Is there an Auto Decapping Device ?

[SAPR]

I think about switching from dry tumbling to wet tumbling and understand that calls for depriming as a first step before cleaning.

For rifle brass this is no issue, as I can use a universal decapping die in my single stage press and then tumble.

For pistol brass in larger volumes it´s different, that´s why I use a progressive press with auto-casefeeding for that. Adding 1 by 1 decapping to the process is... not my first choice.

Now I could use my XL650 for decapping only, just a separate toolhead with a decapping die. But I hesitate to do so, as I don´t like to feed uncleaned brass to the Dillon . And dry tumbling just for decapping in order to wet tumble kinda defeats the whole purpose - still getting the dust, adding one more step to the process etc.

So I think about a separate decapping unit, just a casefeeder like the Dillon, a decapping die and possibly fully automated. Shouldn´t not need much attention as long as no case resizing is involved. The unit may get dirty from uncleaned brass, as there is no precision work involved. Maybe a pimped 550 with hydraulic operation may do, but that already looks like overkill.

Do you know of any commercial products or DIY projects ?

 

[OilyPablo]

I am in the same boat and am very interested. Even something stand alone that is "semi-auto". I have boxes and boxes (years and years worth) of pistol brass, I want to deprime and polish it.

 

[z7]

I just purchased a Frankford arsenal wet tumbler. My plan is to not use the stainless pins for the initial clean. I have been using a milk jug full of hot water, a little soap and lemi shine to soak and shake the brass. When I have a few hundred pieces 40sw in the jug this action alone will get the outside of the cases clean enough to resize, the same goes for rifle. For 308 it has worked best with 30+ cases. I just fill up the jug, add soap and brass and give it a good shake about every 10 minutes.

When my wet tumbler arrives I figure not using pins will clean the outside well enough with just the other cases rubbing together to get them clean enough to resize. A little time in an oven at 200 degrees will ensure they are dry enough.

Anyone else do this.

 

[jaguarxk120]

z7 you are going through a lot of extra work for nothing! Just decap your brass and tumble with the SS pins, they (ss pins) will clean your brass inside and out and your brass will be just like factory new.

It is so much easier to resize the clean brass and less lube is needed. I use a wax based lube much like Imperial sizing wax.

 

[griff383]

I have a large SS set up capable of washing up to 25lbs of brass at once. When I get a feeling I'm going to reload a certain cartridge I will put the brass in the drum without the pins but still do soap and lemi shine. Then I leave the brass to dry for about a week or more so all the water evaporates out. Has worked great for me over the last few years

 

[Blue68f100]

I use my LNL-AP with the brass feeder and the RCBS Universal de-primer. I can do 1000+/hr this way. It runs as fast as I can run the ram up and down. Having to stop to fill the brass feed hopper. Then I clean up the shell plate before I do any reloading.

 

[jmorris]

You don't have to run dirty brass through a size die to decap, just get a universal decap die.

This is a machine I put together to process brass before loading brass was already cleaned though.

It's running around 4300/hr in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1ieGYpdr9I

 

[MR__X]

LnL with Lee universal decaper and my 15 year old daughter. Gets is done in not time.

 

[FROGO207]

^^^^Yeah that is what I thought children or grandchildren were hanging around the reloading room for.

 

[SAPR]

@jmorris: Impressive ! That´s exactly what I was thinking about. Can you provide more details about parts, setup etc ?

 

[noylj]

Buy a $20 Lee Reloading Press and a Lee Universal Decapping die and be done with it. Mount it in the garage with the cleaning equipment.
Just remember, that dirty case is not contacting the die or press so it "just doesn't matter." But if it bothers you, do as above.

 

[jmorris]

It's a Dillon super 1050 that I converted to a rotary drive using a 3ph gear motor and a VFD so it can be run on 110v AC and adjust the speed.

This is a video of my 9mm 1050 loading. I use it to process the brass too, I just remove the PC arbor and peder measure. Yes it takes it twice as long for it to load ammo but it doesn't malfunction loading if all the brass has been processed and it helps that I don't have to do any of the work except keep the collator full.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrFhnDQ-eUU

 

[HP-Sauce]

I have been researching the same thing and think the best solution is a Harvey Deprimer.

 

[lbs]

you can wet tumble without deprimeing , you just don't get the benefit of clean pockets.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

I just bought a Frankford rotary about a month ago. Bought it because I also load on a Dillon 650 and grew tried of the grit left behind by a vibratory tumbler and walnut, it just made a mess of the press and bench.

What I've been doing is running the brass for 1hr, dumping the dirty water in a bucket and loading up more dirty brass in the tumbler. Dry the brass with a towel and deprime it. I just got done doing 5k worth of 223 and 1k of 30-06 with the same water and solution on a 1 hr cycle. The outside is pretty darn clean along with the inside void of any gunk. The next batch am gonna try doing a 30 min cycle instead.

Once I got the brass cleaned initially and deprimed, mix up a new batch of water and solution and set the timer for about 1.5 hrs.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have been researching the same thing and think the best solution is a Harvey Deprimer.

The OP said he wants to find an automatic deprimer. While that looks like a good tool it's far from automatic considering it's a hand held and actuated tool.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Buy a $20 Lee Reloading Press and a Lee Universal Decapping die and be done with it. Mount it in the garage with the cleaning equipment.
Just remember, that dirty case is not contacting the die or press so it "just doesn't matter." But if it bothers you, do as above.

I agree and it works very well for not a lot of money, just over $40, even though it's not quite what the OP was asking for. If you set up everything within reach you can probably go very fast.
Press: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/807734/lee-reloader-single-stage-press?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Decapping Die: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/13...riming-and-decapping-die?cm_vc=ProductFinding

 

[stubbicatt]

It's not automatic, but I think Midway is advertising a hand deprimer here in the last flyer.

 

[lbs]

i suppose if you had a case feeder on a progressive you could mount a lee universal deprime die and just keep pulling the handle. have to pre clean the cases some though.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

i suppose if you had a case feeder on a progressive you could mount a lee universal deprime die and just keep pulling the handle. have to pre clean the cases some though.

The case never touches the Lee Universal decapping die so no cleaning is necessary.