Broken pins

GhengisAhn175

GhengisAhn175

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Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 29, 2013
854
21
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#1
Sigh..... New to reloading.. Thought I had all my bases covered until...

Motherfucking berdan decides to ream my asshole and bend my decap pin.

After learning that I replaced my pin but my second pin broke in a brass case.... And I realized my decap pin holder is bent at the front too..

Fucked me twice.... So some questions for you reloaders with more experience than I!

-i have the rcbs universal decap die. It uses the headed decap pins so the pack of 5 should be good for replacements or do I need something else specific that says universal decap pins?

-I have military brass and I feel like I may possibly have a different size flash hole. Could that also be a culprit or would a universal decap die/pin work still? It says .27-.45 cal so I figured it should.

-I got some bulk once fired mil 308 brass.. Should I just ditch those and not deal with the possible small flash hole and the crimped primer pocket?

-crimped primer pocket..
To be honest I didn't see a difference between the military crimp and the slight dip I see with y lapua brass. Looks very identical.. My ssa brass has no such dip. If I hand prime is it an issue if I don't take s chamfer tool to it to get rid of crimp?

-last question: the second rod I broke came from my FL sizing die that I don't plan in using to decap. There shouldn't be a problem right since I keep decapping it's own stage so I can clean then resize?

I contacted rcbs because of the bent pin retainer.. But I also noticed that it's not the same as it's displayed on other ones. Mine was black and slightly shorter/stubbier and the ones online with pics are stainless steel color to match rod and seem slightly longer/slender.

Did I just get fucked all together again??


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#3
Roger this victor I sent an email but I'll phone tomorrow and see what's up. I'm mainly wondering why my decap pin retainer/holder is different than advertised and how the hell that got bent..


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#4
If you ask the kind person on the other end of the 1-800 number I'm sure they can come up with some answers. If that rod is bent, tell them. You may get a new one of those too. Telephone and talking to a real live person is so much better than something else.
 
#5
Miliatary brass has crimped primers. The decapper you need is the Lee Universal Decapping die.

RCBS pins will bent/break quickly decapping mil brass.
 
#6
Roger this.. Is that due to
The crimped primer itself or is it the design / size of flash hole?
To my understanding the military brass crimps the primer to weatherproof it better



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#8
I'd like jump in and give a big endorsement for RCBS customer service. Every time I've called them they've offered great technical support, and replacement parts when applicable. Consequently, whenever possible I buy their products.
 
#9
Ive tried almost all of the universal de-cappers. The RCBS was garbage IMO. I got almost 100 pins if anybody wants any for free. When a pin breaks, more often than not the damn rod bends too and those are like $10 if you can find em.

Once I switched to the Lee, I had FAR fewer broken pins(although on my automated 1050, I can break damn near anything). The design, as long as the collet is set right, really really keeps you from damaging the pin. If you hit something with resistance, the rod just slides up through the collet. And the pins are $2.

Ive processed 50k+ pieces of LC 5.56 and only gone through around 12 pins.
 
#10
Well to update I did speak to rcbs and they are sending me new rod and pins. So that's a big plus on their CS.

I did however buy a lee decap die as it was 10 bucks. We shall see how it does.. I suppose I'll use the lee for my unknown 308 brass


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#11
After using the Lee, you will not want to go back to the RCBS. Make sure you set the collet though. You want just enough tension to have it not back out, but not enough that it cant. Once you start playing with it you will figure it out pretty quickly.
 
#14
Do you have the lee die in front of you?

The collet holds tension on the entire pin. Lee's are a rod and pin as one piece as opposed to the RCBS that is two pieces. The entire rod/pin slides into the collet. You tighten the collet to keep the pin from sliding up i.e. NOT punching your primer. You need to set the tension on the collet just enough so that your primers punch, but not enough that if it hits something hard like an off center or small flash hole, the rod, instead of bending and breaking, simply slides up. When this happens you just loosen the collet, slide the pin back down, tighten the collet and away you go again. MUCH better system then breaking pins and possibly bending rods. Its also a great way to set pin depth.
 
#17
I have shortened the pins on decapping dies that give me trouble and that helps .For the crimped primers I use a punch and hammer over a solid surface with a hole in it for the primer to fall out .I think the sudden shock of the hammer knocks them out easier .
 
#19
Man... Using the lee decap die is fucking night and day! For some reason using the rcbs one will pop my primer out and it'll go flying every which way but the lee die drops it nice and smooth into the primer tray...

Granted I may not have had my pin adjusted properly first time with rcbs die but I'm really liking this lee


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#20
To support what leadbullet said, if you apply a slow, steady force on the spent primer using the handle of the press, you'll very soon be able to determine if you're trying to deprime a berdan primer. When the pin contacts a spent berdan primer, the pin and handle will stop right NOW with no question left in your mind. Don't try to force it, or you'll break the pin and possibly bend the rod. A crimped in boxer primer will not give a rock solid, stop feel, but will just be tight, but with some feeling of movement. Continue to apply the even, steady force and it will pop out. Once you get the hang of it, you'll break very few depriming pins.
 
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