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Posted: 9/11/2010 6:24:46 PM EDT
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Was a great day so I decided to catch up on some brass prep. Sized about 600 223 cases, tumbled the lube off them, now they're ready for inspection and trimming. Since I had the press set up I had about 30 cases of SS109 that was deemed too hot and given to me so I could salvage the components. Already had the bullets pulled, dumped the powder, next step was to decap the live primers, then I'd treat the brass as new and size it, decrimp the primer pockets, trim and load it up next time I do .223 Anyway, one of the cases had a real tight and slightly off centered flash hole. It grabbed the decapping pin of my RCBS Universal decapping die rod and wouldn't let go. Since the pin was protruding down in the shell holder, it prevented the case from being removed from the shell holder. This was not good. I was able to remove the decapping rod but the pin remained stuck in the flashhole. Having a flash of insight I decided to put the decapping rod back in the case and see if I could use it to pound out the decapping pin or at least pound it down enough where I could get a pair of pliers on it and yank it out. That didn't turn out so well, I ended up just putting the rod back on the pin and now the rod and the pin were both stuck.  So here's what I was dealing with. My mission, decapping pin and rod recovery   I decided cut the case in two using a tubing cutter. I held the case with a pair of pliers and cut away. Success! But still had a stuck pin and rod  Now that I had access to the decapping pin nut I was able to loosen the nut and remove the rod, but the pin was still stuck. I tried to drive it out with an alignment tool, no luck other than I was able to drive the pin back up in the case enough to get it off the shell holder. Finally I held the case by the top end of the decapping pin, heated it up, then holding the case with one pair of pliers and the pin with another, I was able to twist the sucker out   I reassembled the decapping rod and pin assembly, the pin was a little bent but I straightened it out with pliers. I'm back in business!  Here's the sized and now delubed cases for your viewing pleasure  I'll finish decapping the rest of the military cases tomorrow.  |
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I tried to drive it out with an alignment tool, no luck other than I was able to drive the pin back up in the case enough to get it off the shell holder. Finally I held the case by the top end of the decapping pin, heated it up, then holding the case with one pair of pliers and the pin with another, I was able to twist the sucker out
Excellent! Thanks for the post. We often forget that thermal expansion can work wonders relieving force fits. Keep a small propane or butane torch around for just that purpose. A can of compressed air to chill the opposite part can be helpful also. It can also help get stuck cases out of dies, and other such nuiances. |
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Quoted: VICTORY! although I'm still unclear why you couldn't pull the shell off the rod as is (I'm only familiar with the Lee setup which is a one piece deal with a collet up top) eta: looks like the pin itself is a friction fit into the rest of the assembly (?) I did pull it off initially by using a flat blade screwdriver on the end of the rod and twisting it (the top of the rod is slotted for a screwdriver, the pics don't show it), then I pounded it back on in an attempt to drive the pin down further, once the case was cut was simple enough to just loosen the decapping pin nut The decapping pin nut is what compresses around the pin and makes it friction fit onto the rod |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
VICTORY! although I'm still unclear why you couldn't pull the shell off the rod as is (I'm only familiar with the Lee setup which is a one piece deal with a collet up top) eta: looks like the pin itself is a friction fit into the rest of the assembly (?) I did pull it off initially by using a flat blade screwdriver on the end of the rod and twisting it, then I pounded it back on in an attempt to drive the pin down further, once the case was cut was simple enough to just loosen the decapping pin nut Actually I meant without taking the rod apart at all. You know just get two hands onto the press handle and pull up 
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Quoted: Actually I meant without taking the rod apart at all. You know just get two hands onto the press handle and pull up That would of just left the decapping pin in the case and the rod sans pin in the die body. I decided to just unscrew the nut on the top of the die and remove the rod, pin, case, shellholder together as one unit. It's a tug of war between the friction of the flashhole and the decapping rod and nut. The flashhole won...at first |
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