Armory Sponsor
Posted: 1/24/2011 6:23:45 PM EDT
| Does anyone make a simple, stand alone decapping tool? I don't have a press yet but i have 600+ pieces of .40 S&W brass and about 100 pieces of .223. I would like to go ahead and deprime them so I can tumble all of my brass and have them ready to go when I have money to buy a reloading set up. |
|
You can also buy an inexpensive Lee handpress, a shell holder and a Lee universal de-capping die.
You'd need to buy shell holders for each caliber you wanted to deprime, but they are cheap. You could get all of this for probably less than $50..... Lee Handpress = $29.99 Lee Universal De-capping Die = $10.99 Hornady .223 Shell holder = $4.49 Having a Lee hadnpress is a GREAT addition to a reloading setup. I use my Lee handpress to do everything. My Dad has a Hornady LNL progressive for doing bulk load outs... but for load workups and depriming, the Lee works fantastic. -ZA |
|
Quoted:
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Tools/P3070417.jpg Lee makes them in 22 and 30 caliber, about $7 for each. I mounted mine in wood blocks to allow for more room for the decapped primers. So if i wanted to de-cap the two calibers I mentioned in the OP, would I need both a 22 and 30 caliber setup? |
|
I use a Lee SIngle Stage Press that you can get in a kit with a reloading manual for less than $40 and a Lee universal decapping die.
I can deprime ALL my brass without worrying about scratching or dirtying a good sizing die. I can use the press for other things if I want to: powder stand, cast bullet sizer. I like the manual and it is good to have for cross reference On sale, I have less than $40 in all of them. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Tools/P3070417.jpg Lee makes them in 22 and 30 caliber, about $7 for each. I mounted mine in wood blocks to allow for more room for the decapped primers. So if i wanted to de-cap the two calibers I mentioned in the OP, would I need both a 22 and 30 caliber setup? That would be better, but you could get buy with just the 22 cal to do both. If you break the decapping pin (because you didn't place punch in the flashole) Lee will send you a new one if you send them the broken one. The taped up one in the pic is one Lee sent me as a replacement for a broken punch. |
| I would suggest just tumbling with the primer in place. It isn't going to make a huge difference with the primer pocket (5 hours in the tumbler will usually still leave the primer pocket dirty). If you simply must decap them first, check Midway for an on press decapping die and either get a cheap single stage press like the Lee Breech-lock or the Lee hand press. Once you have a press, you'll never use the manual unit again because it isn't convenient so spending money on one now would be a waste. The single stage or hand press you'll keep using about forever and a hand press is pretty convenient as well. |
|
Quoted:
I tumble with the spent primers in place. keeps you from going in and using a needle to pick out all the jammed media out of the primer pockets and flash holes. You might look into a different sized tumbling media. I used both corn cob from Grainger's and walnut shells from Harbor Freight and have no problems with clogged flash holes. If you are using a progressive press you can always place a universal decapping die at station one to make sure you have nothing in the flash hole. You may already know all this, though, but maybe it might help someone out. jonblack |
|
Quoted:
I tumble with the spent primers in place. keeps you from going in and using a needle to pick out all the jammed media out of the primer pockets and flash holes. The Lee decapping punch also will clear flasholes. 
Or you can make your own tool from an old screwdriver. |
|
Quoted:
You can also buy an inexpensive Lee handpress, a shell holder and a Lee universal de-capping die. You'd need to buy shell holders for each caliber you wanted to deprime, but they are cheap. You could get all of this for probably less than $50..... Lee Handpress = $29.99 Lee Universal De-capping Die = $10.99 Hornady .223 Shell holder = $4.49 Having a Lee hadnpress is a GREAT addition to a reloading setup. I use my Lee handpress to do everything. My Dad has a Hornady LNL progressive for doing bulk load outs... but for load workups and depriming, the Lee works fantastic. -ZA +1 I use my hand press for all kinds of things. It has proved to be a vauluable addition to my workshop. With the universal decapper it is the best way I have found to decap live primers, yes I know it is dangerous and not recomended, but Im cheap. |
Armory Sponsor