Punching off primer cap only...

[tydephan]

I've run across a rather unusual set of problems while loading 9mm.

I'm using mixed nickle brass and an RCBS decapping/sizing die.

An average of 1 in every 7 pieces of brass run through the decapping/sizing die just pops the cap of the primer off, leaving the rest of the cup embedded in the primer pocket. Obviously this is easy to feel when attempting to set the new primer, as it won't move into the primer pocket at all because of the reminents from the spent primer.

What is causing this? This is not brass I have loaded before. It was purchased from a guy selling range pickups.

In addition to that issue, there are other instances where the primer doesn't even budge after a full stroke of the press, almost as if the decapper pin didn't engage the primer at all.

It hasn't prohibited me from loading, but it definitely slows down the process.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[taliv]

i had that problem with a couple thousand pieces of 223 lake city brass that was never fired but demilled and the primers made "chemically inert" presumably by dunking them in some chemical.

my theory was that whatever chemical they used caused some corrosion and practically welded the sides of the primer to the primer pocket.

it was highly annoying because i was running it through a dillon 1050 and couldn't feel when it happened and it would set off primers when it tried to seat them. loud and annoying.

 

[SASS#23149]

is there a crimp ring around the primer as in military/commercial brass? sounds like it.
You may have to flatten the bottom of the depriming rod a bit.Once thyr'e out youll have to get that crimp ring out of there too.

 

[tydephan]

There is no crimp visible. And it is happening on mixed brass. I've had it happen on Speer, FC, and Winchester.

Because of that fact, I am questioning what I could possibly be doing wrong.

And then I wondered if perhaps all of these cartridges were shot by someone else that used hot loads and perhaps that had damaged the primer and/or primer pocket, causing the caps to pop out instead of the whole primer.

I haven't considered modifying the decapping pin.

taliv, I hope these haven't been exposed to any chemicals. I can't imagine they were, and all the primers are spent.

 

[ar10]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I've run into the same problem on nearly all headstamp and caliber brass I've picked up on the range. Sometimes I'll get a batch of them, I just dump them in the scrap bucket and move on.
I do mine by hand using a small lee press with the decapping die.
It occurred to me that you might look at the end of the pin and see if it's worn or has sharper point than the other pins.

 

[DILLONHELP]

Historically, these are referred to as "Ringers". Most often associated with fired brass that has been exposed to moisture, such as rainfall, which corrodes the spent primer.The sidewalls stay behind while the top of the primer and the anvil get ejected. A real pain in the *#$%*, and no way to visually detect them. Good luck!

 

[ReloaderFred]

DILLONHELP nailed it. This is common with brass that's been laying around in the weather for awhile. It also used to be common with the PMC brass using the primer that left a white residue.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[tjj]

I've had that happen before but rarely. Flattening the de-capping pin sounds like it would be worth a try. Make the end as perpendicular as possible to the axis of the pin. That would give it more surface area and lesson the tendency to pierce the primer cup.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Flattening the point of the decapping pin will cause the primers to stick on the end of the pin and be pulled part way back into the primer pocket. I found this out the hard way many, many years ago. That's why they round them off at the factory.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

can't offer any tips but this hasn't happened with the nickle Rem 9mm and .45acp hulls (once fired from LEO practice range) I've used.

 

[ranger335v]

The decap pin has done all it can do when it pushes the anvil and top of the caps out.

What to do, what to do???? Nothing easy... and I like easy. Think I'd toss 'em. ???

 

[The Bushmaster]

Had that happen the other day on a 9mmX19 case. It was one of my reloads. I just said [to myself]..."Well I'll be damned." and chucked it in with the other scrap brass and went about my business (of reloading the rest)...