Undersized Flash Holes

[Varminthound]

Please foregive me if I missed a previous thread on this subject but I just encountered several cases in which the Boxer Primed flash holes in 5.56 cases are undersized. I replaced the de-priming pin and the new one is straight. The cases are boxer primed and not Berdan primed. The case head is labeled 556x45 and 1K 03. I assume they are foreign manufacture. I just had not run into it before or read any threads on this or other forum or in magazines.

My depriming pins come from RCBS so I think I am on firm ground there.

I never heard of different sized pins.

Any comments are welcome.

Thanks,

Pete

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, not uncommon of foreign made brass.

Even Lapua cases have smaller flash holes then we are used to seeing.

Redding makes this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/763052/redding-decapping-pins-undersized-0057-ppc-package-of-5

Normal dies have a .063" pin. The Redding is .057".

Perhaps a simpler solution is, once you get them deprime the first time, drill them all out with a #52 drill bit. (.0635")

Most U.S. made rifle cartridge cases have the SAAMI standard flash hole diameter of .062".

rc

 

[Varminthound]

Thanks RC. Funny, I never ran into it before after the thousands of 5.56 brass I have reloaded. I will try you solutions. Thanks.

Pete

 

[moxie]

Those 1K cases are Bosnian, and in my experience the only ones that my RCBS pin won't punch out due to a too small flash hole. I've got a couple hundred of them. Supposedly the Lee pins are smaller and will do the job but I haven't verified that. Anyone know for sure? Otherwise, nice looking brass. I'll have to order one of the Redding pins next time I put in an order to Midway.

 

[x_wrench]

both of my lee (collet and full length) have pins that measure 0.062" in o.d.

 

[moxie]

Well, then it's the Redding pin for the Bosnian brass.

 

[unknwn]

Get Lyman replacements from MidwayUSA for about $3.00 per 5 .
-excuse me- $2.79/10

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/625614/lyman-decapping-pins-package-of-10

They work with my RCBS universal decap die & don't get stuck in the .057" flash holes in Speer .357 SIG brass

 

[Striker Fired]

RCBS has two sizes of decapping pins,so does Hornady. Don't know the sizes bit I hace them both and change to the small whenever I run into smaller flash holes.

 

[beatledog7]

Why not switch to a smaller decapping pin, and just leave it that way. If you're marginally careful, you probably won't break it.

 

[helotaxi]

I actually had a small flash hole pull the pin out of my Lee collet sizer during a loading session. I keep that die in station 1 of my 550B. When I noticed that the pin was missing I got a bit concerned and stopped loading and quarantined all the ammo from that session since I couldn't be exactly sure when it came loose and where it was. Five days for shipping and 30 min with a collet puller later, I still didn't have an answer. It wasn't until I went to reload the 160 or so cases that I found the pin when the primer got pushed out of the case despite there being no decapping pin in the die. Pair of needlenose pliers to get the pin out of the case. Couple of turns with my flash hole deburring tool and it was good to go.

 

[GJgo]

FWIW, in the 6mmPPC world the smaller flash hole is known to improve accuracy. Lapua makes their 220 russian (parent) cases this way. The pin in my Redding die wouldn't fit so I just turned it down on the sander till it would, no big deal.

 

[rfwobbly]

The RCBS Trim Mate case prep center has an all-in-one primer hole drill-and-deburring tool that does a nice job of cleaning up the punched primer holes.

 

[blarby]

ahh, wobbly...ya beat me to it.

Unf. , They don't put it in the box. You need to buy it separately.

The lyman tool is actually a little better made, I subbed that one in my RCBS. It comes looking like a screwdriver....just unthread it from the handle, and thread it in the RCBS

 

[Striker Fired]

Helotaxi
if you were loading ammo and the pin came out,wouldn't you notice it immediatly because the next case would still have the old primer in it when you tried to seat a new primer???

 

[helotaxi]

Helotaxi
if you were loading ammo and the pin came out,wouldn't you notice it immediatly because the next case would still have the old primer in it when you tried to seat a new primer???

No, because I do all my case prep on a single stage so I can trim and remove the case lube. The progressive is only used to stuff the cases. The die in station 1 is there to uniform the case necks and make sure the flash hole is clear of tumbling media before priming.

 

[Hondo 60]

By the way, that should be IK03 (eye, not one).
I made the mistake here of saying they were Serbian & was very quickly told they were NOT Serbian.
I think the poster was from either Serbia or Boznia as he/she was able to say exactly what IK meant.

But anyway, it was a nice lesson learned.

 

[langenc]

RCBS will send you new pins for your RCBS dies and pay the postage. Lifetime guarantee..

 

[rfwobbly]

ahh, wobbly...ya beat me to it.

Unf. , They don't put it in the box. You need to buy it separately.

I was wondering about that. While searching for a photo it occurred that none had the same tool my unit does. But then I bought mine used.