Reloading EverythingTitan ReloadingPBcastcoMidSouth Shooters Supply
RepackboxLoad DataRotoMetals2Inline Fabrication
Lee Precision Wideners
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 42

Thread: depriming tool

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    41

    depriming tool

    Trying to decide on hand depriming tools. I can get the Frankford Arsenals unit locally (Canada - everything firearms related is more expensive) or I can do mail order for the Harvey. Is there a reason to get the Harvey considering the cost will be about the same with dollar conversion etc? Calibers will be from 204 ruger to 45-70.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Central VA
    Posts
    5,507
    It comes down to what you can find and what you like... I started collecting (OK, “hoarding”) different styles back when I started in the schuetzen game. Mostly people ask abut RE-priming rather than de-priming and just knock the old primers out any way they can, but mostly I prefer combination tools that do both like the Pope or Schoyen types. About the only tool I have devoted to decapping (other than the usual anvil, pin and hammer of course) is one a fellow brought to the ASSRA Nationals about 10-15 years ago... but that design was pretty caliber/cartridge specific. If you want to buy local, or order within Canada, I think you’re pretty well stuck with the Frankfort or something similar.

    Picture below shows a Pope style by Simmons, a late Schoyen style by Arawinko, and an antique Ballard type, all of which re- and decap and the HE Buffum tool that just decaps.

    Froggie
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 23D2EF7B-2C23-4A94-BA0E-45E49B3F36D3.jpg  
    "It aint easy being green!"

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    205
    I just got the Frankford Arsenal one, and it seems pretty good. Nice to be able to sit on the couch and pretend I care about what's on TV while not feeling I am wasting my time.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fargo ND
    Posts
    7,070
    I've been running a Frankford Arsenal one for some 5-6 years now.

    What I love about it.

    A quick and easy changes between calibers. Typical range trip for me would normally see 1 rifle caliber and 2-3 pistol.
    The FA hand deprimer makes those changes quick and easy. So I can just clean all the brass out of my range bag and run it through.

    B Doing the decapping upstairs makes it easy to do Citric Acid clean on all the deprimed brass.
    After a half hour soak with several good swirls I rinse, dump the works in a towel, go back to my recliner.
    Every piece of brass gets a brush run into the primer pocket. And the case rolled on a towel on my leg.

    Any case splits, dings, cracks or problems show up there and get sorted.

    Cases once processed are left in a warm place to dry for an hour.
    I love that the citric acid cleans the inside also, most cartridges you can see clean brass clear to the flash hole.

    C Once dried they get sized, primed, neck flared, set up in blocks in groups of 50 or 100. Ready for charging and loading.
    My dies are only touching clean brass. Just need the smallest smear of Imperial sizing wax for full length sizing.

    I don't obsess about them to the point that I need to tumble/polish. At that point they are clean enough for me.
    Takes minimal work/effort to get them there. They may not look like new brass but they don't look like old sooty brass either.
    And it really takes a minimal amount of effort to get them there. All of it is a direct result of being able to deprime brass quickly and easily after a range trip. To me my FA deprimer has paid for itself several times over. Love mine, thinking about picking up a spare.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Central PA
    Posts
    32
    Another to consider is the Lee hand press with a universal decapping die. Not as purpose built. But, it works and has many more uses... price is like all Lee products, very competitive.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    England,Ar
    Posts
    7,685
    I just ordered the Harvey tool. I never felt the need for a hand held depriming tool until I had to deprime over a hundred 223 cases. It was hard to keep up with the little buggers using my press.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Central VA
    Posts
    5,507
    I have to admit that I had forgotten about the Harvey tool altogether. It is certainly a good possibility for the person who wants to deprime (only) a bunch of fired cases. The only thing I dislike about it is the universal decapping shaft... with larger case mouths, the one-size-fits-all aspect means you have to spend a little extra time aligning the pin with the inside of the priming channel... not that big a deal once you get used to it, but certainly a consideration.

    All of that being said ironbrew, I withdraw my previous statements about what you might want to work with in light of lightman's casting illumination on the subject. (puns intended) I admit I tend to favor a re- and decapping tool for my own purposes and reloading style, so I got a little myopic with my previous post, for which I humbly apologize. At $50 retail, that Harvey tool may end up being represented on my bench sooner rather than later.

    Regards,
    Green Frog
    "It aint easy being green!"

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    510
    I really like my Harvey tool.

    All metal, no need to swap parts out to deprime another caliber.

  9. #9
    Moderator Emeritus


    MrWolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    NE West Virginia
    Posts
    4,849
    Another Harvey user here. Get a spare pin and good to go. Like the fact you can deprime while watching TV or wherever. Good luck

  10. #10
    Vendor Sponsor

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,871
    The only dedicated depriming tools I have are Pins and Bases from Lee. These are the same parts that come in Lee Classic Loaders.

    I use these primarily for removing live primers from buggered cases. I don't hit them, I use a Sinclair Arbor Press. I also recycle a lot of Shotgun Primers as I tend to loose hulls when experimenting. Those tools actually come out of my Lee Loader Kit for 12 ga Shot Shells. Buy using teh press to push out live primers I've never had one go off yet. Still you kinda need to keep your face back from the action.

    The pins for different calibers are $4 each and I think the bases are about the same. I can do just about any brass cartridge with these.

    A different way of doing this process but not for volume applications. I can use my Hand Press for that if needed.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Posts
    9,222
    Quote Originally Posted by Freeandcold View Post
    Another to consider is the Lee hand press with a universal decapping die. Not as purpose built. But, it works and has many more uses... price is like all Lee products, very competitive.
    LIKE !
    This is what I do also , works very well for older, getting limited hand strength, reloaders (like me) .

    With the Lee Hand Press and the Lee Ram Prime unit ...it is my hand priming tool .

    The larger size and increased leverage is easier on the hands and fingers .
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Central VA
    Posts
    5,507
    Randy, it’s a shame this site doesn’t have a “LIKE” button on it... you’d get a big one from me! Who made that sectional box? I’m constantly looking for that one shell holder I need right now.

    Froggie

    PS Did you see the original Decker hand press on the ‘Bay recently? Went pretty cheap, but I’d blown my “collector budget” already.
    "It aint easy being green!"

  13. #13
    Vendor Sponsor

    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Ojai CA
    Posts
    9,871
    The box came from Harbor Freight . I got one for my Priming Tools and one for my Lee Case Trimmers. about $1 each.

    Missed that Decker. How much did it go for?

    I bought 3 of the sets of Lee Shell Holders back when I was mostly using my C&H 444 Press and needed multiple shell holders for all the different cartridges and loads I did. Then I had to learn to put them back in their boxes when done so I didn't lose them. One is in my Reloading Bag with my Hand Press.

    The shell holders you see in that picture are the Screw On ones for the early Lee Priming Tool. I have 2 of those tools and the other one is in the Bag with the Hand Press. I got the original when I started reloading with a Lee Loader for my .243 in 1971 and didn't like the Hammer Method of seating primers. Still have that Lee Loader too. I also have all my original Sears Dunlap Wrenches and Screw Drivers my dad gave me for Xmas when I was 12.

    I tend to keep stuff for a long time. That Proto Key Chain Screwdriver was given to me by a mentor when I was 12, I have carried it everyday of my life and I'll be 71 on Sunday 11/15/20. That will be 59 years!

    Some things just stick to me!

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  14. #14
    Boolit Master gpidaho's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Beautiful Idaho
    Posts
    2,644
    I've been pleased with my Frankford Arsenal decapping tool. It will knock out crimped in primers if your grip is good enough. Gp

  15. #15
    Banned
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    In the Gopher State of Minnesota
    Posts
    6,711
    Randy, Happy Birthday

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Central VA
    Posts
    5,507
    Yeah Randy Happy Birthday! I celebrated 71 trips around the Sun back on 6/16, so you’re just a youngster.

    You would like my basement... it doesn’t seem I can let anything go either. That’s why you pique my interest every time you show images of a case or box to keep stuff organized. It seems like although I know I have something, I can’t always find it when I need it.

    The Decker Hand Press only went for $64 plus shipping but it was sniped in the final seconds... I had bid what been a good price and in my budget, but at the last second somebody slipped in a last bid.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    41
    Thanks to all that replied. I decided to get the Frankford Arsenal one after all. I'll do the primer tube modification though. And the wife won't get upset with me for ignoring the TV (usually from a different room). Little bit of a rant here. I've noticed Amazon playing games with pricing lately. You get a price, go research, come back and the price has magically increased. I did my pricing research, and decided to go to the local store (in stock, actually a better price and I haven't been out of the house in weeks it seems). I got there, couldn't find it, check on line and now out of stock. So... back to Amazon. The price had magically gone up by over 1/3 of their prior price to 105 Canadian. Nevermind. Found a supplier in Ontario with a much better price even if I had to pay shipping (better than their pre-boosted price, actually). This is not the first time I've caught Amazon doing this. It reminds me of the bait and switch on some of the other sites. They lost a sale because of it.

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,420
    I have a pope style I like. and have made them for myself from copper hard tubing some dowel pins and solder. The cup punch and hammer works bu is slow and noisy.

    The ones I make hold the spent primers in the tube handle and catch them 100%. When done and cleaned up they look very nice and fit the hand well. Mine will work with almost any boxer primed cases. One plus to these is its a much shorter stroke than a press.

    Bill of materials:
    3/4" or 1" hard copper tubing What fits your hand comfortably remember this size when buying the fittings.
    2 copper caps
    1 copper pipe elbow
    1 brass washer 1/4" id.
    3/16 dowel x 1" long
    I use a small piece of brass tubing for the handle hinge

    Several pieces of tubing will be cut and split and used to form flat stock for pieces 1 is a plate to be soldered in handle to block primers from mechanisim 1 is a support for under the handle and last is the hinge point and decapping rod mount.

    Tools needed:
    Drill press or hand drill
    3/16" drill
    Heavy tin snips
    tubing cutter
    propane tourch
    solder
    flux
    dremil tool and assorted burrs and stones
    6" ruller
    scribe
    Hacksaw
    6" fine file


    The hardest part is when cutting in the elbow thru the connector into the handle. lay out the hole on location and size then drill close to size then work out with the dremil tool.hold in place with wire in handle and upright with washer in front female end. solder into handle and washer in place. also solder handle tube into connector. a short piece of pipe in the back of connector and fit a cap.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Central VA
    Posts
    5,507
    Hey country gent: “No pictures, it didn’t happen!”

    Sure would like to see pictures of this item.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Fl.
    Posts
    1,561
    I’d like to see pics also

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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