Lee Breech Lock Challenger: Spent Primers

[capreppy]

Bought a Lee Breech Lock Challenger kit from Cabela's. $89.99 was a pretty good deal.

I already have a Hornady LnL AP for most of my Pistol reloading work. The Lee will be for

• Decapping Rifle brass prior to cleaning
• Primer Pocket Swaging of Crimped Primer Pockets (using the RCBS kit)
• Rifle reloading (currently 270 Win, but soon (well maybe not too soon), 5.56 NATO & 7.62 NATO).

My issue is with the spent primers when using a Universal Decapper. I've got the Primer Arm in place (per the instructions) to deflect the spent primer into the catch below and then into the tube. 1 out of every 10 spent primer went flying and I have to go searching for it as I don't want a spent primer laying on the floor.

My google fu is messed up and I can't find a solution. I KNOW that someone has done a mod to fix this issue. Please help. I've got several hundred cases to deprime tomorrow and don't want to deal with trying to find the ones that got away

 

[GLOOB]

I cover the left side of the press with my free hand while depriming. About 1 in 30-40 gets out the right side, though. I just let 'em fly and pick 'em up when I'm done. I'm not sure why the universal decapper should be any different from a sizing die. Maybe you're hitting the primers too fast?

 

[Thedub88]

samething was happening to me. I posted a while back. The problem was that I didn't have the primming tool in the press. (even if your not using the press to prime) you have to have it in the press to deflect them down the tube

 

[capreppy]

It's in there, but some still go a flying

I guess I'm going to just have to live with it. I got thru depriming 200 pieces of 270 Win rifle brass last night and it went pretty quick. Hopefully it'll go just as quick with the brass I have to do today.

 

[psyshack]

I have the same press. Adjust the pin up a tad. You only want the pin adjusted down enough to make the spent primer clear the pocket. The used primer will then just fall off the pin. If it's to low the energy you have at that point stored in the machine lets go at once and shoots the used primer out if the pin is set to deep. And it can then go anywhere.

After setting mine up right I can run 100 rounds through and I might have 1 flyer.

Good Luck

 

[capreppy]

I'll adjust the length tomorrow. I'll give it a try as I have to deprime a few thousand 5.56 NATO brass over the next couple of days.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I think if you remove the priming arm and cover the slot with a piece of tape you would keep the primers guided. While the priming arm is supposed to help keep the primers falling down the center of the ram, I suspect closing off their escape route would do the same. The only difficulty is that you would not be able to take a full downstroke. But since you are not priming at this time, I doubt that is a drawback. Or carefully cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the slot.

If worse comes to worst, get an old bedsheet or painter's tarp and spread it out where the primers tend to land. Don't use plastic, as cloth absorbs the primers' momentum, where plastic tends to let them bounce and roll.

If it REALLY bugs you, set up a tent in your living room and deprime inside the tent.

I tend to go to ridiculous extremes in my solutions, you can tell, but you/ve got to admit, inside a closed tent would give you 100% retention.

A milder alternative would be to get some card stock or lightweight cardboard and cut it to shape so that it inserts into or around the press to deflect escaping primers into a small area.

Last hare-brained idea: Point a vacuum cleaner hose right into the press where the primers are kicking out.

Good Luck

Lost Sheep

 

[BigN]

I had the same problem. The metal plate mounted on the outside where the primers go down into the tube deflects the primer down the hole. Sometimes they were bouncing over it. I took a wooden shim, cut it to fit and super glued it onto the outside of the metal plate, which effectively raised the deflection plate 2" higher. They don't bounce over that.

 

[capreppy]

Well in looking at the press this morning, I don't need the right side. I place and pull brass from the left. If I taped up something on the right, it would at least deflect it to the left. Putting anything on the ram itself won't work as a permanent solution, but could work for a temprary one. I'm going to experiment with it this morning (or more likely later today) and report back.