Heavy duty depriming pin for Lee Universal die, titanium?

[monmouth]

I need a serious depriming pin for the Lee Universal depriming die. I run a bunch of 9mm through the press to deprime and those pin ends get curled like bananas. I've eaten through Lee, Dillon, etc... pins.

Anyone ever make a pencil point design or make a bullet proof pin? Titanium?

I'm open to any suggestions. I don't have a lathe but willing to work with someone on design/prototype. I can pay for bar stock and if the design works (I can run it through tons of 9mm for testing), you sell them and make the money. I prefer to base it off the Lee Universal die collet because it's universal. I just need a better solution.

Please help.

[lightload]

My unqualified opinion is that the solution will be found using a shorter pin--just long enough to remove the primer. This shorter pin would contact the primer at a point where there is much less pin length between the end of the pin and the pin's attachment point at the die. In cases where they break, the traditional pin wobbles past dead center and then acts like a lever. The pin's point of attachment to the die spindle serves as a fulcrum.

[country gent]

A sharpened pin pushes thru the primer just making a hole thru, then its almost imposible to get out. Wht Id is to sone a full radious on the end of the pin, this also helps keep the primer from gripping on pin and being pulled back into primer pocket.Ashorter pin also helps but also makes setting more important.

[bstone5]

I use hardened drill blanks for the pin.
The pin is glued in, heat with a propane torch and the old pin will shoot out after getting hot.
Clean out the hole with a drill an then epoxy glue the shortened drill blank in the cleaned out hole. Keep a small radius on the pinned that pushes out the primer.

[Tmaloy]

You could try this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321663165765?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Safeshot]

I replacement (shorter) pin cut from "Music Wire" (Spring steel) (Usually available at Hobby Shops or (real) Hardware Stores) of the proper diameter and with a slight radius or slight chamfer on the end works well for me.

[GhostHawk]

I'm using the Frankford arsenal hand deprimer partially for that very reason.

With a press there is too much leverage, not enough feel. So a staked in primer does not feel much different, and the pin bends. With the hand unit I feel instantly if it is not going to pop out. From there it is my choice, tighten up and go for it knowing I may bend the pin, or pull that piece and move on.
Being able to do it in a comfortable chair with my feet up and the TV on is gravy on the top.

The other alternative is to leave the pin just loose enough so it can back out when it hits a hard one.
Normally with rifle brass I grab the hammer and POP the pin back in and the primer comes out. Sometimes a hard fast jolt can do what a slow push can not.

For the price I like the FA tool, although I could make a few suggestions for its improvement. But then I'm not trying to do thousands. I have a 25 lb box of 9mm brass and if I never see the bottom I'm still happy. Sitting right beside it is a similar box of .40sw. :)

I have my winters work cut out for me. Would not mind having a bit more lead perhaps.

[Bonz]

I have a friend that uses a piece of a finishing nail. I use the Lee universal decapper and just replace the pin when it gets broken or bent. I bought some hardened pins off of ebay. Have to admit that the ones from Post #5 look like a good idea, so I bought some to try ;-)

[jmort]

"I'm using the Frankford arsenal hand deprimer"

It has good owner/user reviews. Looks like a good tool and it says it easily does crimped primers. I have the Harvey Hand Deprimer and it will do crimped primers, but it takes some effort.

[monmouth]

I have to deprime a lot of brass each month so can't do the hand method.

[EDG]

Probably the material used in a needle bearing is about the toughest there is. This is 52100 chrome steel. After it is heat treated you cannot turn it.
You would need to look for finished needles. Titanium is not so hard but it is very springy.

I base this on the appearance of the Lee decapping pins used in the hand decapping punches. I have been hand decapping for 40 years because I got tired of the primer ash on my press and broken pins.

Many of the companies that supply precision pins will provide you with free samples.

http://www.rbcbearings.com/literature/pdfs/precprodbroch.pdf

[rancher5]

I need a serious depriming pin for the Lee Universal depriming die. I run a bunch of 9mm through the press to deprime and those pin ends get curled like bananas. I've eaten through Lee, Dillon, etc... pins.

Anyone ever make a pencil point design or make a bullet proof pin? Titanium?

I'm open to any suggestions. I don't have a lathe but willing to work with someone on design/prototype. I can pay for bar stock and if the design works (I can run it through tons of 9mm for testing), you sell them and make the money. I prefer to base it off the Lee Universal die collet because it's universal. I just need a better solution.

Please help.
Squirel Daddy sells great pins,they're tapered break less often, way better than Lee Decapper pins, Yes they will break if u don't pay attention but not very often,buy in quanity of 3's

[rancher5]

I have to deprime a lot of brass each month so can't do the hand method.
I agree if i had to prime and deprime my 9's or any other caliber by hand, well reloading for pistols would'nt be any fun or relaxing, U shoot over 2,000 rds a month easily,Thankfully I use my machine Lee 1000 pro 45's & Loadmaster for 9's,40's and 10's

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK; the correct answer here is to use a piece of an .059/ #53 drill blank. Drill Blanks are made from Either High Speed or Cobalt Just like drills are. In fact Drills are made from Drill Blanks,,, Hence the name.

The pin needs to be radiused a small amount on the front end so it centers up on the flash hole, and needs to be just long enough to go all the way thru the case + about .030/1/32".

The reason you use an .059 blank is because the flash hole in most brass is .060-.062. If you use a 1/16' blank and shove it into an .060 hole it will break and not come back out.

Drill Blanks are available at any Industrial Tool Supply and they don't cost very much. You can get several pins out of each blank, and you will cut them with a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel.

That's all there is to it.

Titanium is not some magic material, it is good for certain things, but in this case it is so soft it would just bend.

Randy

[rancher5]

OK; the correct answer here is to use a piece of an .059/ #53 drill blank. Drill Blanks are made from Either High Speed or Cobalt Just like drills are. In fact Drills are made from Drill Blanks,,, Hence the name.

The pin needs to be radiused a small amount on the front end so it centers up on the flash hole, and needs to be just long enough to go all the way thru the case + about .030/1/32".

The reason you use an .059 blank is because the flash hole in most brass is .060-.062. If you use a 1/16' blank and shove it into an .060 hole it will break and not come back out.

Drill Blanks are available at any Industrial Tool Supply and they don't cost very much. You can get several pins out of each blank, and you will cut them with a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel.

That's all there is to it.

Titanium is not some magic material, it is good for certain things, but in this case it is so soft it would just bend.

Randy
OK randy were ready to Buy once u get them milled,yes sir!

[fatnhappy]

Probably the material used in a needle bearing is about the toughest there is. This is 52100 chrome steel. After it is heat treated you cannot turn it.


Complete thread deviation warning:

Marbles used 52100 for it's knife blanks for a 3-4 year period around the turn of the millenium. I have a couple and they can take an amazing edge. The knife in my avatar being an example.
If you can find one, cherish it.


For the record, I use finishing nails. Cheap and plentiful.

[obituary]

I just encountered the same issue . From what I've seen searching is that if you planning to deprime 9mm on the loadmaster you'll be best off getting another 9mm size/deprime die . Because the shell plate is machines for several different calibers and that causes it to not be centered properly for a universal de capping die . I actually prime on my loadmaster so that's what I'm going to do. Yet another 9mm size/decapping die is in my future .

[Garyshome]

I use a Lee 45 acp sizing/decap die for everything [223,380,9mm..40..45.] Won't work with 38 spl or 357 mag. I haven't broken a pin since I started using the 45 die. Oh and all the broken pins [Lee decaping die pins] can be turned down to work again. I de prime on an RCBS press....keeps the Dillon clean.

[No Blue]

.200" steel rod, center drilled .062", glue a .062"x.750" roller bearing in the hole. That duplicates the Lee set up. Having the absolutely smallest stickout is a good idea if you're bending the pin.

I bought the rod and a bag of 100 bearings from ENCO for about $5, and have been making them for about 6 years; much cheaper and faster than waiting for replacements from Lee.

[Drew P]

Drill rod is probably the best balance between strength and hardness. Any harder and it will risk shattering.
Ti is actually not as strong as steel. It's used in applications where weight is an issue because compared to its weight it's stronger than steel, but by volume it's actually weaker.
When you see "titanium" drills and tooling, it's actually a coating that is applied to tool steel, mainly for its friction reducing qualities. Misleading for sure.

[flashhole]

Probably going to jinx myself by typing this but in all the years I've been reloading I've never busted a decapping pin ... never ... in any die I've ever used.

[45workhorse]

Probably going to jinx myself by typing this but in all the years I've been reloading I've never busted a decapping pin ... never ... in any die I've ever used.
Yup, you just jinx yourself

[dverna]

Probably going to jinx myself by typing this but in all the years I've been reloading I've never busted a decapping pin ... never ... in any die I've ever used.

It is not how long you have reloaded, but how many tens of thousands of cases you have processed.

Don Verna

[slughammer]

181752

These are the Squirrel Daddy hardened pins available on Amazon. I haven't tried them myself, but there are 85 reviews you can read through.

[flashhole]

It is not how long you have reloaded, but how many tens of thousands of cases you have processed.

Don Verna

Everyone gets that. I load for 6 different rifles and figure I'm well over 10,000 loaded rounds.

[j4570]

It's hard to beat the rcbs universal die. 50 pack of pins like $20. Only thing I ever thought Dillon made that sucks is the universal decap die. And no they don't covers the pins at $4 each!!!!

[Eddie17]

Second thumbs up for Squirel Daddy. Great pins, for the money!

[EDG]

I load for about 10 times that plus hand guns and shot guns at much high volumes - for 40 years.
I have broken 2 or 3 pins due to off center flash holes. I found it better to decap as a separate operation off of the press where I have never broken a pin.
It also keeps the ash and trash out of my press.


Everyone gets that. I load for 6 different rifles and figure I'm well over 10,000 loaded rounds.

[GhostHawk]

Squirreldaddy's hardened pins is one way. I went instead with the Frankford arsenal hand depriming unit. Without the press leverage either it deprimes smoothly, or it doesn't, and you pull that round and see what the problem is. Most often for me it is either a berdan primed case or a very strongly crimped primer. Same result, throw it in my brass recycle tub and move on.