Crimped primer removal

[RogerWilco99]

Does any one make a decapping die specifically to deal with crimped primers? The punch, base and hammer thing is getting rather tiresome and my wife complains about the noise.

I've tried just tightening the bejesus out of the decapping pin collet on my decapping die. But I'm afraid I'll strip it out. Not to mention that it's pretty hard to get it loose to adjust it between the various cases. My hand strength is waning, too as part of my disability. Having to use open-end wrenches doesn't give much leverage. I could use pipe over the wrench but then the stripping or eveb shearing issue arises.

I've punch decapped over 2000 .223 Rem today. And my hands hurt. Surely _someone_ has a better way?

[Alpo]

Lee Universal Decapping Die. 12 dollars direct from Lee. You can find it cheaper if you look around.
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...l#DecappingDie

[CJ7365]

The Lee Universal Decapping Die works perfect, no effort at all, I had my son punching the .223 LC primers out using my Breech Lock Challenger Press

[edlacy]

The new Universal Decapping die from Lyman has an almost unbreakable decapping pin. About $14.00.

[RogerWilco99]

The Lee Universal Decapping Die is what I was using. It kept pushing the pin back out of the die. This is on once fired PMC brass that I fired.

Maybe I just don't have the strength to tighten the collett tight enough to stop the decapping pin from slipping back out.

I'm losing strength in my hands and forearms due to my disability.

I'll try pushinging the pin back down and tightening it as hard as I can.

Sometimes I have to hit the decapping punch several times to get the primer to come out using an 18oz ball peen hammer. Should they take that much to get out? Or am I just turning into Mister Wimpy?

[Alpo]

From your description, you don't seem to be using the Lee Universal Decapping Die.

You're hitting it with a hammer? This die screws into your press.

You're adjusting the depth of the pin between calibers? You set it one time and forget it. That's why it's "Universal". It never needs readjusting. If it did need any type of readjustment, you would do that by screwing the die up or down in your press, not by loosening the collet and moving the pin.

[RogerWilco99]

Originally Posted by Alpo

From your description, you don't seem to be using the Lee Universal Decapping Die.

You're hitting it with a hammer? This die screws into your press.

You're adjusting the depth of the pin between calibers? You set it one time and forget it. That's why it's "Universal". It never needs readjusting. If it did need any type of readjustment, you would do that by screwing the die up or down in your press, not by loosening the collet and moving the pin.

You're right, I'm NOT using the decapping die when I'm using the hammer. That would be stupid. Note that I said "hit the decapping PUNCH".

I stopped using the decapping die on my 223 and some of my 308 because I have to keep loosening the collet on the die to push the pin back down after failing to push out a crimped primer. So I toss those into another bin and decap them with a punch and base later on.

There's no reason to adjust the decapping die for various bullets at all. Not the pin and not the die. I wasn't thinking when I mentioned adjusting the decapping pin. I had the issue of having to keep putting the decapping pin back in the proper position every time I hit a case that has a crimped primer that pushed it up into the die.

I'm might be a noob at this but I'm not an idiot. Okay.

[RustyFN]

I would suggest putting a small cheater on the two wrenches and try to tighten the sten more. It would be much easier than the punch and hammer method. I put two open end wrenches on my 223 sizing die to tighten it enough to decap crimped primers and it's very tight, still good and didn't break.
Rusty

[RogerWilco99]

Thanks Rusty. I have a couple of wrenches I can put on there to tighten the collet (or sten?) as much as I can. Maybe it won't slip. I've got over 2000 more .223 left to decap with crimped primers. And probably a litle more than that in .308. The decapping die is _definitely_ easier to use and easier on me. I'll try it again. Maybe put a couple of short pieces of pipe on he wrenches to increase my leverage. I just hope I don't strip it or shear something off. Fortunately the decapping dies are easy to find and not expensive. And they be the heck out of the punch and hammer method.