Help! .45-70 decapping die not removing primers.

[Jbird45]

So today I purchased a set of Lee pacesetter .45-70 dies from Cabela's. I lubed up my first case and it knocked out the primer and resized fine but made a screeching sound on the way out. I thought it wasn't enough lube so I added more for the next one and ran it up and noticed it pushed the decapping pin up into the die. This one also screeched on the way out. I tried 3 more times and keep pushing up the pin. I set the die up per Lee's instructions, and I have never had an issue with my .45 Colt dies from Lee. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Riomouse911]

If the nut at the top of the die that holds the pin is cinched all the way down.

Since you are using fired cases, the only thing that may be causing this that I can think of is undersized flash holes may be catching the pin (or your set has an oversized pin) and this is keeping it from pressing through to the primer and popping it out?

I use either a wipe of Lee case lube or spray Dillon case lube on my .45/70 cases... I haven’t had your issues with my Lee dies.

Stay safe.

 

[sequins]

Odds are the nut isn't tight enough. The pin is held in place by mere friction so if the nut is loose and the primer pocket is tight you'll just run the rod up instead of pushing the primer out.

This is a feature most of the time however as it keeps you from breaking pins if you hit a substantial obstruction.

 

[Axis II]

My Hornady 45-70 dies squeal no biggie

 

[Charlie98]

...along with the other suggestions...

Make sure you are getting lube all the way down to the base of the case. The .45-70 is a straight-walled case (thank you, Captain Obvious!) and the die will bear on the entire length of the case... down and back.

 

[frankmako]

check your die first, clean the die too. clean the cases before resizing (and after too). a little bit of lube goes a long way.

 

[Jbird45]

Can you over tighten the nut at the top? I think I have it tight but could probably put some more torque on it. I didn't want to risk breaking anything

 

[Charlie98]

Can you over tighten the nut at the top? I think I have it tight but could probably put some more torque on it. I didn't want to risk breaking anything

Not really... I mean, you can tighten it so much you'll round off the bolt faces, but you shouldn't have to go there, but it does take a bit of torque to hold the pin.

You can also insure it's clean... pull the decap rod and clean it with carburetor cleaner or simliar... make sure it's as clean (and oil-free) as possible... then reinsert it and torque it down.

 

[edwardware]

Can you over tighten the nut at the top? I think I have it tight but could probably put some more torque on it.

This is a Lee-ism. That nut needs to be gorilla tight.

Now that it's slipped, disassemble and clean the nut and stem. Run the nut in and out of the threads a few times to smooth them out. Clean (solvent-clean) the nut/stem interface, and add a bit of lube to the threads.

Now reassemble like you're your dumb kid brother; good-n-tight's not enough, you want what-idiot-tightened this tight. 8 inch box wrench hard tight.

 

[25-20 WCF]

...The .45-70 is a straight-walled case (thank you, Captain Obvious!) and the die will bear on the entire length of the case... down and back.

Actually the .45-70 is not a straight-walled case at all, it has almost the same taper as a .30-06 case. The die will not bear the entire length of a sized case.

I had a similar issue with a Lee sizing die years ago, it turned out to be a galled collet slipping on the decapping pin shaft. Lee replaced the die and it has worked fine since. I found it helps if you apply some anti-seize lube on the collet threads.



.

 

[CMV]

I hold my lee die body in a big crescent wrench on the flats and then with a standard 1/2" combination wrench torque down the collet nut holding the pin. Standing and holding against my leg, as tight as I can get it that way is good. Not holding with a bench vise or anything, but really as tight as I can get holding it awkwardly like that is "just right".

Tighter than it seems it should have to be, that's for sure.

 

[Eddy19]

As previously mentioned, Wipe all oily film off of pin, use lacquer thinner or some non-oily solvent, including inside of nut with Q-Tip or tiny patch. LUBE the nut threads so it doesn't gall, then tighten REALLY tight. I mean put some force into tightening it. When your face turns red, that might be enough. Should hold. I used wrenches that have 12" handles to give you a idea.

 

[Charlie98]

Actually the .45-70 is not a straight-walled case at all, it has almost the same taper as a .30-06 case. The die will not bear the entire length of a sized case.

Well...and I had to go upstairs to check... you are correct. I had it in my mind the .45-70 die used a steel sizer ring, not a sizing body. See what happens when you absent yourself from the reloading bench??? I would submit that my idea of full-length lube is necessary, still... it seems to me that is where his 'screeching' is coming from.

EDIT: I know what I was thinking... my .45-70 set is a 3-die cowboy set, with separate expander, much like a pistol set. Ok, ok, I need more coffee...

 

[irishlad]

I hold my lee die body in a big crescent wrench on the flats and then with a standard 1/2" combination wrench torque down the collet nut holding the pin. Standing and holding against my leg, as tight as I can get it that way is good. Not holding with a bench vise or anything, but really as tight as I can get holding it awkwardly like that is "just right".

Tighter than it seems it should have to be, that's for sure.

+1 exactly what I do.

 

[Jbird45]

Thank you everyone for the help! I went back down to the bench this morning with some brake cleaner and found the die was surprisingly oily. I cleaned it well and reassembled while tightening down pretty hard. I must have left the decapping pin a little low because when I sized the first case it slid up a tad but has been holding good and working great. And after a few rounds the screeching has gone away too. I think the lube that gets left in the die is helping.

Thanks again everyone!