Nornady decapping die question

[Kevwyo]

Not sure what is going on but over the past 10-12 months I've bent the zip spindle on two of my .223 and one .45 decapping dies. For those not familiar with Hornady decapping dies anatomy the zip spindle holds the actual decapping pin and that is held in place by a expander decap retainer that screws onto the zip spindle.

At any rate, three bent spindles and one "chipped" expander later and I am a bit frustrated. Hornady customer service has been superb so no complaints there.

However, the last time they sent a replacement spindle assembly the expander was to small for my .223 and so I have about 150 cases that I can't trim because the case mouth hasn't been properly expanded. I am going to have to resize these cases before I can trim them. Frustrating to have to do this twice. At least it was only 150 of the last 250 cases of nearly 1000 I worked on in this batch!

I've looked online at both Hornady and Midway for just the replacement expander (since Hornady just sent the spindle only) but they don't seem to sell just that small little part. I am still waiting to hear back from Hornady on this issue but wondered if anyone else has run into this situation?

Thanks.

 

[dagger dog]

May have inadverently let a Berdan primed case or a small primer hole boxer type slip through your inspection process. I scrounge public range brass and really have to look down each case with a small flash light to make sure they are all boxer types.

 

[loadedround]

I agree. A Berdan primed case will most certainly destroy a decapping rod almost every time or at the least break or snap off the decapping pin. Check your cases before depriming them.

 

[Remo-99]

I bought an inexpensive Lee universal decapper die plus a spare decapping rod to have on hand in case of breakages, so that I can deprime cases whilst inspecting them.

After depriming I then tumble clean cases and lube plus size, the decapper/expander stem of the sizing die then serves to clear primer flash holes of cleaning media and such.

I find this process method suits me, as it will pickup irregularities with primers ie off center flash holes and berdan primers. A bubby of of mine just resently broke the decapper stem on his sizing die with el cheapo ammo that had off centre flash holes and had wait while he could get another sent out, so he could continue to load and shoot his 22-250.

I suggested the universal decapper and he now has one so that a broken deprimer pin in a sizer die will never halt he's reloading process again.

 

[ranger335v]

I've been using a universal decapper and had my expander rods elevated so long I'd almost forgotten some folks still do it the "right" way!