankford Arsenal hand deprimer. Self centers the case, and catches the spent primer. I can quickly go through a hundred cases, just watching the tube or bs'ing with buddies after a range day, while drinking a beer.
 
When Lapua changed their flash hole size I would pull the pin out of the rod 10% of the time on 6BR and 6.5x47L. I finally got sick of it and bought undersized pins as well as wrapped the fingers of the collet it one wrap of cellophane tape before I put the capture nut back on. Been GTH since.