Decapping Igman rifle cases with small flash holes

[higgins]

There was a recent thread about problems decapping the Igman centerfire rifle cases with undersize flash holes. I had a dreary, drizzly afternoon to kill so I resolved to decap the 70 once-fired Igman 6.5x55 cases I have accumulated. I quickly found out that small finishing nails are not strong enough. I chucked a headed Lyman decapping pin in my drill and with a file and garnet paper ground it down to the point that it would just enter the flash hole. I determined the diameter needed by putting the pin on the decapping rod and feeling for the flash hole. I don't believe a headless pin would work because it would get stuck in the flash hole and pulled from the decapping rod. Grind the pin only far enough to do the job so that it will not be unnecessarily weakened.

After I got the pin diameter correct, I put it in a Lyman .45 Colt sizing die, but any other pistol die would work as long as the pistol die does not have an expanding plug that prevents the pin entering the case. Shorter pistol dies are better because you want the pin and rod to protrude as far as possible from the bottom of the die so that you can leave the decapping rod loose in the die so you can see it move while you feel for the flash hole with the ram raised. The shorter die also allows you to decap without the case mouth or shoulder hitting the inside of the die.

I used my Lyman Spartan press to decap the cases because the smaller frame allowed me to see the case and decapping rod movement while feeling for the flash hole. A press with less leverage is advantageous because it allows better feel, and is less likely to bend or break the decapping pin or rod if you miss the flash hole.

After decapping, I chamfered the edge of the flash holes because some seemed to almost have a light crimp. Tomorrow I will drill the flash holes to the same diameter as "normal" ones. I had previously tried to decap these Igman cases with a Lee decapping tool and only succeeded in pulling the pin from the rod. Same thing happened with my Lee FL sizing die. What I did was labor intensive and aggravating in the beginning, but the end result was satisfactory.

Keep the modified pin separate from other pins, and label it as modified so you won't have to hunt for it when you need it again. I almost forgot this important step.

[country gent]

The appropriate size drill blanks can be ordered or purchased at most tool supply shops and cut to length, these are already hardened and ground to a given size. Saves alot of polishing and time. I would set up a second decapping rod with the small pin for the die and then its simply change one out for the other. Im curious how much you had to take off the pin to fit the flash holes on this brass?

[higgins]

My Lyman caliper reads .055 for the ground pin; an unground pin from the same pack measures .060. At .055 there was slight drag on some of the cases, but not enough to impede the decapping process. Setting up a second decapping rod with the smaller pin is a good idea, particularly if you have more than one caliber die set that it would fit. The non-caliber specific method described above would decap any of the rifle cases that I reload, and could be left assembled in a spare short die body that most of us packrats would have in the spares box.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Is there any reason why you want that hole to stay small? 1/16in. isn't a bad size, and if you use a drill (probably from the extra long series) by hand in a pin vice, you will be able to feel when it drills the flash-hole and stop before going through anvil and primer.

[higgins]

I couldn't find a suitable size drill at the usual sources (Lowes and Home Depot) that was long enough to work from the case mouth. I suppose if I mounted a thorough search hardware suppliers I could have come up with one, but I like to use what I have on hand to the extent possible.

The drill bit I used to ream the flash holes is .077", which I believe is 5/64. Whatever it is, it is the same size as the flash hole in a R-P .243 Win case I had handy on the bench top. I figured that was close enough.

[country gent]

THe tool supply shops will have what you need, probably in stock. Its not a big issue to do by hand or with a low speed driver. A pin vise by general isnt expensive and works for many things. The removal of .005 from the pin didnt weaken it as much as you may think..... A drill blank at .055 ( number drill size) would make 3 pins. A neat thing to try would be to grind up a headed pin with couple steps .055 at tip .062 with a sharp shoulder several spots every .060 edges sharp and see if you could broach flash holes to size while decapping them. Could be interesting and doing from inside to outside would remove any burrs that are there.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I couldn't find a suitable size drill at the usual sources (Lowes and Home Depot) that was long enough to work from the case mouth. I suppose if I mounted a thorough search hardware suppliers I could have come up with one, but I like to use what I have on hand to the extent possible.

The drill bit I used to ream the flash holes is .077", which I believe is 5/64. Whatever it is, it is the same size as the flash hole in a R-P .243 Win case I had handy on the bench top. I figured that was close enough.

eBay is my universal resource for odd hardware items, and frequently far cheaper than a local store. You can also epoxy a drill into a length of K&S brass tubing from the same source, and wrap it with firm adhesive tape to make a handle. Wen you get to about .375 caliber, a lot of pin vices will enter the case mouth.

If you have a Dremel tool die on you (no uncommon thing with Dremels, although I still think they are good value for the occasional light user), it isn't a total loss. Dismantle it and you have the makings of an extremely good pin vice.

[leadman]

The decapper for 6PPC brass is smaller than normal due to the smaller flash hole in the cases. You should be able to get a pin from several companies that make the 6PPC dies.

[SSGOldfart]

The decapper for 6PPC brass is smaller than normal due to the smaller flash hole in the cases. You should be able to get a pin from several companies that make the 6PPC dies.

Some 7TCU dies also have the same recapping pin too.but I like the ideal above on enlarging the flash hole at the same time.

[Tackleberry41]

I had the same issue w a bunch of once fired Speer 357 sig cases I bought. They used undersized flash holes. I modded a rod to get them out, but the holes were not consistent in size. Next thing its broke. Eventually I resorted to drilling the flash hole thru the neck, but not thru the primer, then just knocked them out. I had been converting them to regular size anyways. I had some S&B 22 hornet, they were all undersized, after 2 modded capping rods broke, I just tossed the 50 or so cases in the trash.

[pakmc]

Igman primer holes, I left a few decaping pins in the cases. it made me kinda mad. I can decap berdan brass and I have berdan primers. I finally just decapped the brass and then drilled out the flash hole. I believe it was 6.5x55 igman brass. but the flash hole would grip the decapping pin and would not let go!! (yes, I tried all kinds of interesting tricks to get my decapping pins back.) yes, and large boxer primers work fine in the cases after all that.

[Frank46]

Get a flash hole uniforming tool and as it has a somewhat drill bit on the end will open up the hole and uniform the chamfer around the flash hole inside the case. They are not expensive. Had a bunch of malaysian 223/5.56 cases with a small hole tried this after the initial decapping and works. Frank

[Thumbcocker]

Had some Guatemalan .223 with small flash holes. Lee universal decapping die worked and fixed the flash hole.

[marlin1889]

Use the flash hole deburring tool first,them deprime as normal.