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Thread: Frankford Arsenal Hand Deprimer for Mindless Process of Depriming

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Liberty1776's Avatar
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    Frankford Arsenal Hand Deprimer for Mindless Process of Depriming

    I like to deprime my brass before wet tumbling.

    An open primer hole allows the primer pocket itself to be cleaned (when using stainless steel pins) and lets the water flow through and out easier and completely. Shells dry faster too.

    Another reason to deprime is to make sure I don't accidentally reseat a spent primer during reloading on my Dillion 550. Don't laugh. It has happened to me. Somehow, a spent primer is pushed out with the depriming pin in the sizing die, but sticks to the pin and gets pulled back into the primer pocket and I then load the shell with a dead primer. This cannot happen if the brass is deprimed.

    I usually sit at my bench and poke out the spent primers using an old Lee press and a Lee Universal Decapping Die.

    The problem is: DEPRIMING IS BORING.

    So I've found I can sit in my living room and watch a mindless movie while I mindlessly deprime my brass.

    To do this, I like using the Frankford Arsenal Hand Depriming tool.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last night depriming a couple hundred 9mm, and a few random .380acp and .40 S&W went surprisingly fast, considering I would have been sitting in the same chair just watching a dumb movie.

    One other advantage of depriming: I can catch errant caliber shells that got though the initial sorting.

  2. #2
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    Hey if it works for you that is all that matters

  3. #3
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    I use one exclusively now. But I got tired of dumping the spent primers all over when least expacted. So... I took a small diameter prescription bottle with an adult cap, cut the bottom out and hot glued it into the hole where their primer bottle goes. Now I have to take the cap off to get the primers out not just bump the bottle and have them dumped on my lap. Last time I used it I did 1800 40 S&W cases.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I’ve said it before, the system that works best for you, works best for you. I’ve gotten to the point where I like to decap and FL size large numbers of one case size on a press (single stage or turret) with a TC die. Everybody has a system they like, and for them, it’s the best system. Looks like you and Frankford Arsenal are very happy together.

    Froggie
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I’ve used that deprimer for tens of thousands of rounds. I wear a leather glove to avoid blisters. I’ve recently converted to the Lee APP and only go to the hand tool for small batches.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
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    No telling how many blisters I avoided with this one.


  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Liberty1776's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Minerat View Post
    I got tired of dumping the spent primers all over when least expected. So... I took a small diameter prescription bottle with an adult cap, cut the bottom out and hot glued it into the hole where their primer bottle goes. Now I have to take the cap off to get the primers out not just bump the bottle and have them dumped on my lap.

    Good idea. I've experienced the catastrophic result when the FA primer catcher friction fit fails. I've been looking for alternatives. Hot glue is our friend.

    What about cutting a hole in the adult cap and gluing that cap to the deprimer body? Anything to get rid of that friction fit catcher is a good idea.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    I have been using one for several years now. I just make sure the tube is tight in the hole before I start. I have a bigger problem with primers falling out of the small hole at the base of the shell.

    I liked it so much I bought one for my daughter and told her any brass she brings to the house WILL be de-primed first.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Liberty1776 View Post
    Good idea. I've experienced the catastrophic result when the FA primer catcher friction fit fails. I've been looking for alternatives. Hot glue is our friend.

    What about cutting a hole in the adult cap and gluing that cap to the deprimer body? Anything to get rid of that friction fit catcher is a good idea.
    I tried that but the base of the pill bottle I found fit over the deprimer body so the hot glue is just to keep it attached. Here's a couple of pictures. It ain't pretty but works.

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    Steve,

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  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy Liberty1776's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Minerat View Post
    I tried that but the base of the pill bottle I found fit over the deprimer body so the hot glue is just to keep it attached.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    This kind of pill-bottle recycling is why I post such obvious tools -- and why I save my old pill bottles (much to my wife's consternation: she calls me a "hoarder"). Somebody always has a better idea.

    The great thing about hot glue is that you can remove it if you don't like it, but also holds very well if applied properly.

    I can only dream about having one of the automatic machines proffered.

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    I have the same one I love it. But it does get boring deprimming anything lol. I love the pill bottle idea cause if you do touch it you do get a lap full. Great idea guys.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Liberty1776's Avatar
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    Easy and effective mod to add the pill bottle.

    My spare pill bottles are a bit larger, but allowed me to drill a hole slightly off center in the bottom using a large step drill, which slowly cuts the hole a bit at a time allowing me to sneak up on the diameter without cracking the plastic.

    I then cut a side slot with a band saw (a small saw or file would work) that fits over the decapper's rib:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Dryfitting the pill bottle to the Frankford Arsenal Decapper:

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    After hot glue. Note the side slot fits over the decapper's rib. This effectively stops the bottle from being able to rotate. There's no way to twist the hot glue off the decapper body.

    Very secure and will hold a ton of spent primers without fear of spilling:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Thanks for the idea, Minerat! I love easy, effective and free mods!
    Last edited by Liberty1776; 10-09-2021 at 06:28 PM.

  13. #13
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    Thanks for the idea, Minerat! I love easy, effective and free mods!
    You're welcome but you got fancier then I did with all the drilling as sawing. I used a razer knife to cut the slot and the bottom off the bottle. Lol.

    Get one of those snap off caps instead of the child proof. I kept breaking the bottle off with those things. Your pharmacy should have the adult caps.

    Now if I can figure out a way to keep them from coming out the hole they go in.
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  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy Liberty1776's Avatar
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    Ah. So that's what you meant by "adult cap." I interpreted that as "childproof." There is a difference. I'll look into getting one.

    This larger pill bottle, which is 1-7/8" diameter x 2-3/4" long, is fairly strong. I can push against the childproof locks easily to remove the cap.

    I just have to remember not to open the bottle while I'm in my easy chair in the living room or disaster will strike, again, and spent primers will be all over the floor and in the seat cushions....

  15. #15
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    Just remember keep it pointed down or all those accumulated primers will sneak out the back.
    Steve,

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  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    I use sports tape (as used for tennis racquets and bicycle handlebars) to blister-proof mine, one's black the other purple. IMO the designer needs to fix the blister causing design, it bites.

    I hadn't thought of pill bottles; There are folks who sell a "Never Empty Upgrade" on evilbay etc. for these, $10ish, has ~3' of vinyl tubing and that holds a LOT of primers! Just empty it when it gets a bunch in there, you don't want a spill.

  17. #17
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    I use the lee hand press, but that looks cleaner.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy Liberty1776's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr_Sheesh View Post
    I use sports tape (as used for tennis racquets and bicycle handlebars) to blister-proof mine.... IMO the designer needs to fix the blister causing design, it bites.
    Yet another worthy mod to the ol' FA Decapper.

    I wonder if coating certain parts in Plasti-Dip would endure thousands of cycles.

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    I sat last night and deprimed a large cottage cheese container's worth of 9mm and realized some padding was definitely needed on the squeeze handles and the back of depriming pin assembly that you tilt up to insert the next shell. (I think that's why JimB above wears a leather glove to avoid blisters.)

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Leather glove works.

    Try the plasti-dip maybe?

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    Off topic
    Last edited by MSUICEMAN; 10-14-2021 at 04:45 PM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check