Decapping crimped primer woes

[bronte454]

Ok so I’m new to reloading rifle rounds been casting and and reloading pistol for 40 yrs . I have a Lee universal decapping die , an RCBS universal decapping die and my FL standard 223 resizing die . I have snapped the pins off all of the above dies and actually broke and bent the RCBS universal decapping stem . All on crimped primers what am I doing wrong to punch the primers out . What can I do differently or any better suggestions on how to decap these crimped primers ? I have been given the chore of removing all the range brass at my local club 😁 but these crimped primers are gonna end up costing me more replacing stems and pins 🤬 . Any ideas or knowledge greatly appreciated .

[Winger Ed.]

They're a pain.
I buy replacement pins 2 packs at a time.
I've also switched over to RCBS's carbide expander balls too after trashing a couple of regular ones way before I thought they should have.

After I've processed a bunch of GI stuff, I make sure to get it back after I shoot it.

[cub45]

Make sure that there is no berden primed brass mixed in your brass.

[Skipper]

The Lee decapper for military cases works very well.
https://leeprecision.com/decapper-base-30-caliber.html

[Petrol & Powder]

Make sure that there is no berden primed brass mixed in your brass.
I was going to write this but cub45 beat me to it. You're more likely to break a decapping pin on a Berden primed casing than a crimped Boxer casing.

I recently ran into a batch of casings that were impossible to decap. They were Boxer primed but the primer would not come out. The pin would bulge the primer but fail to punch it out. I never broke a decapping pin despite running into a couple of dozen bad casings.
Another source of a problem is a foreign object in the casing such as a small rock or another casing, If you don't catch that you will run the chance of breaking a pin.

[JimB..]

A little bit of corrosion makes it much more difficult to remove a crimped primer in my experience. Get to them before they sit in the elements for weeks if you can.

[deltaenterprizes]

Make sure that there is no berden primed brass mixed in your brass.

What he said! Look inside with a light or feel for the flash hole before hitting with a hammer!
If it is too stubborn pitch it, you have nothing invested in it so no loss
When you get enough seller it for scrap brass.

[GhostHawk]

I have a frankford arsenal hand decapper, great tool, love it. But every now and then you find a piece of brass that just does not want to go.

Those go in my pocket. In my reloading room I have a 4" length of 2x2 the ends have been drilled with a step drill. Large on one end, small on the other. This will accomidate virtually any brass up to 20mm. I keep a spare Lee depriming pin in the block.

Set the brass on the block, find the hole, one sharp whack with a small hammer and it is deprimed.

Or if it isn't, it goes into the recycle brass container on the floor.

Then it goes over to my spare press and gets the primer pocket treatment to remove crimp rings.

Simple, just takes a bit of time and a bit more finesse than "It don't want to go, get a bigger hammer".

[CastingFool]

Contact RCBS, they will send you a new decapping stem and pins.

[redhawk0]

I use the Lee Universal Decap die also...BUT....I bought upgraded replacement pins. Check on Ebay...do a search for
"(QTY 3) Ball End Decapping Pin Upgrade for Lee 90783 / 90292 universal decap die"

These are what I have been using and they work better than the OEM from Lee.

redhawk

[swheeler]

This ^^^^^^^ they usually send 5 pins with the new stem, love their forever warranty.

[Hawks Feather]

I have the Lee decapper and base mentioned above and it works great. I also have the Wilson version that is sold by Brownells and while it is more expensive, I like it better. As mentioned, make sure that there are no Berdan primers, which from the outside look just like the boxer primer, because they will screw things up in a hurry. Don’t ask me how I know that. . .

[TNsailorman]

The Lee GI base and primer punch works fine for me and has for over 47 years. I have broken one in the past but the cause for that breakage was a combination of me being into big of a hurry and a flash hole that had burrs that was sticking into the flash hole and I tried to force the issue and the pin became wedge and when I attempted to pull it out with pliers, it broke. It was more my fault than a weakness of the Lee punch. I de-prime all my brass with Lee bases and punches and will continue to do so. But now when I run into a flash hole that has burrs, I take it a little easier and if the primer punch wedges I use the RC press and a shell holder to pull the primer punch out of the case. That way the punch is pulled out of the case straight and does not break. Most American cases have the primer hole punch and not drilled, which leaves burrs(some small and some large). Military brass seems to have more burrs than civilian brass but they all have them. That is the reason I like the Lapua brass, the primer pocket is usually very uniform and the flash hole is drilled(or looks to be) and there is little to do to prep them. I have de-primed thousands of cases over the years and my system works just fine for me, you mileage may vary. my experience anyway, james

[bronte454]

Thank you all for the input I wasn’t very thorough with my description. I had first deprived all of the 308/7.62 brass no matter the brand . I did have 1 problem at one point there was 1 case that felt extra stiff and I rotated it a couple times and finally got it out and the next 2 cases just didn’t feel right so I took the die out to inspect it and the nose cone on the stem that holds the pin was completely flattened and I was in shock that the metal would be that soft . I took the die apart to thoroughly inspect it and I found that I had center punched a 22lr casejust right in the center so that the case was fully around the nose cone and the pin was sticking out through the bottom of the case . Sounds hilarious now but at that moment I wasn’t laughing ��☠️��#!£¥&. So all the problem I have been having have solely been with Lake City 5.56 brass. So I’m curious about the Lee GI base and primer punch and I found something called squirrel Daddy that reviews I’ve rad are that they are stronger tougher than the OEM Lee pins . Thanks for all the replies and assistance. Good ppl with wonderful knowledge base .

[country gent]

Ive found one little mod that helps some with crimped in primers and tight primers. I put a light radius in the end of the pins removing the square corners and forming the radius so there is a small flat in the center still and the rounded corner. This helps with 2 things 1) when decapping it forms the cup into the shape of the end of the pin thus slightly making the dia smaller at the corner helping it to slop past and break the bond. 2) primers dont grip the edge and get pulled back into the pocket nearly as often.
A little work with a fine hone stone and decapping rod in a drill motor drill press or lathe is all it takes. The old lee hammer punches and base sets the pin had this radius on them. It dosnt take a lot but the braking of that grip and slight dia change does help. Making sure everything is centered and straight helps a lot also

[Geezer in NH]

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-specialty-reloading-dies/lee-universal-decapping-die

https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-precision-reloading-equipment/lee-service-parts/reloading-die-parts/lee-90783-replacement-decapper-pin


From a Site Sponsor, get the die and 1/2 dozen replacement pins and you will be good to go for thousands of case.

[Char-Gar]

Yes, either the Wilson or Lee knock out pin and base will do the job with no fuss. The Wilson cost more, but is better made and more substantial. I don't load .223 but have decapped thousands of 30-06 and 7.62 GI brass with nary a problem using the Wilson tools.