Hand de-capper

[ggb3]

Hi y'all,
I can appreciate fine tools and take care of them. I look for things that are well made usually before price. That out of the way, I am looking for a hand tool to de-cap 45-70 cases at the range. Black powder shooting, decap and into a bucket of water. I would like to hear from y'all of some of the nicer hand tools for this. I am thinking of the 310 tool with just a decapper or the Distant Thunder decapper model. Anything else? I looked at the Pope style and am not really sold on it.

Anyone have any of these devices? Do you like them, if not, why?

Thank you,
George

[country gent]

I made mu own pliers type out of aluminum. It does up to 45-100. It only deprimes.

[Shooter]

You can glue a LEE de-capper into a large hardwood ball from the hardware.
Set it over a hole and whack it with your hand.
I'm a cheapskate, this may not fit your life style.

[Green Frog]

The BPCS guys have a variety of hand decappers similar to the Distant Thunder you mention. If you already have a 310 tool and the proper "universal" decapping die, that will work quite well. In spite of your lack of regard for the Pope style (actually designed by Chicks Martines, if memory serves) they have decapped millions of cases in the last century or so... they do work pretty well. In addition, a variety of decappers and combo re- and decappers are constantly being designed, built and sold by readers of the Black Powder Cartridge News and Single Shot Journal. One of them is bound to fit your needs, but you will have to look for yourself to see what you like.

Froggie

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

You can glue a LEE de-capper into a large hardwood ball from the hardware.
Set it over a hole and whack it with your hand.
I'm a cheapskate, this may not fit your life style.
I like that shooter.

But if I were to buy something, it'd be Lee's hand press.
you could use it for other tasks at the range as well.
http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=LEE90685

[429421Cowboy]

What about this? http://www.harveydeprimer.com/

[ggb3]

Hi Frog,
I do not have any hand decapper yet, just bench mount. I liked the nostalgia of the 310 tool but did not have the immediate desire to order it. The "Pope style" I almost went for it and then started to think it may feel awkward. Have you used it? Is it worth the asking price and do you have to fumble with it or is it a natural type feel? Hopefully all that ramble is coherent.

George

[ggb3]

Cowboy,
I seen that too, looks interesting. I would suspect it is made out of steel and not delrin or some other type of plastic, right? I may have missed where it stated what it was made out of. I will look it over again.

George

Seeing it states
anodized, I suspect aluminum.....

[ggb3]

Hi Shooter,
That is not out of the question and I thought of something along those lines. I just see hitting it, the ball splitting and the pin going into my hand. (I do have luck like that).

[Crosbyman]

I like the Harvy de-primer.

See this:

http://www.harveydeprimer.com/

[1Shirt]

Might try ebay for decapping tool!
1Shirt!

[OBIII]

I second the Lee hand press. It serves multiple functions.
OB

[Shooter]

Hi Shooter,
That is not out of the question and I thought of something along those lines. I just see hitting it, the ball splitting and the pin going into my hand. (I do have luck like that).

Actually, you can push them out.
I have a home-made block to hold ammo. At one end, I drilled a slight recess for the rim of the brass, then drilled the center to 5/16". On the back side I enlarged to 3/4" to allow the spent primers to accumulate leaving enough support to do the de-capping.
I can de-cap and drop the cases in a jug of soapy water between strings.

[Shooter]

Hi Shooter,
That is not out of the question and I thought of something along those lines. I just see hitting it, the ball splitting and the pin going into my hand. (I do have luck like that).

Actually, you can push them out.
I have a home-made block to hold ammo. At one end, I drilled a slight recess for the rim of the brass, then drilled the center to 5/16". On the back side I enlarged to 3/4" to allow the spent primers to accumulate leaving enough support to do the de-capping.
I can de-cap and drop the cases in a jug of soapy water between strings.

[Green Frog]

Hi Frog,
I do not have any hand decapper yet, just bench mount. I liked the nostalgia of the 310 tool but did not have the immediate desire to order it. The "Pope style" I almost went for it and then started to think it may feel awkward. Have you used it? Is it worth the asking price and do you have to fumble with it or is it a natural type feel? Hopefully all that ramble is coherent.

George

I have owned and used several of the Jake Simmons-made Pope style re- and decappers in my time with the American Single Shot Rifle Association. I shoot in the schuetzen style and often replace primers at the shooting bench. After thousands of rounds of 32-40 and 45-70 as well as other calibers I can say without fear of contradiction that they work well. The Harvey unit somebody else mentioned would work just as well in your application of just decapping before washing cases, so I wouldn't discourage you from looking at that style or something similar. It comes down to what you are comfortable using, best if you can try several before buying... is anyone shooting BPCS or schuetzen where you are located?

Froggie

[captaint]

It ain't fancy, but I use a punch that has a straight small diameter shaft about 1.5 inches, rather than just tapered like most punches. That, and a small hammer gets it done very well. I don't actually do it very often, though.. Mike

[TNsailorman]

And I thought I was the only one using a small punch. That hardened small straight punch end will last forever, even with crimped military primers. For convenience, epoxy a small screwdriver handle onto the handle part. I picked mine up at a flea market several years ago for $0.10. Works for me.

[ggb3]

Thanks for everyone's replies, information is good. Back to Mr. Froggie, I know Mr. Simmons had passed a few years back. Who in your opinion is making a desirable one now? (Pope style).

Thanks again gentlemen,
George

[Reg]

Not sure if they are still making them but Mecham Tool & Hardware make a very nice unit that used RCBS shell holders. Very nicely made and worked very well.

[Green Frog]

Thanks for everyone's replies, information is good. Back to Mr. Froggie, I know Mr. Simmons had passed a few years back. Who in your opinion is making a desirable one now? (Pope style).

Thanks again gentlemen,
George

The one being sold by Meacham is similar, but as was stated, takes the common RCBS shell holder. You might try Buffalo Arms and see which one(s) they are selling now. "Uncle Jake" was a long-time personal friend of mine through ASSRA and I still can't quite believe he's gone. I still have two of his tools with a variety of the special shell holders... I don't plan on ever being without at least one! The folks at CPA, who make an adaptation of the Stevens 44 1/2, has another nice one of similar operation, but slightly different design. I didn't mention what a great job these tools do of consistently seating primers. They are fully as good at that task as your bench tool. PM me if you can't find something you like.

Froggie

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have two of the Pope style capper / decapper tools and I should point out you can also clean both large and small primer pockets with it. Mine were actually made by Charlie Pool in L.A. His nephew made me some extra shell holders for them. When I have lots of cases to prime I use an old style Lee hand priming tool. I have two of those also. I tried one of the new RCBS hand priming tools but my hand gave out in a few minutes. I have small hands.

[dromia]

I have and use pope style prime/de-prime tools in 45-70 and 32-20 and really like them, they are compact no fuss tools and have a primer pocket scraper built into the design.

They are pricey though and especially if you don't want to use the priming facility then not worth the expense, I enjoy using them as I do all fine tools so that justifies the cost to me and the do the job as advertised very well.

For many years I used a Lee hand tool and a decapping die for decapping BP cases on the range, I also have a DAT 45-70 decapper that fits onto the old Lee hand prime that works very well too, however the Pope takes up less space its just the don't do them in .577 Snider or .577"/450" Martini so the Lee hand press with long decapping rod has to serve for that.

To be honest on the range a decapping rod and a hammer will serve just as well and be as quick as any of the others.

You pays your money and you takes tour choice.

[mikeym1a]

What about this? http://www.harveydeprimer.com/
This one is nice, but I'd want one that reprimed as well. Just me. :-o

[ggb3]

Well, I'm going Pope style. However, the one at Buffalo is back ordered...... (about right).
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=161897&CAT=4013

So, in the meantime, I will order this one and then have two styles.........
http://www.shilohrifle.com/shop/product.php?productid=31&cat=13&page=1

Thanks to all again for the information, it is very much appreciated.

Now, I have done it, I have not been to the Shiloh website before. The rifle that is on the front page (transitions with some other messages) has me a wantin........., ****.

[W.R.Buchanan]

A Lee de-capper pin and base for your caliber is $7.98. simplest and cheapest way to do this unless you use a sharpened 16d nail and washer.

Randy

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have had a Mecham for 15 years and am happy with it.i use it for shooting my 30-06's with the Pope bullet and one case at the bench.The priming feel is very good as well.I have conversions for small and larger primers and capping rods for a few calibers.I had a Pool Tool when i started loading but was talked out of it by a savvy shooter.DARN IT!

[Green Frog]

Anyone who just wants to decap their brass (as in BPCS to prep it for washing) might be interested in this device by Ken Meyer who goes by the screen name "quarter bore." He has been a longtime participant in ASSRA's Schuetzen events and is a very nice guy. See pictures in thread.

http://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1374692350

I didn't think of him earlier because most of us in schuetzen like to recap and decap with the same tool, but sometimes folks like to separate these functions. If you contact him, tell him "Froggie sent me." You won't get a discount, but he'll get a good laugh! :D

Froggie

[remy3424]

Like the idea of the Harvey tool, just need to do it over a container to catch the primers and grit and no shellholders needed. I use the Lee hand press and their universal de-capping die, it uses standard shellholder but it does catch the primer and grit, you do have to dump them ever 30-40 cases.

[fgd135]

I just use the decapping rod from a Lee Loader kit, along with the decapper chamber, and a brass hammer. Works fine for my black powder cases, which are then dropped into a container with soapy water.

[Char-Gar]

I decap with a Lyman 310 tool. Their depriming dies are almost universal, one large and one small. The advantage of a 310 tool is you can also perform all other (except FL sizing) loading functions with one. Great old school tools.

[W.R.Buchanan]

The guys I shoot LR Silhouette with that shoot BP rifles all decap with a Lee hand press and then drop in soapy water.

There is about 15 different but similar ways to do this operation in the field or at home. The Lee punch and cup is one way, the Lee hand press with a de-capping die from any maker is another. Any Hand Press with any De-capping die will work, and The Harvey De-primer is a good way too. You can also mount a RockChucker or other press to your trailer hitch.

These are the basic sets of ways that this operation can be done.

Randy

[Green Frog]

I've bought or been given so many different kinds of re- and decapping devices (indeed reloading tools in general - they just follow me home) that every time I need to do a task, I just grab what's handy. What I'm getting at is that there is no right answer to the OP's question, only a matter of what is available readily and works for the user. For the scenario in question, the tools like the Pope-type, Quarterbore's, the 310 tool and similar will go into the shooter's box and not take up a lot of space or require a hard surface to work on, but virtually any of these tools has much to recommend it and will probably get the job done if used as directed. Just pick what you like and go for it... but be careful or you'll be like me and have a whole roomful of stuff because you'll start chasing the next best thing. You have been warned! ;)

Froggie

[Ehaver]

if you are as cheap as I am, an oak dowel with a penny nail drilled and glued in place works well. I did over 1000 .40 cases with it. easy and cheap. Total cost, 2 dollars. Get a dowell that is tight in the neck of the case.

also a hand press from lee with a die.. its about 50 dollars however..

[SSGOldfart]

What about this? http://www.harveydeprimer.com/

Humm I like this one going to see if I can find a used one someplace?