357 Sig with Speer brass - Argggg

[dudel]

Anyone Speers 357Sig brass? Got a good deal(?) on 1000 pieces of once fired brass for 357Sig. Cleaned and polished for $52 with free delivery. Delivered within two days of order. Brass is listed as mixed headstamp with brass and nickel possible. Well, the whole bag is ALL Speer, ALL brass. It's in great shape with no nicks, dents or crushed mouths. Looks like it's been SS washed and looks like jewelry. The primers have not been removed.

As I go to deprime, I'm finding they have smaller than normal flash holes, and won't deprime easily. My Lee decapper now has a tapered pin, and I can get the primers out. Just need to be a bit careful.

My options are to:
1) drill out the flash holes to a more standard size. This is going to be a bother; but not as bad as removing a primer crimp. It only has to be done once to the case.
2) turn the decapping pin down to fit the flash hole. Not crazy about this option as that Lee pin is already somewhat fragile; and it's not got a collet like the Hornady, Dillon or RCBS.


Any other ideas?

[45-70 Chevroner]

Drilling out the primer hole is the most feasible solution. You right it only has to be done one time for each case. Getting the primers out will probably take the most time.

[Tatume]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?266210-Small-flash-holes-on-357-Sig-(Speer-brass)

[Boolseye]

Hmmm-Pretty sure I've done a few Speer cases without encountering that problem, but I'll keep an eye out. Have 357 SIG on the press now...good luck, man. Seems like a hassle.

[dtknowles]

do you have any other dies with a different type of decapping pin. I have others with replaceable pins, maybe you could use that die to decap. Do you use a progressive press? Do you decap and clean before you size?

Tim

[runfiverun]

turn down a pin for your 45 acp die set and use it's punch to get the primer out.
it should have a straight pin and not have any kind of expander in it.

[dudel]

I have a Lee universal decapper that has a worn pin that works fine. Got 400 decapped last night. Plan to do a full case prep. Will drill out the flash hole, check length (trim if needed) and debur case mouth. The reason for the debur, is I want to minimize the flare on the short case neck. Will likely go with projectiles that have a bevel base as well.

Plan is to size a batch with a carbide 40 S&W on the Rockchucker. Then on the 550b, I'll neck size with the 357Sig die, prime, powder, seat and crimp.

The brass from Precision Delta looks to be great (I've not found a bent/dinged up case yet). I normally decap then clean. In this case, the brass looks so good, I won't have to clean it. Even the primer pockets look surprisingly clean when I get the spent primer out.

Case prep will be a bit onerous; but it only has to be done once. More work that a straight walled round; but it sure is a blast to shoot. Makes the work worth it.

This would be real fun if the brass was all dirty. :bigsmyl2:

[dragon813gt]

I will have to check on this. I bought 1k once fired and about half of them were Speer. If the flash holes are small then the cheap price won't be worth it.

[dudel]

I will have to check on this. I bought 1k once fired and about half of them were Speer. If the flash holes are small then the cheap price won't be worth it.

Not a problem, I've got the time. It's also a one time process (like removing a primer crimp). It's not my main caliber, just one to experiment with. Don't shoot a lot of it (yet). Just one more arrow in the quiver.

Got it for the G23. With my conversion barrels (and a 9mm magazine), I can shoot 9mm, 40S&W and 357Sig from the same gun.

Tried drilling out a few flash holes this morning. Not a big deal. I may change my mind after a few hundred and quit, but by then I'll have a few hundred that I won't have to mess with again.

I'll start up again when I forget the pain that it might be.

[Shiloh]

Enlarging won't be a problem other than having to do it. Measured the flash holes?? .0625 is standard for small pistol.

SHiloh

[Boolseye]

I see what you mean, I have a few Speer cases in my stash. They definitely want to hang up on the decapping pin, but I manage to bull them through without damage.


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[dudel]

I see what you mean, I have a few Speer cases in my stash. They definitely want to hang up on the decapping pin, but I manage to bull them through without damage.


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Was tempted to force them through, but I'm on my last Lee decapping rod. Also worried that I would push the primer pocket outward and make primer seating/ignition unreliable.

As Shiloh and others have mentioned, it's a one time deal. Enlarge and done. Spend more time trimming rifle brass.

[dragon813gt]

Sized them tonight and thankfully didn't have any problems. The count was in the 600 range. There were five cases that pushed the decapping rod up. After retightening the rod the primers came out w/ no issue. I was using a Lee 40 S&W FL die. Glad there weren't any problems. Time is my most valuable asset so I would have bought new Starline brass if I had any problems.

[ioon44]

I have found smaller than normal flash holes with Speer 357 Sig brass and also with .45 ACP small primer brass, having a lot of .45 brass I just pitched them in the scrap bucket.

[Thin Man]

I have used the Speer brand of 357 Sig brass for a while to convert into 8mm Japanese Nambu. Yes, the flash holes are painfully tight. I found that the decapping pin in my Lee universal decapping die would readily slip through this flash hole without binding. Once deprimed, these cases were very suitable for making Nambu brass, in spite of the various chores required. After loaded rounds have been fired, I start the reloading sequence by applying the Lee die, followed by the usual loading sequence. Please note that I have removed the decapping pin from the Nambu die set, thus no issues there. I have no plans to drill out the flash holes when it is faster and less messy to simply add one extra pass (depriming) through the press with these cases.

Thin Man

[dudel]

I've got all 1000 (actually 1050) Speer cases deprimed yesterday. About 400 of them have been drilled out with a small jig I made for the drill press.

I noticed I have three distinct Speer head stamps in this batch. Some have an "s", some have a "14", and others have a "15" mark on the rim. Those marked with the "s" are the smallest flash holes. Those marked with "14" or "15" are still tight; but take much less effort than the "s" types. It working with my Lee Universal decapper because the pin is getting worn down. It now has a taper on it. That must be one soft steel pin!

All of the holes are too small for the Hornady decapper on my 357Sig and 40S&W dies. I'll finish drilling out the holes to standard flash hole size (as found on Winchester 357Sig brass). The drilled out holes work with my other dies.

Life is good.

[dkf]

I still have enough of the old style Lee decapper pins with the pressed in dowel pin which is small enough to deprime the .357sig Speer brass. The newer Lee decapper pins with the machined end won't fit.

[dudel]

I still have enough of the old style Lee decapper pins with the pressed in dowel pin which is small enough to deprime the .357sig Speer brass. The newer Lee decapper pins with the machined end won't fit.

I have one of the older Lee decapper rods. The pin broke off flush with the rod. I saved it because I hoped to salvage it. The new machined rods are larger.