decapping pins

[flounderman]

I was reloading a bunch of mixed 9mm brass that apparently was some old foreign and military. I even discovered some berdan primed, by ACCIDENT. Some of it had tiny flash holes, too. I looked on line for decapping pins and could not believe the price and 7.00 shipping for 5 pins, is robbery. I'm not sure how that compares with the price of gold, but I believe it might be higher than silver. Did see some lyman with a decent price, if they aren't trying to make their money on the mailing. Maybe try cutting the head off for the RCBS dies.

[ascast]

BTDT, on some old 30-06. It is a shocker.

[pworley1]

I usually get them on ebay. A pack of 50 can usually be foud for under 20.00.

[Elroy]

The last I bought was on eBay .I can't remember the exact price,but they were reasonable. I think the sell was buying bulk packs,and breaking them down into smaller lots. Mine came in an envelope,with no tracking,but shipping was either free ,or cheap to me.

[georgerkahn]

FWIW, I was decapping some brass last summer and broke two decapping pins (Redding die) in short order. Not having one to replace this 2nd one, I got "resourceful" and went through a box of assorted number drill bits, and found several which looked pretty close in diameter. The second one I tried fit! Using the stem as a holder, I eye-balled what I reckoned might be a good length, and after donning eye goggles cut it using a Dremel tool. I guessed this one drill bit would provide two "pins" if needed -- BUT -- I am still using my first drill-bit replacement. (Several hundred more cases!)
The small bits dull easily, and I neither have the skill to sharpen tiny bits, nor could justify sending them out for commercial resharpening -- almost as cheap to purchase replacements. Hence, I put them, along with others, in my "dull drill bit" box -- and have found a great recycle/re-use for them with this.
Just a thought.... worked/works for me. (The cases in question were WWII vintage military .30-'06 brass which -- my guess -- had a super-varnish had been applied to primers -- a "bear in spades" to de-cap them)
geo

[frkelly74]

That is exactly the way I get free replacement pins for quite a few uses. I do not throw any small drills away but recycle them to a higher purpose.

[trebor44]

Old, dull drill bits, great idea and one that will be 'taken' for future use. I haven't broken many decap pins (or bent them) but it's nice to know there is another solution to buying one for an outrageous price.

[BigAlofPa.]

https://www.squirreldaddy.com/Decapping-pin-s/336.htm

These pins are though. I bought some. And im still using the 1st one out of the pack.

[daengmei]

From info on an older thread I believe from this forum, I bought a box of hardened flooring nails. I can't recall the size, gotta find the box. Just shorten to size, remove the head and fine tune the tip with a sander, grinder, etc. I'm not sure now if it fit a Lyman or RCBS but it did work fine. The original pin did not have the head like RCBS, but I suspect the nail head is very close if needed. 100 count for about 5 bucks at ACE hardware.

Take the old one with you and match it. They look at me when they see a set of calipers.

263061

This is 2" 6D, 1 lb box, my estimate of 100 is way off.


.072/.073 diameter.

Called a High Performance Trim Nail, Made by Maze Nails in Peru Illinois.

[shaune509]

Has any one checked needle bearings from u joints? Might be a source and they are hardened.
Shaune509

[Winger Ed.]

The new ones with the head on them are high.
Lyman's are a few bucks for 5.
Hornady's are only about $5. EACH.

After eating a few on 7.62NATOs-
Now I check head stamps on them closely when I find a Berdan primed one.

Old U joints are a good source for the old style straight ones-
but you usually have to sort through a bunch of them to find one with needle bearings thin enough.

[Three44s]

How about music wire?

Three44s

[abunaitoo]

Lyman pins are skinny.
Easy to destroy.
That's why I don't have many Lyman dies.
When I do have to get some, I order the 50 pack.
Last a long time.

[44magLeo]

The universal joint needle bearings is what Lee uses for pins. Strong and made by the millions, so not expensive.
Leo

[Drm50]

The only pins I every broke were in Military ammo, and I’ve broke my share. I quit with the press and do first deprime with a punch. Lee sells or use to sell GI decapper kits of punch & base. I also discovered a hardened pin with head that is in HWD stores stuff for chains, master links, ect that are exact size of Lyman pins, only about 1/32” longer. I think they are .25@

[greenjoytj]

LEE Precision Universal decapping die. It’s the best. Should the pin hit the bottom of a Berdan primed case or any other immovable object the decapping pin will just push up through the collet at the top of the die body. No broken pins ever.

[dverna]

https://www.squirreldaddy.com/Decapping-pin-s/336.htm

These pins are though. I bought some. And im still using the 1st one out of the pack.

Did the same thing. But I like the other ideas...love this site.

[15meter]

How about music wire?

Three44s

I've considered trying music wire also, just never have gotten around to it. May have to mic a decapping pin and see if I can get music wire in the same diameter.

A 36" piece of piano wire would give you quite a supply of pins, I suspect great-great-great grandkids would be still using pins from the first piece of wire.

Interesting problem cutting them to a consistent length then deburring them. My fingers don't do as well with those little bitty things as they used to.

Way tougher to load my 204 Ruger now than when I first bought it 14-15 years ago.

Those little pins are puny in comparison to a 204.

[fiberoptik]

Funny how things got smaller and fingers got bigger & clumsier, ain’t it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Three44s]

There are many sizes of music wire but holding it will not be easy!

Locking needle or regular vise grips?

Best regards

Three44s

[lightman]

I have used the pins out of pop rivets before.

[Scrounge]

There are many sizes of music wire but holding it will not be easy!

Locking needle or regular vise grips?

Best regards

Three44s

Try a pin vise, and a diamond file for a cutter and to shape the point. Water for lube, then dry and oil to prevent rust. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FMZDJQ?tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1

As the saying goes, "Works good, lasts a long time!"

[GregLaROCHE]

I haven’t broken any since I started using Lee’s universal tool.

[15meter]

I haven’t broken any since I started using Lee’s universal tool.

Problem comes when you are not de-priming as a separate operation, or you are making custom length Lee style trim gages for obsolete calibers and you need a de-capping pin.

Lee doesn't make their length gage in every caliber, so I make my own, 318 Westley Richards, 8x50R among others.

Next one I need to make is for a 350 Rigby Magnum. I can make one considerably cheaper and faster that getting one from Lee.