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Posted: 2/21/2011 8:35:41 AM EDT
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Right now I'm decapping and resizing with one die, and I can't get rid of the primer without sizing it too. So that makes it a problem for having a clean case when I run it through the sizer. What do you guys recommend? It's for .223, and this is what I've found from Midway. Am I better off with the base and punch or the die? And if the die, any brand better than the other? Lee is the cheapest with the highest rating...
RCBS Universal Die-$16.99 Hornady Universal Die-$24.99 Redding Small Die-$18.29 Lee Universal Die-$8.49 Lee Decapper and Base-$5.39 |
| I have used the RCBS universal die and Lee universal decapping die. I love the Lee Universal Depriming and Decapping Die. I used one for many moons without fail (not saying that it can't). Still have the original. The problem I had with the RCBS was bending pins and having to replace them quite often with brass with crimped primers, the Lee had no trouble. The Lee also was a little more forgiving with a few berdan primed brass that I missed. I still have the 4 original Lee replacement decapping pins I bought, never used (I'll keep my finger's crossed). Just my $0.02. |
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I have both the large and small RCBS. Yes I have broken maybe 3 pins in over 10 thousand strokes of the handle.
Another nice way to do it is to use a 45 decapper for 380, 9mm, 38, and 357. It will pop the primer out without touching the die walls. All you need is the proper shell plates so the case centers. |
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I have a couple of the Lyman decapping dies. They're good quality units. I got one of these the other day at Bass Pro Shops, for $15 and finally did some 30'06 cases with it this w/e, who's primers I couldn't remember the brand of. Worked like a charm. Personally, I've never had a problem resizing and decapping at the same time. For me, it's more efficient. I've had a bent pin once and broke a 7.62x39 pin jerking around with it on another type of case, but nothing to fret over. Chris |
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yea the decapping rod will pop through the top if put under extreme pressure. therefore it's pretty much impossible to break the pin. A neighbor kid wanted to help reload ammo so I set up an UNBREAKABLE Lee decapper and let him decap some brass....yep,you guessed it ,he broke the pin off. |
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yea the decapping rod will pop through the top if put under extreme pressure. therefore it's pretty much impossible to break the pin. A neighbor kid wanted to help reload ammo so I set up an UNBREAKABLE Lee decapper and let him decap some brass....yep,you guessed it ,he broke the pin off. Ive broke 3..... 
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yea the decapping rod will pop through the top if put under extreme pressure. therefore it's pretty much impossible to break the pin. A neighbor kid wanted to help reload ammo so I set up an UNBREAKABLE Lee decapper and let him decap some brass....yep,you guessed it ,he broke the pin off. Ive broke 3..... I''m thoroughly unimpressed with LEE's decapper-(especially on those tough to deprime OCONUS 5.56 brass)-the only LEE die I will ever have paid for 
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I'm going to ask a fairly close question... I have the Lee universal decapper, and it seems rather picky about having the shell lined up EXACTLY to get the pin through. Are any of the others more forgiving? The standard RCBS dies have litltle trouble decapping shells without having the stars and moons aligned––I only bought the LEE decapper because I was in a pinch and needed a dedicated decapper––it failed to foot the bill......miserably. |
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i have the rcbs but never use it. no need. run the cases through the tumbler b4 you size. this way you do not run a dirty case through your nice sizing die. then lube, size, and trim. then tumble again to get the lube off. then load. where do you need a de-capping die?
it's been proven over and over that there is no reason to clean the primer pockets. but if you insist, do it after you tumble the lube off. |
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joedapro,
I agree, there is no real reason to need to decap separately but I was in a jam as I had busted a RCBS pin on a damn berdan case that snuck its' way through the piles and the LEE was the only available decap type (no one had RCBS pins in stock) in town that day. It failed, horribly too. RCBS sent me two decap stems in the meantime. 
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I have an RCBS universal decapping die and I use it all the time. I shoot black powder, tumble with ceramic media, and want the primer pockets clean as well as the rest of the case.
However, if you back a sizing die off a little bit, you can use it to deprime without sizing the cases at all. The expander/depriming rod is a lot longer than the range of adjustment for sizing cases. |
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yea the decapping rod will pop through the top if put under extreme pressure. therefore it's pretty much impossible to break the pin. A neighbor kid wanted to help reload ammo so I set up an UNBREAKABLE Lee decapper and let him decap some brass....yep,you guessed it ,he broke the pin off. Ive broke 3..... You are setting the lock nut too tight then....it's a safety valve if set right. |
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i have the rcbs but never use it. no need. run the cases through the tumbler b4 you size. this way you do not run a dirty case through your nice sizing die. then lube, size, and trim. then tumble again to get the lube off. then load. where do you need a de-capping die? it's been proven over and over that there is no reason to clean the primer pockets. but if you insist, do it after you tumble the lube off. I don't have a tumbler. I want to decap cases, clean them, and then size them. It's not so much me being worried about the primer pocket as much as it is getting the primer out to wash it all the way through. Which brings me to another question. I haven't done a ton of cases since I'm rather new to reloading, but for those cases I have decapped, cleaned, and then tossed in the oven to dry. Is there any problem cleaning and drying if the old primer is still in there? |
| I use a .22-250 sizer to decap my crimped 5.56 and a .300 Weatherby for my 7.62, just because I have them and it works. I like to ultrasonic clean range brass the first time then swage and uniform the primer pockets. On subsequent loadings I just vibrate in corn cob & mineral spirits and run'em through the 550. |
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yea the decapping rod will pop through the top if put under extreme pressure. therefore it's pretty much impossible to break the pin. A neighbor kid wanted to help reload ammo so I set up an UNBREAKABLE Lee decapper and let him decap some brass....yep,you guessed it ,he broke the pin off. Ive broke 3..... You are setting the lock nut too tight then....it's a safety valve if set right. Yup, agree with this. I've decapped many thousands with mine. Never had to use the backup pin I purchased. Most of my stuff was crimped military brass too. I have had the pin pop out a few times when a rock or something was in the case but the pin never broke. Just had to reset it and went about decapping again... |
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i have the rcbs but never use it. no need. run the cases through the tumbler b4 you size. this way you do not run a dirty case through your nice sizing die. then lube, size, and trim. then tumble again to get the lube off. then load. where do you need a de-capping die? it's been proven over and over that there is no reason to clean the primer pockets. but if you insist, do it after you tumble the lube off. I don't have a tumbler. I want to decap cases, clean them, and then size them. It's not so much me being worried about the primer pocket as much as it is getting the primer out to wash it all the way through. Which brings me to another question. I haven't done a ton of cases since I'm rather new to reloading, but for those cases I have decapped, cleaned, and then tossed in the oven to dry. Is there any problem cleaning and drying if the old primer is still in there? 
Works great, read the instructions and don't overtighten the collet that hold the decapping stem. If you try to dry cases with the old primer still seated, it will take much longer. The open flashole helps to dry cases much faster. |
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