Bad luck with decapping pins

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RussellC

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Good grief...a ton of military .223/5.56 Lake City brass to decap, which I normally do before cleaning, and resize as a separate step. Within the first 20-30 cases, I broke off the pin of the Lee Universal decapper. I bought a spare pin when I bought it and traded that out. 20-30 more, pin broken. OK, got out the Lee .223 "Unbreakable" decapping pin and holder, 10-20 cases in,it broke.

Finished them off with the full length sizing die that came with the Lee deluxe 4 die rifle set for .223. These were all Lake City cases.

Am I doing something wrong, or is this part of the fun of military (crimped) brass?

Russellc
 
No.
I haven't broke a pin in so long I cant remember the last one.

Try setting your die up a little different.

Unlock the die lock ring.
Take a de-primed case and run it up in the loose die so the pin is centered in the flash hole.
Wiggle the die around in the press to center the threads.
Then lock the lock nut.

Also, check the rim in the shell holder and make sure there isn't a bur or stuck media keeping the cases from centering all the way in it.

About all that can break a pin is entering the flash hole off center and springing it sideways while it is trying to push a primer out.

It is also possible the cases have some off-center flash holes doing the same thing.

Or, you have some Berdan primed brass mixed in the mess.

Also, the Lee die de-capping pin should slip in the die collet before the pin breaks.
Maybe don't clamp it down quite as tight.

rc
 
No berdan, but I have seen a flash hole or two that was off. But even the "unbreakable" one? I went a little slower and the FL Lee die survived to finish the pile.

I really think you are onto something with the off center flash hole. I noticed (once down to the last Lee die w/decapper) that if it bagan to feel like it wasnt moving, I raised the ram and went back down. I guess I am used to flying through non-crimped 9mm...

Russellc
 
I haven't broke a pin in so long I cant remember the last one.

Unlock the die lock ring.

Pin is designed to push out the top before it breaks. I decap hundreds of 5.56 crimped primers and never had a problem.

Have tried call Lee tech service they have been help full in the past.
 
Also, the Lee die de-capping pin should slip in the die collet before the pin breaks.
Maybe don't clamp it down quite as tight.
Click to expand...

Im thinkin this is the winner..they come super duper tight too.
 
Follow rcmodel's suggestions. I can't imagine breaking 3 Lee pins. I've accidentally converted Berdan primed brass, in 2 calibers, to Boxer brass (not really, scraped them after depriming) using Lee dies.
 
Yea, the Lee one shouldnt break. Loosen the nut a bit (you really have to tug).

I don't know much, but Ive learned alot about the Lee decapper. (the hard way)
 
Potatohead said:
Yea, the Lee one shouldnt break. Loosen the nut a bit (you really have to tug).

I don't know much, but Ive learned alot about the Lee decapper. (the hard way)
Click to expand...
I know exactly how much! lol. I think it just came too tight. Have NO explanation for the black "Unbreakable" decapper...it only lasted a few rounds. No berdan, just Lake City brass. The Lee full length resizing die did hundreds after these failures. If I felt strong resistance, I raised the ram and went back down. Another member suggested it could have been off center flash holes, but the "unbreakable" one I fitted to the primer hole by hand, or at least thought I did...

Called Lee, they told me to take pics and email.

Russellc
 
I had trouble if the brass was cold and been sitting in the garage. Broke several pins that way. Once I warmed them up to room temp did 300 without a problem all lc brass.
 
I think "rcmodel" is giving good advice. Try that. As far as "unbreakable" decapping pins, that's akin to "the horse that couldn't be rode" and "the man that couldn't be throwed." I have gone through 4 or 5 of those Lee "unbreakable" decapping punches over the years, and I can tell you that Lee hasn't made any money off their lifetime guarantee with me. Even though it now costs $2 to send the thing back, I do it.

The Lee decapping die (as opposed to the cheap punch /base set mentioned above) is superior in every way to the RCBS decapping die (which sits in the bottom of a box in the basement). But with these universal decapping dies, the case is not centered as it is in a regular sizing / decapping die. This is what makes the procedure given by "rcmodel" so important, since it tends to make the pin more centered, and thus more likely to go through the flash hole, rather than get broken off when it hits the base.
 
Rico567 said:
I think "rcmodel" is giving good advice. Try that. As far as "unbreakable" decapping pins, that's akin to "the horse that couldn't be rode" and "the man that couldn't be throwed." I have gone through 4 or 5 of those Lee "unbreakable" decapping punches over the years, and I can tell you that Lee hasn't made any money off their lifetime guarantee with me. Even though it now costs $2 to send the thing back, I do it.

The Lee decapping die (as opposed to the cheap punch /base set mentioned above) is superior in every way to the RCBS decapping die (which sits in the bottom of a box in the basement). But with these universal decapping dies, the case is not centered as it is in a regular sizing / decapping die. This is what makes the procedure given by "rcmodel" so important, since it tends to make the pin more centered, and thus more likely to go through the flash hole, rather than get broken off when it hits the base.
Click to expand...
Yup, I believe you and RC may have found what I did wrong. That, and some over tightening possibly. Brass was warm (room temp) when I started. I think I will give up on the "Unbreakable" one, and just buy a load of the pins for the universal decapper.

Russellc
 
Constrictor said:
the pins must be Lee. I always break lee pins.
Click to expand...
YUP! I like the Lee stuff, but jeez, if the pin in the Lee full length resizer broke, this would have only left me with an expensive Redding Small Base Full Length die to de-cap with. Who knows how much the pin is for that thing, it rarely sees a case with primer still in it.

Russellc
 
I had the same problem last night with my RCBS dies. I've done hundreds of .223 cases with no problem, last night I broke all four of my spares in about 200. I bent the whole decapping pin/neck expander (or whatever you call it?) just enough in the process that I had a hard time keeping it centered.
 
Well the one time I "broke" a Lee decapping pin in the universal decapper it was when I pulled it out of the punch trying to decap some nickel FC 357 SIG casings. Turns out that the flash holes are too small and the pin sticks in them. So a drop of super glue to put the pin back home and use the regular Lee 357 SIG sizing/decapping die and all is well in the reloading universe again.:D

Along with finding grime or media in the grove of the shell holder that would hold the brass off center look at the press ram groove as well. Any buildup there will keep the shell holder from centering also. Ask how I figured this out.:banghead: I also do not slam the ram up into the die. A slow steady pressure will allow you to detect a casing that is split or going to stick before it happens with some experience.
 
Honestly, I've never broke one.

I would clean my shell holder really good, make sure the pin is aligned, and try again. I've had a few push the pin up in a Lee FL die, I cleaned the shell holder, check alignment, and it stops happening. It doesn't take much build up or derbies to mis align the pin in an already touchy case such as LC 5.56/223 brass.

GS
 
ArchAngelCD said:
I'm not trying to be a wise-guy here but if you or anyone else "Always Break" Lee decapping pins you are doing something very wrong.
Click to expand...
Of course I'm doing something wrong and I just pointed out what: using Lee dies. Every pin I've broke in the last 30 years have been Lee. I've never had any other brand break.
 
I have broken the pin on the Lee "unbreakable" punch. Most of the pistol dies I use are Lee = never broken a pin, nor have I ever broken a pin on my Dillon dies, but I only have two. I've broken decapping pins on my other brands of dies (RCBS & Lyman). The RCBS Universal Decapping Die is practically useless in this regard, although the analogous Lee die works fine.
I therefore infer "I must be doing something wrong" with the RCBS and Lyman dies.
 
Broke an RCBS one yesterday too. Had two pieces that felt like there was no hole, so I tossed them. Should have tossed the third too. I have lots of brass. Sometimes you just gotta let one go.
 
Make sure you only have just enough pin protrusion that the primer just clears the primer pocket when the ram is fully extended.
 
I think I have broken one in about 35 years. That was when I first started and wasn't wise to the ways of the sneaky Berdan primed case. Check your process and be more observant and careful. I am not trying to be an a**hole but that is the best advice I can give.
 
I have around 6000 LC 556 brass and 3000 FC 556 brass through my lee universal die, not to mention the 2000 45 and 1000 9mm in just two months.
Still on the original pin. NOT bragging at all. :rolleyes:
What I can say is getting use to pistol brass and really being able to run em fast
The 223/556 cases wether civil or military, slow down and get used to the feel.
I have had some real hard hits in the bottom of the cases at first at make me cringe :uhoh: because I was trying to blow through them like the pistol cases.
You will definitely pick up the pace in time and get a smooth rhythm, and feel the pin start to bend slightly on some off flash holes. When you feel it you will proceed with caution and slow speed on that one. This might be your problem with breaking the pins, slow down a bit and relax at the bench !
Or maybe I just got a defective pin :D
 
Question: Is Lee universal decaping die any different from one of their other dies other than it doesn't resize ? I have one ( a resizer for 223) I had tightened the nut down on top pretty well and trying to De-cap was like hitting a steel door. I didn't exert a whole bunch of force as playing with crimped brass is new to me and so is my die and didn't want to bust it first night in the cave. But certainly a lot more pressure than I would for any other brass I de-primed.Most are nickel plated and some are OD green.
Didn't know about the Berdan cases, I'll check tomorrow to see if I have any of those in the pile
 
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