Just broke two de-capping pins!!!! ARRRGGGG!!!!

[CoalCrackerAl]

I had my woes today. I bent the priming stud on my lyman press. I have a new RCBS auto prime on the way. So no hurry to fix it.

 

[Zahn]

Yesterday I learned that .233 Rem/5.56 NATO cartridges can be Berdan primed. When I hit an obstruction doing a full length resize, I just pulled harder. I bent the decapping pin into the most beautiful 180° shape. Straightening it, or attempting to anyway, didn't fix it. Live and learn. Fortunately, Midway USA has replacement Lee parts available and I have one on order.

 

[jonas66]

That's exactly why I use the universal decapper separately. I'm done screwing up my .223 rods. Went through three of those things.

I did manage to successfully straighten one out and kept using it until the next berdan...

I'll use the decap/resize only on my own cared-for brass.

ETA: not to beat a dead decap rod or anything...but Squirrel Daddy.

Just sayin'.

 

[Blue68f100]

I don't get it why your still bending the priming pins. I've been loading for over 4 decades and have only bent 2 pins. And those were on a RCBS Universal Deprimer where the spring collapsed throwing the pin out of alignment. RCBS replaced the rod and it happened again. The springs they use are junk and collaps on crimped primers. I went through my spring collection for my AR's and found 1 the right dia and cut it to length. Have not had a failure since. It literately will launch a primer now and keep on going. Also you should not over crank on the collets that allow the stems to move up when you hit an obstruction. Take a 380 or 9mm brass and drop inside a 45 and use it to test with. Once you figure out how hard to tighten you should never damage one again.

 

[jonas66]

You're right about that.
I'm guilty of over tightening.

 

[myg30]

Ive had bent pin before and found if I keep an extra deprimmed case in with my die set, I screw the decap die in with the ram up and the deprimed case in shell holder so the pin is in the hole and centers the die, then tighten the lock nut.
Depending on your press, there might be a little play in the threads or if in case of the universal decap die the rod might not be centered exactly.
This won’t help the odd berdan case that slipped in the mix.

Be safe, Mike