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Thread: Lee Universal primer removing die.

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Lee Universal primer removing die.

    A few week ago i went to Cabelas and they stop selling decaping pins for dies. So i bought a Lee universal one. Now after a 1000 plus shells removing primer some really stuck. This is the best die for removing primer. I got sick of replacing pins anyway in my dies. I have a lot of different brand of dies. And they all seem to use different pins anyway. Lee one pin fits all shell i use. The die is cheap in price and works great. I give Lee a big plus on this die.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy tigweldit's Avatar
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    I've been using a Lee decapping die for 12+ years. Thousands of rounds. Still on the original pin. I'm not a huge Lee fan, but you can't beat that die.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    I use the Lee universal depriving die as well - I de-prime all of my brass with it. I have pulled the depriving pins out of all of my straight wall sizing dies and just use them to size.

    My experience has been the same as tigweldit. When I both my Lee depriving die, I bought three spare stems "just in case" I broke or bent one. Thousands and thousands of cases later, it is still going strong on the original stem. Does a great job and I think you'll find you like it a lot. Enjoy!

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I agree. I first found those when I happened to break a .223 pin in my .223 sizing die.

    While looking for a lower cost alternative I happened across both the Lee Universal Decapping die and replacement pins. So I bought 4 at very reasonable price. One went into the .223 die, where it works fine.

    One went into a small 2x2 block with holes drilled on each end with a step drill.
    Any oddball 1-5 rounds that need deprimed get done with this. I had a primer come up sideways and get mashed into the primer pocket.

    I was virtually certain that when I tapped that primer out it was going to go off.
    But I thought it through and still felt this simple device was my safest bet. Dropped the pin in, and as it contacted the primer POP.

    Decapping pin hopped half an inch. No damage was done. Case made sure that all energy was directed out the neck, safely upwards. And yes my hand was there, but my face was not. And there was enough airgap between the neck and my hand that it just felt a puff of air. Did not even sting.

    So yes I am a big fan of those little pins. I have since broken one, Berdan primer of course, my bad.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    There are several of Lee's tools that are great ideas. This one and the Universal flaring tool.
    The Hand Press and the lee hand priming tool are also very useful.
    Likes Lee,
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  6. #6
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    HeavyMetal's Avatar
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    I use one in a Lee pro 1000 set up as a die capping press, run lots of case's through it before they hit the wet tumbler which makes nice clean case's with clean primer pockets.

    Priming off press with a bench priming tool give me a chance to sort out bad case's, cracked and such, then into a progressive with de capping pin removed from sizing die.

    works great and a great tool that Lee has brought to the game that requires no additional fixing to use!

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master

    mold maker's Avatar
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    I started collecting spent primers at about the same time I started using a Lee universal de-prim die. I have almost 3 two liter bottles of primers and still use the third pin.
    I did find that an angle carefully ground to the pin shaft allowed easier entry into small mouth cases like 223.
    I de-prime everything first to eliminate Berdan and squashed cases.
    Information not shared. is wasted.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I got a surprise when I started using mine. I had bought a 5 gallon bucket of .223 from a local range. Someone had dumped a bunch of brass that has SS pins stuck crosswise in the base of the brass. Bent 4 pins just trying to figure out what was wrong. Had to inspect each case with a fishing float light and still run into the occasional stuck pin. These wewe all military brass with thicker web at the base.

  9. #9
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    Idz's Avatar
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    I use the Lee decapper in the least expensive Lee press ($24 a few years ago). Using two fingers on the handle I can easily feel if there is a berdan primer, tight mil-crimp, pebble, or any other problem. After thousands of cases I still haven't broken the pin!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    How is this tool with crimp primers like LC brass ?
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
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    Works great on crimped in primers.
    je suis charlie

    It is better to live one day as a LION than a dozen days as a Sheep.

    Thomas Jefferson Quotations:
    "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I have no use for these tools as I always resize and deprime in one step, why do it in 2 steps? I have never had to replace a Redding decapping pin. It's just the way I reload, for precision, and I don't need extra steps, I don't flare anymore just use "in-line' bullet seaters.

  13. #13
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    MUSTANG's Avatar
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    I use the Lee Universal depriving tool on all brass after it is initially cleaned in a sonic cleaner. I have on occasion "De-primed" burden cases; it literally punched a flash hole into the base. Of course the case was useless as a US standard boxer primer would not fit into the case, but it shows how tough the Lee De-primer can be.
    Mustang

    "In the beginning... the patriot is a scarce man, and brave and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." - Mark Twain.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy RGrosz's Avatar
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    I got a Lee de-primer years ago. then got another one in a box of reloading equipment I bought from a friend who was getting out of the shooting game as he was getting old and didn't enjoy shooting as much any more. After we went through the flood, was using it and the pin broke. Got the other one out and started using it and called Lee. They sent me a new one. Soon the other pin broke and Lee replaced that one also. Think the 30 or so days under water had a lot to do with the breakage. Haven't had any problems before or since. The pins didn't look to bad but must have been weak.
    Rob

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master

    mold maker's Avatar
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    My brass is stored for years in moisture-proof containers and looks like new when I'm ready to load it. Not just the outside, but the primer pocket and inside as well.
    It may not matter to most and that's OK. I don't load for anybody but family, and they/I appreciate good looking ammo.
    All my life I re-did other folks mistakes, and work done just good enough to get by. They got paid from the same checkbook, but I always stood proud of my work and felt I had made a difference. Being proud of my ammo is just the way I go.
    Information not shared. is wasted.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    I also bought one with a spare stem/pin back when Christ was a corporal. Have used it to decap thousands of rounds of both commercial and military brass without breaking the first pin.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    The pin is easy to replace, heat with propane torch the rin is glued in with epoxy. With the heat the pin will usually squirt out the hole as the epoxy expanded and burns. Clean out the hole with a small drill and glue another pin in the cleaned hole. I use drill blanks for the replacement pin.
    Have changed out pins in all of the Lee primer punches over the years.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    The pin is easy to replace, heat with propane torch the rin is glued in with epoxy. With the heat the pin will usually squirt out the hole as the epoxy expanded and burns. Clean out the hole with a small drill and glue another pin in the cleaned hole. I use drill blanks for the replacement pin.
    Have changed out pins in all of the Lee primer punches over the years.

  19. #19
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    dragon813gt's Avatar
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    Lee Universal primer removing die.

    Quote Originally Posted by MT Chambers View Post
    why do it in 2 steps?
    Case conversions or when I'm breaking down rounds I won't ever use. I have friends drop off old ammo quite often. Easy as can be to decap w/ this die so I can scrap the brass. They don't like live primers in the mix. W/ case conversions there may be work required, like annealing, before a sizing step.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master Artful's Avatar
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    First step is to deprime then clean so the primer pocket is cleaned also.
    I like a case clean all over, inside and out.
    Last edited by Artful; 09-18-2017 at 07:42 PM.
    je suis charlie

    It is better to live one day as a LION than a dozen days as a Sheep.

    Thomas Jefferson Quotations:
    "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check