The Lee decapping die works great with crimped primers; I have decapped hundreds of them and the die still looks like new. The depriming rod is extremely stout and the design is such if too much pressure is applied it 'rides up' and does not bend. I punch out old primers before I toss my brass into the tumbler so I don't consider it an extra step. Best of all they are inexpensive.
What did I screw up?
- Thread starter Holleyman
- Start date
- Location
- WMU247 near Edmonton
I bought one a while back and never had a problem with IVI primers,
a few cases actually the primer seperated and only the base of the primer was forced out making the round unreloadable. You just tighten the decaping rod a bit more for crimped primers.
RCBS sent a five pack of decapping pins, a 30 resizer,decapping unit with another pin in it without any proof of purchase, pictures or the like. On my word alone they sent the parts required and even paid all shipping and duty.
With customer service like that there is no mystery as to what brand I will be sticking with into the far distant future.
With customer service like that there is no mystery as to what brand I will be sticking with into the far distant future.
Two suggestions. When setting up the die, tighten the die into place only after the decapping pin has popped out a primer and is in the flash hole. This way the die is locked into place with the pin centered.
If you deburr flash holes, the result is a slight funnel effect on the inside that will help the pin find the hole.
I deburr by locking my electric drill in the vice and use either a tool or a 1/8" drill bit to touch each flash hole on the inside. It is rough as it touches and then smooth once the burrs are knocked off.
I once ran a test involving many differnt 308 loads that were split into 3 parts. 20 rounds (of each load) were ordinary relaods, 20 had debeurred flash holes, 20 had uniformed pockets. There were about 10 different loads tested. All but one showed a lower SD of pressure and velocity with the deburred flash holes.
Winchester cases. I would not expect to see any change with Labua or Norma cases, sicne they are about perfect.
If you deburr flash holes, the result is a slight funnel effect on the inside that will help the pin find the hole.
I deburr by locking my electric drill in the vice and use either a tool or a 1/8" drill bit to touch each flash hole on the inside. It is rough as it touches and then smooth once the burrs are knocked off.
I once ran a test involving many differnt 308 loads that were split into 3 parts. 20 rounds (of each load) were ordinary relaods, 20 had debeurred flash holes, 20 had uniformed pockets. There were about 10 different loads tested. All but one showed a lower SD of pressure and velocity with the deburred flash holes.
Winchester cases. I would not expect to see any change with Labua or Norma cases, sicne they are about perfect.
By the way, in this kind of emergency, you can take the decapping pin asembly out of a smaller caliber and use the rod in your 308. You could make fine ammo using a 243 or 270 decapping pin.
The neck would be a bit tight because the button did not open it back up.
The neck would be a bit tight because the button did not open it back up.
