Broke Lee 223 Decapping Pin

[Uncle Chan]

Good Evening,

Well, I was messing with my new hand press sizing and depriming about 300 223 cases and I bent the pin on my Lee 223 Sizing/Decapping die. An attempt to straighten it broke it instead. I've not called Lee yet for a replacement part.

My question to you all, how responsive is Lee to such things? Can I expect good customer support and prompt replacement? Or, am I going to get off the phone madder than hell and looking for RCBS, Dillon, Hornady or some other manufacturer's dies? The breakage was my fault, although I''m not convinced the pin wasn't bent to start out. HOWEVER, I suspect it was just fine and I managed to bend it.

Any adivce? Experience?

 

[Sunray]

"...Can I expect good customer support..." Yep. You have a 2 year warrantee if you send the tool to Lee. Lee's warrantee isn't as good as RCBS' or Dillon's though. Lee might, I say again might charge you for the part.
RCBS, for sure, would just ask you for your mailing address and send it. Whether you broke it or not. I think Dillon does that too.
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/faq/index.cgi

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

Lee will send you another one, no problem.

They might want to know how the hell you bent it, though. In over a hundred thousand rounds through Lee dies, I've yet to bend--let alone break--a decapping pin on any of their resizing dies.

Jeff

 

[birdbustr]

It sounds like you are trying to get starting in to reloading and don't know too much about it. If I am wrong I apologize and I'm not trying to come across as a know-it-all on reloading. In all fairness if you did know what you were doing you wouldn't be trying to resize and decap using a handpress. However I have been doing it for several years and what I am going to tell you will save you many headaches. I don't want to discourage someone that takes shooting seriously enough to attempt to get into reloading, but you are going to have nothing but problems and aching hands trying to use a Lee Handpress by itself to reload. You just can't get the torque you need to do the resizing and seating steps.

I understand that it looks like a cheap way to start reloading, but you'll eventually see that the handpress' has little usefullness for reloading except the final step with a Lee Factory Crimp Die.
Get a good press that is made of good castiron and that bolts or clamps to a bench. Don't get the lee single stage press either. It's just aluminum and will not stand up use and abuse either. At the very least you need the Challenger Press.
For decapping you'll also find that it's easiest to use the Lee Decapper Die before resizing, which is a generic decapper. Resizing and decapping in one motion is going to lead to many stuck cases even if you use case lube generously. Decap then Resize and you will again save yourself many headaches.

You'll eventually see that this is all very good advice on reloading, but if you were like me in my younger years you'll have to learn things the hard way on your own. The best reloading tool you can get is going to be someone that has been reloading for a while. Any questions on loading rifle, handgun or shotgun shells feel free to ask. PM me if you are worried about it sounding silly. Good luck.

 

[lgbloader]

Hey Birdbustr,
I don't want to sound like I am attacking what you just posted.

It sounds like you are trying to get starting in to reloading and don't know too much about it. If I am wrong I apologize and I'm not trying to come across as a know-it-all on reloading. In all fairness if you did know what you were doing you wouldn't be trying to resize and decap using a handpress.

Just a little too strong, IMO...

From what I see, I think Uncle Chan was only trying out a new toy, the decapping pin got bent, tried to repair it by rebending it correctly, and he ended up fixing it for good (FUBARepair).
If you read his original post, all he really wanted was info on the warrenty side of Lee.
I know he has a Dillon 550b and a Lee classic turret and, I think a single stage, as well.
Under different circumstances, I would have given a complete thumbs up.

Cheers, Mate.

 

[dagger dog]

If you dont want to wait on Lee shipping the decap pins go tho the nearest Auto Zone and buy 1 driveshaft universal joint, each cap on the universal joint has about 20 (pins) bearings in it that it what Lee uses for decap pins. They're extremely hard as they are heat treated,take the old pin with you so you can get one the same length, all though they just about all are the same length.

 

[Uncle Chan]

Hey Birdbustr,
I don't want to sound like I am attacking what you just posted.

Quote:
It sounds like you are trying to get starting in to reloading and don't know too much about it. If I am wrong I apologize and I'm not trying to come across as a know-it-all on reloading. In all fairness if you did know what you were doing you wouldn't be trying to resize and decap using a handpress.
Just a little too strong, IMO...

From what I see, I think Uncle Chan was only trying out a new toy, the decapping pin got bent, tried to repair it by rebending it correctly, and he ended up fixing it for good (FUBARepair).
If you read his original post, all he really wanted was info on the warrenty side of Lee.
I know he has a Dillon 550b and a Lee classic turret and, I think a single stage, as well.
Under different circumstances, I would have given a complete thumbs up.

Igbloader, thanks for watching my back.

Birdbustr, no worries mate. I've been reloading for a couple decades now. Igbloader is right. I've a 550, Classic Turret, and a Single Stage. I bought the hand press because as of this afternoon, I'll be living out of my RV for the next 4 months. I just wanted to try it out on the 223. SOMEHOW, the pin got bent. In my attempt to straighten it, I FUBARed it real good. Now I'm without.

Everyone, thanks for all of the replies!!!! I appreciate the assist.

 

[snuffy]

If I am wrong I apologize and I'm not trying to come across as a know-it-all on reloading.

Well you did, but you don't. Come on Johnny, he's asking for it!

Chan, they will simply send you a couple of pins. You will end up liking that lee hand press. I use mine all the time doing simple stuff while watching TV. Using the lee push through sizer die for lead boolits, the lee universal decapper for crimped primers, and yes even FL sizing up to and including 45-70 brass!

I intend to create a field shooting kit for load work-up while at the range. My club is a 50 round trip, with gas prices where they are, it'll save me some trips. The hand press, dies, a couple boxes of primers, bullets and boolits, portable digital scale and powder, should allow me to shoot until I find a good load.

 

[Uncle Chan]

Hi Snuffy,

I've a field kit that I put together. It contains all of the necessary stuff for loading 223, 30-06, 45LC and 45-70. It has been fun, except for the whole decapping pin fiasco.

Chan

 

[lgbloader]

Hey Uncle Chan,

Igbloader, thanks for watching my back.

Anytime, Mate. What's right is right.

I am on my way to the range right now. (8:45am CA time) I know, I know, I'm really late but I could not get out of bed!!!

 

[Uncle Chan]

Have a great time! Good shooting!

Chan

 

[GearHead_1]

In over a hundred thousand rounds through Lee dies, I've yet to bend--let alone break--a decapping pin on any of their resizing dies.

I too find myself in this camp. I did at one time receive a set of LEE .50 BMG dies that came from the factory with a visually bent pin. I have no idea how that happened unless someone dropped that heavy die on the floor while boxing it up. They of course sent me new one. I have pushed decapping pins back in the die when not paying attention to Berdan primed cases but never broken or bent one. I bent an RCBS pin once and broke it while trying to straighten it they also sent me a new one.

 

[Soybomb]

In all fairness if you did know what you were doing you wouldn't be trying to resize and decap using a handpress.

My experience is limited but I've found decapping and full length sizing of .223 on a lee handpress to be super slick, way easier than doing something like .38 special. Its obviously not a 500 round an hour solution but not all of us need that. Not wanting a bulky press doesn't seem good reason to tell the guy that doesn't know what he's doing.

 

[birdbustr]

I tried to cover all bases in case I was getting the wrong idea and it looks like I was getting the wrong idea. Didn't want to insult anyone's intelligence, but some of these cheap reloading tools could lure in a newbie into thinking that they could effectively get into reloading for $20 or the cost of a handpress. Glad that's not the case. The handpress might not be a bad tool to take to the range, but I've found their usefullness to be limited to things like the FCD or decapping a small number of rounds. Anything that doesn't require too much leverage they can do.

Good to see so many willing to come to the defense of others. The whole 300 rounds of .223 just sounded like too much to tackle with a handpress to me.

 

[bfox]

I am not sure if they will send one for free by just calling .

I have sent a few back and within a week had new ones for free .

Bill

 

[lgbloader]

The whole 300 rounds of .223 just sounded like too much to tackle with a handpress to me.

For some people, bench pressing 145 Lbs 10 times is alot and for others 300 Lbs ten times is the samething, same effort. To each, their own...
I couldn't live without my 650's and I know a couple of people who still use hand presses to load the pistols they shoot and since they do not shoot alot, it fits their needs perfectly. Again, to each, their own...

The whole 300 rounds of .223 just sounded like too much to tackle with a handpress to me.

To Each, their own, Mate

 

[snuffy]

I am not sure if they will send one for free by just calling .

I have sent a few back and within a week had new ones for free .

Bill

I e-mailed lee once about my auto prime. The primer punch had been damaged, it gave each primer it pushed into a shell a facelift. It was too soft, it had ceased being flat on the end that pushes on the primer cup.

I left my snail mail addy, in 3 days I had a brand new primer punch in the mail. So, a phone call will result in even faster service. They don't need to see the broken pin, they've seen plenty before.

 

[eliphalet]

If this has been posted apologies as I didn't read the whole thread.

Buy several pins and keep them handy, easier and faster than calling a manufacture, besides they are cheap. Run down to the local hardware and buy a drill the right diameters or I have even used a finish nail cut to the correct length, either will make a decapping pin in an emergency. Nails will bend easy, drill bits can snap into, but you can keep reloading without to much fuss.

 

[Sport45]

I broke a Lee pin about the same way. I sent the decapping rod to them and they sent a new one back. No cost.

A bearing roller (pin) from a u-joint would work, but I don't have any idea how you'd get the broken stub out of the decapper so I don't try to keep any spares for my Lee dies. I do keep some spare pins for the RCBS dies that have the "chuck" to retain them.

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

I broke a Lee pin about the same way. I sent the decapping rod to them and they sent a new one back. No cost.

Uncle Chan, Sport45,

Gotta know--how did y'all break the decapping pin? Not being derogatory at all. Just that with all the loads I've run through those dies, I've PUSHED UP more pins than I can count, but I've never broken one.

But, I'm also the one and only person in the universe who managed to get a stuck case using Imperial Sizing Wax, too.

Curious to know so that *I* don't inadvertently do the same thing.

Thanks.

Jeff

 

[Slamfire]

If you dont want to wait on Lee shipping the decap pins go tho the nearest Auto Zone and buy 1 driveshaft universal joint, each cap on the universal joint has about 20 (pins) bearings in it that it what Lee uses for decap pins. They're extremely hard as they are heat treated,take the old pin with you so you can get one the same length, all though they just about all are the same length.

Perhaps you confused the Lee decapping pin with another brand? I have busted Lee decapping pins before, and I don't see a way to remove the broken stub, and I don't see a collet to hold a new.

My recollection is that the RCBS pins sure look like roller bearings. Maybe that is the brand you were thinking of?

When I have busted Lee decapping pins, I called up Lee and basically told them "It broke". They will send you a new one. I have also ordered extra, just in case.

 

[SSN Vet]

Did some of the brass have crimped in primers?

 

[Racktracker]

I broke a lee decapping pin.

I had a 5 gallon bucket of mil 223 brass that I was processing. Some of the primer crimps were pretty stout, so I had tightened the nut on the top of the pin down pretty tight to keep it form slipping so often.

Everything was going good until I discovered a berdan primed case. Not giving to much thought to the situation I figured that it was just a stubborn primer crimp, I gave it a little extra effort and snap. Then I decided to get my flashlight out and see what the holdup was.

I didn't bother calling and asking for a freebee, I figured it was my fault, I would pay for a new pin.

Lesson learned was if the primer seems to be really stuck, check the case before putting a cheater pipe on the press handle.

 

[Sport45]

Gotta know--how did y'all break the decapping pin?

Jeff,

I'm not really sure how I broke the Lee pin. I just discovered it missing from my 30-06 die set. I can only guess that it was bent at some point (maybe from the factory?) and broke when it struck an off-center flash hole. I never found the broken part. I just swapped in the decapper from my 7.7jap set and kept reloading. (I measured, the expanding button was the same size.)

I know exactly how I broke the pin in my .357mag RCBS set. I turned the turret on my Spar-T press with the ram up. Decapping pins apparently don't like being struck sideways against the shell holder that way....

Those are the only two pins I've broken. When a berdan-primed case sneaks its way into my brass the decapping rod has always pushed up like it's supposed to with the Lee dies.

 

[Uncle Chan]

Hi Jeff,

As I said in an earlier post, the pin got bent (came bent?) and in the process of trying to straighten it out, I broke it. It was ENTIRELY my fault. I contacted Lee and got two replacements this week, at my expense, since it was my fault.

As for sizing and decapping on a hand press, as was also stated earlier, the hand press was/is a new toy I'm using in my RV. I was "test driving" it. It works great. Great purchase. No complaints. Generally, I use my Classic Turret for 223 and I do both decapping and resizing at time.

Hoe this helps.

Uncle Chan