Recently dusted off the 223 dies doing some loading for the mouse guns
An old nuisance issue popped back up, and I figured it was time to nail it down and be done with it.
Specifically, the spent primers aren't making it all the way out.
Sometimes it works as intended, and I got the audible 'tink' of the spent primer popping out and hitting the catch.
Other times, no audible indication and when I lower the ram, the spent primer stays with the case. The way this shows up depends on the press being used. On the Co-Ax, the primer is sticking out of the case halfway, and I can pry it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. On a press with conventional shell holders it's considerably more of a PITA. On the 550, it blocks rotation of the shell plate until it comes loose - at which point it falls into the primer slide feed cup (less than ideal).
I've tried adjusting the decapping stem out as far as I can get it - to the point of bottoming out on the case web; it made no difference.
The die is nothing special: a Redding Type S F/L bushing die. I've chucked the stem in a drill to check for runout, and I've polished the tip of the pin. Brass is Lapua match.
One theory was that maybe the tip of the pin was getting wedged in between the anvil and the cup wall; hence spinning it to check if it was bent, and polishing any burrs. Nothing.
Current work-around involves listening for the primer popping out, and if it doesn't then short-stroking the ram to air piston the primer out. It works, but it's a PITA.
I've tinkered with this off and on for a long while. I'm not sure what else to try, short of adding a separate decapping die to the process, or just getting a new sizer. Not real keen on the latter, as I've gotten *very* good results from this die - but man o man it's a pain to deal with sometimes.
Any suggestions or ideas?
An old nuisance issue popped back up, and I figured it was time to nail it down and be done with it.
Specifically, the spent primers aren't making it all the way out.
Sometimes it works as intended, and I got the audible 'tink' of the spent primer popping out and hitting the catch.
Other times, no audible indication and when I lower the ram, the spent primer stays with the case. The way this shows up depends on the press being used. On the Co-Ax, the primer is sticking out of the case halfway, and I can pry it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. On a press with conventional shell holders it's considerably more of a PITA. On the 550, it blocks rotation of the shell plate until it comes loose - at which point it falls into the primer slide feed cup (less than ideal).
I've tried adjusting the decapping stem out as far as I can get it - to the point of bottoming out on the case web; it made no difference.
The die is nothing special: a Redding Type S F/L bushing die. I've chucked the stem in a drill to check for runout, and I've polished the tip of the pin. Brass is Lapua match.
One theory was that maybe the tip of the pin was getting wedged in between the anvil and the cup wall; hence spinning it to check if it was bent, and polishing any burrs. Nothing.
Current work-around involves listening for the primer popping out, and if it doesn't then short-stroking the ram to air piston the primer out. It works, but it's a PITA.
I've tinkered with this off and on for a long while. I'm not sure what else to try, short of adding a separate decapping die to the process, or just getting a new sizer. Not real keen on the latter, as I've gotten *very* good results from this die - but man o man it's a pain to deal with sometimes.
Any suggestions or ideas?
