Easy replacement for decapping pins

[Typecaster]

After 15+ years of using Redding dies, in decapping/resizing a batch of milsurp 30-06 brass with staked primers I managed to break a decapping pin...then the one I scavenged from a .444 Marlin die, then from a 30-40 Krag die...then I was SOL—everything else is RCBS except for 22 K-Hornet, which I think uses a smaller pin (?).

A-ha, sez I. I'll just use a RCBS pin. Don't fit. Being a shiftless and lazy Irishman, and realizing that the dolts at gun shops in Southern California haven't even heard of companies other than RCBS (let alone stock parts for any others), I checked the O.D. of the stub that was left in the Redding die: .061"+. That's pretty close to 1/16", so I grabbed a 1/16" drill bit and found it fit in the die stem. Well, I guess I could sacrifice a drill bit to keep working, but at my rate of broken pins it would be pretty expensive.

Next step, since I didn't want to wait for pins to be delivered, I picked up a length (36 in., $2.40) of 1/16" drill rod at my local industrial supply. About 45 seconds on the fine grinder notched the rod so I could break it and eased the edges. Works great! Considering that the original Redding pins are less than an inch long, I should be set for a long time.

I still have RCBS pins in the drawer so, being a shiftless and lazy Irishman, I'll work out a quick-and-dirty plan for those later.

[BigSlick]

Needle bearing out of a u-joint works great too.

Pop off a cap, you have an instant lifetime supply of decapping pins
________
Ipad cases

[scrapcan]

BigSlick,

Thanks for that comment. It is something I had never thought of. they are even about the right length. If the right diameter you could get a handfull of caps at the junk yard.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I don't know if this is new, or something I am just now learning. I got a bag of pins from RCBS last month and they had a Lyman-style head on them, though a little smaller than a Lyman. The best part is that they work in my semi-vast hoard of ancient to up-to-date RCBS dies and a few Lymans I have, including Tru Line Jr. Now if RCBS would just issue a sheet explaining which of their top punches are identical to and numbered like Lymans, and which are not, life would be a lot easier!

[nicholst55]

I just use a Lee Universal Decapping Die; I haven't even managed to bend the pin yet, let alone break it!

[MtGun44]

I have used piano wire from the hardware store for decapping pins,
altho it has been years since I have broken one and forget which brand
it works with.

Bill

[Bad Water Bill]

I have broken several of the Lee pins but then again the range I shoot at has a GRAVEL area and guess what gets stuck in the bottom of those FREE 223 brass BWB

[Bret4207]

I have an RCBS decapping die. That sucker has to be lined up perfectly or the pin will band AND break. It doesn't take the standard pin, oh no! It takes the headed style Bill mentioned. I actually had to ORDER a couple bags as the local shops thought I was nutz. Some things RCBS makes just don't make sense.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Bret,

Get yourself the Lee Universal Decapping die. It's set up such that most times, if there's something that will break the decapping pin, the collett will allow the pin to slip and not break, which lets you know there's a problem. Now if you tighten the crap outta the collett, then you can break the pin. Don't ask me how I know this......

Dave

[Tom-n8ies]

Lee uses Needle bearings very much like those found in u-joints for decaping pins, read it somewhere (Modern Reloading manual by Lee I think)


tom

[Stevejet]

I also encountered the military crimped primer in a 30-06 that broke my decapping pin. I bought a 5-pin bag of RCBS "heavy duty" pins and am still using the first replacement, twenty-five years later.

I gotta give you CB Posse members credit for initiative tho, twist drills, drill rod, U-joint needle bearings are all good "hip pocket" knowledge. However, the Lee Universal Decapping Die would seem to be the second best idea, right behind RCBS "heavy-duty" pins.

There's an uncounted number of members in the "Broke Pin" club!

[VTDW]

As it so happens I got my first set of RCBS dies for my new .308MX and just yesterday morning the decapping pin broke. Bummer. Upon tearing down and examining the entire die I found the machined threads to be quite sloppy which lets the pin wobble a bit.

I did a quick fix last night with a nail and a shim. I will just have to get a Hornady and try it. But first, like suggested I have a universal Lee so I'll give it a try first.

Dave

[Lumpie]

You might go to a store that sells 1 sixteenth dowl pins, they cost about $5.00 per 100. Work fine, and you do not have to spend time looking for U-joint bearings, and by the way they are dowl material

[hydraulic]

Stopped at the local Ford dealer and asked one of the mechanics for u-joint bearings. He pulled a box from under the bench that was half full of used ones and said help yourself. I have a lifetime supply of decapping pins.

[David Wile]

Hey Hydraulic,

Good idea. I am going to have to do the same thing.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[corvette8n]

Bret call or email RCBS they sent me pins free. I have an old set of dies that use a differant pin than the newer RCBS dies, I give them that date code on the die and they mail me the pins. I also got a clip and holder for my RCBS bullet trap that got damaged.(of course we won't say how )

[David Wile]

Hey Hydraulic,

I just noticed you listed Niobrabra, Nebraska as your home location, and never having heard of Niobrabra, I was wondering if this was a joke on your part. I opened up my trusty DeLorme mapping software, looked up Niobrabra, and didn't I find Niobrabra up on the Missouri River and the border of South Dakota. While I have passed through Nebraska a couple of times, I have never been up your way. If I ever get to make a trip out to the southwest of South Dakota, I will do my best to route it through Niobrabra and see if I can learn how the town got its name.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[alleyyooper]

I got free replacement pins from Redding when I called them to order some. They asked if I had broke one and I said several. I think it was 25 they sent to me.
I also got the ones from RCBS for just a phone call.

Al

[hydraulic]

Dave Wile: Try looking up Niobrara, not Nio bra bra. It's a Ponca Indian word meaning running water. The French trappers called it L'eau Qui Court which is running water in French and across the Missouri there is a town called Running Water, SD. We used to be L'eau Qui Court county but the lawyers couldn't spell it so they renamed us Knox County because there is a Knox County in Indiana (I think it was Indiana) where one of them was from. We have a population of 400 gun friendly people in a county of less that 10 K. We also have a board member here who works in the Knox County Sheriffs Office.

[David Wile]

Hey Hydraulic,

Please forgive me for not spelling your hometown name properly. I actually did look up Niobrara and found it along the Missouri River and on the SD border. I was not making jest at you, honest. I simply did not see the correct spelling while I was typing. Thanks for the information on the history of the name.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile