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Decapping Dies

3K views 31 replies 15 participants last post by  mikld 
#1 ·
A lot of new decapping dies in the marketplace, with the Lee universal being the cheapest. Is there any advantages to the more expensive brands? I'm using the Forster co-ax press. Thanks for your thoughts,
 
#2 ·
#6 ·
It does add an extra step but some folks don't mind that extra step. I use a universal depriming tool with all of my pistol brass because I wet tumble and with the extra stem, the primer is out so that the primer pocket gets clean. I then just run the cleaned brass through the Dillon as usual.

For quite a while I used the Lee universal die but last year I bought one of the hand help Frankfort Arsenal deprimers.
 
#9 ·
As far as the 'extra step' goes, using a separate decapper die makes sense as George pointed out for decapping prior to case cleaning. This way you don't have to lube the cases, and can just punch out the old primer quickly.

Using the standard sizer/decapper die you must lube the case first, then run that grimy case thru your sizer die. Using the dedicated decapper die first allows to you deprime the case, clean it and THEN process it. Easier on the brass and keeps the more expensive reloading dies cleaner.
 
#19 ·
Dude you have the coolest doo-hickeys. Now I have to get rid of the hand held I bought from lee. Thanks for the post. I'm going to have to check their website.
 
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#14 ·
I have 3 -
Lee - don't like it, the pin seems too thin, easy to break if the case is not centered

Hornady - set up for my LNL AP, only use it occasionally or when doing large quantity of 223 prior to wet cleaning

Lyman - use it in a Lee inexpensive single stage press for most pistol cases, it just works and seems to be the one I use the most.

I neck size most of my big caliber rifle cases and that is where they get deprimed.
 
#16 ·
Yes, I do the same as others have stated, I like to decap my brass before wet tumbling. It is an extra step, but for me, well worth the time.

The decapping die is fine with dirty brass, no worries about gumming up your nice resizing die with range brass crud, and it is much faster and easier since there is no pressure from the resizing operation.

The enhanced pins I referred to above are well worth the $9 for the Lee die.
 
#17 ·
If it's worth your time it's good enough reason. Seem's like a whole lot of guy's do progressive press's to save time. I enjoy reloading so saving time doesn't mean a lot to me. I'm also not a high volume loader either. But I read so much related to speed, the de-capping die doesn't make sense to me. :)
 
#22 ·
I bought one of the Frankfort De-priming tools after watchin db's video. I have since removed the decapping pins from all of my resizing dies. Though a Universal de-capper would be nice for Crimped Primers.
 
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#25 ·
I use the Lee universal decapping die and have only had one problem with it. That was my fault, I got in a hurry and tried to decap a berdan primer. Wouldn't go, I thought it was a crimped primer and put on a little more force. Broke that pin, bought two replacements and slowed down. Now I check any that could be berdan, and it never happened again. :D
 
#26 ·
Maybe I have been mistaken, but I thought the idea behind the Lee Decapper units was the collet retainer. The collet allowed the pin to slip when an obstacle was encountered, unlike the headed pin.

Being a person that hates to spend more than is needed, after the reviewing the post/link about Ebay having cheap decap pins, I checked out the price for decap pin material.
I can buy 36 inches of the material for about $3.35 for 36 inches of material.
A few minutes of machine time and you have a decap pin, now not be short sighted, I ground a pin on the opposite end just in case.

I am sure that for whatever the reason while reloading the pin will break. Now I can just turn the pin over and continue.
Just my two cents.

Larry
 
#27 ·
I have a Lee Universal decapper die sitting next to my Co-Ax. I also have size/decapping dies for each cartridge set up to use with my Co-Ax. Most of the time decapping first doesn't fit my reloading style (I batch load and clean my brass as a first step), but I'm prepared! I have experience pin "set back" but I just clean the stem and collet and tighten the collet down and my Lee stems stay in place, plus I've never broken one (I inspect every case before I do anything to it and if suspect/questionable I'll set it aside). I dry tumble, and like to keep my presses clean so I'll tumble before I do anything else. I believe it's a personal thing and to each his own.
 
#29 ·
My reason for decapping first evidently isn't applicable to all the previous post nor do I do it all the time. For those who shoot BP cartridges decapping first allows the primer pocket to also be washed of BP residue before running the cartridge case into the sizing die. If forming brass I'll also decap first. Might need that primer pocket to center the case on the live center on my lathe.

Oh, I've used the Lee for....25 years(?)....and haven't broken a pin.....yet.
 
#30 ·
Well, I always check my range pick up religiously now. I probably could have gotten Lee to replace the decapping pin but it seemed kind of petty to me so I just replaced it. I assume I had the collet tightened too much so I didn't tighten it too much after that.
I always decap all of the brass I collect before cleaning, so the primer pockets will be clean too. Of course being on disability leaves me with plenty of time to do it.
 
#32 ·
The two times I tried to size/deprime a Berdan primed case the "collet retained decapping stem" worked like it was supposed to. If there is no oil on the stem or collet, the stem will be held in place, even decapping military brass, but slip when it hits a solid surface...
 
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