Frankford Arsenal Hand Deprimer / Squirrel Daddy Tapered-Tip Hardened Decapping Pins

[Norcal707]

Anyone using these Squirrel Daddy Tapered-Tip Hardened Decapping Pins in their Frankford Arsenal Hand Deprimer? I find that no matter how I try to adjust things, nearly all the brass I deprime gets stuck on the pin, requiring having to pull it off with a pliers. Changing back to the pin that came with the FAHD, only very occasionally do I get a stuck casing.

I called Squirrel Daddy and was told these pins were made to replace the pin in Lee Universal Decapping Die and that they work perfectly well in that application. Isn't the pin included with the FAHD identical or very similar to the Lee pin? I think the problem is with the tapered tip on the SD pins. I see SD also sells Hardened Tip Decapping Pins with no Taper - maybe that's what I should have bought?

[mdi]

Are the pins getting stuck in the flash hole? Is the pin diameter larger than/tight in the flash hole?

[Norcal707]

Are the pins getting stuck in the flash hole? Is the pin diameter larger than/tight in the flash hole?

Yes, the tapered pin pretty much always gets stuck whereas the non-tapered pin that came with the FAHD rarely gets stuck. The SD tapered pins stick about halfway or less on the taper. This happens no matter the brand/caliber of brass..

Here's some comparison pics - I tried chucking the shiny SD pin in a hand drill and polishing with some emery cloth but didn't help any.

Used vs New SD Pins


SD vs FA Pins

[kayala]

I've decapped a few thousands rounds with original pin. The only trouble I've had with once fired 7.62x39 that I've bought from big online vendor. About 10% were sticking on, but as I've found out later the problem was with really bad burs on flash hole (I've bent 3 decapping pins on my rcbs sizing die after SS tumble !). My 38SP, 357, 10mm, 460Mag - no issues at all with original pin.

[mdi]

The only thing I can think of off hand is to use a stone to reduce the diameter of the pin, or adjust it so it barely pops the old primer out...

[Mytmousemalibu]

Spin the pin in a drill and take a little emery cloth or sandpaper to it till it operates freely.

[Norcal707]

The only thing I can think of off hand is to use a stone to reduce the diameter of the pin, or adjust it so it barely pops the old primer out...

I've tried adjusting it and no change. Talked to someone at Squirrel Daddy and they just say the pins are meant to be used with the Lee Universal Decapping Die, not anything else, which sounds like Bee-S to me. They used to make a non-tapered pin where only the tip was hardened but it's been discontinued. Guess I'll buy some Lee pins for the FAHD and hope the SD pins work with my Lee Universal Decapping Die whenever I finally get my reloading bench set up.

[Norcal707]

Spin the pin in a drill and take a little emery cloth or sandpaper to it till it operates freely.

Already tried that with the SD pin with no improvement. It's the taper on the pin that is getting stuck.

[EDG]

If your flash holes are smaller than the tapered end of the pin they are guaranteed to stick.
What is mysterious about that?
You cannot use pin larger than the flash holes without interference.
Due to different manufacturing practices by brass manufacturing companies there will be variations in the sizes of the flash hole use to manufacturing tolerance. There are also companies that manufacture flash holes where the basic size is either larger or smaller than the flash holes produced by the rest of the industry.
You might check out this article on flash hole uniforming at another site.
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/tag/flash-hole/

Why can you not believe the Squirrel Daddy statement?
I have somewhere between 100 and 200 die sets that date back to the 1950s. Do you really think it is possible that any pin would fit all of those different dies and brands? A universal pin is NOT possible.

The short way for you to deal with the oversize pin is
1. Adjust it shallower so it does not stick. If this does no work it will have to be polished smaller or the holes in the brass must be enlarged.
2. Use 220 to 320 grit or similar silicon carbide paper backed with a piece of steel to spin polish your tapered pins or just switch to the normal straight pins like the rest of use.
3. Flash holes can be drilled out but not with just any size drill. The drill used should only be about .002" larger than the decapping pin. A 5/64 drill is .078" diameter. Compare that with your decapping pin diameter. You can also test it on some junk or scrapped cases to see if your drill increases the flash hole diameters enough to avoid hanging up without producing a slopping oversize flash hole.
To measure your pins and the drill will require a caliper or micrometer.

I have used the same Lee hand punches (a .22 cal and a .30 cal) for early 50 years. They are ordinary Lee punches manufactured by Lee before Lee got into the die business. I have decapped tens of thousands of cases and many were crimped military brass. I have never broken either of these punches. They have been jammed in cases a time or two, When stuck in undersized flash holes I drilled out the flash holes with my flash hole deburring tools.

I've tried adjusting it and no change. Talked to someone at Squirrel Daddy and they just say the pins are meant to be used with the Lee Universal Decapping Die, not anything else, which sounds like Bee-S to me. They used to make a non-tapered pin where only the tip was hardened but it's been discontinued. Guess I'll buy some Lee pins for the FAHD and hope the SD pins work with my Lee Universal Decapping Die whenever I finally get my reloading bench set up.

[GhostHawk]

Or use the pin that came with the FA hand decapper.

I have not touched mine and it has run thousands of rounds with no issues.

[JimB..]

Mine sticks on a small number of cases. I only reload Win, RP, Fed, Blazer headstamps in pistol, and have the issue with all, but it’s less than 1%. I assume that it’s a burr in the flash holes. I twist the case off with pliers and toss it in the scrap bin.

Did a couple thousand last night, think I scrapped 6.

[JimB..]

Or use the pin that came with the FA hand decapper.

I have not touched mine and it has run thousands of rounds with no issues.

Thanks, I missed that he’d changed pins. I bent mine, just bent it back. Assume FA will replace it if it breaks, but I’ve used it on at least 25,000 cases and it’s going strong. I don’t know why anyone would use a replacement.

[mdi]

It's not a mystery. The pin is too large in diameter for the flash holes. For it to work properly the diameter of the pin must be reduced...

I believe you mentioned the pin is hardened so a file won't work. Emery is too fine and just polishes without reducing the diameter. A stone ("gunsmith stone") is hard/aggressive enough to "cut" hardened steel and reduce the diameter. Same method yo used with emery cloth...

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...30.2rIRucYpFRg

[Norcal707]

Thanks all for the suggestions/advice.

The Lee-style straight-tip pin that came with the FAHD and the tapered-tip Squirrel Daddy pins are the same length - it's just the tips that differ.

The FAHD has a set screw that holds the pin in place and allows for a small amount of adjustment as to where the pin is fixed in place but that makes no difference as the SD tapered-tip pins stick with whatever brand of pistol/rifle brass I try to deprime so it's the taper, not the diameter of the flash hole and trying to use it with the FAHD causing the issue.

Not going to attempt to modify them, will just use them with my Lee UDD. Ordered three Lee Universal straight pins off ebay as spares for the FAHD.

[gpidaho]

Mine works great! I've knocked out a lot of crimped in primers and it does require a firm grip but no problems at all with the pin in any cartridge. The little plastic cup is worthless, I just decap into a trash can. The tool is well worth the price in my opinion. Gp

[gnoahhh]

For the historically inquisitive, here's the ORIGINAL Frankford Arsenal decapping tool. Circa 1909, from the real Frankford Arsenal. It works a treat with both pistol and rifle brass.