Reloading Tip: Set Your Decapping Rod Insertion Depth Correctly
One of our Forum members complained that he wasn’t able to set his primers flush to the rim. He tried a variety of primer tools, yet no matter what he used, the primers still didn’t seat deep enough. He measured his primers, and they were the right thickness, but it seemed like his primer pockets just weren’t deep enough. He was mystified as to the cause of the problem.
Well, our friend Boyd Allen diagnosed the problem. It was the decapping rod. If the rod is adjusted too low (screwed in too far), the base of the full-diameter rod shaft (just above the pin) will contact the inside of the case. That shaft is steel whereas your case is brass, a softer, weaker metal. So, when you run the case up into the die, the shaft can actually stretch the base of the primer pocket outward. Most presses have enough leverage to do this. If you bell the base of the primer pocket outwards, you’ve essentially ruined your case, and there is no way a primer can seat correctly.
The fix is simple. Just make sure to adjust the decapping rod so that the base of the rod shaft does NOT bottom out on the inside of the case. The pin only needs to extend through the flash hole far enough to knock the primer out. The photo shows a Lyman Universal decapping die. But the same thing can happen with any die that has a decapping rod, such as bushing neck-sizing dies, and full-length sizing dies.
Whenever you use a die with a decapping pin for the first time, OR when you move the die to a different press, make sure to check the decapping rod length. And it’s a good idea, with full-length sizing dies, to always re-check the height setting when changing presses.
Lee Universal Decapping Die on SALE for $9.89
Speaking of decapping tools, MidwayUSA has the Lee Universal Decapping Die on sale this month (June, 2010), for just $9.89 (item 136543). There are many situations when you may want to remove primers from fired brass as a separate operation (prior to case sizing). For example, if your rifle brass is dirty, you may want to de-cap before sizing. Or, if you load on a progressive press, things will run much more smoothly if you decap you brass first, in a separate operation. The Lee Universal Decapping Die will work with cartridges from 17 Fireball all the way up to 45-70. However, NOTE that the decapping pin supplied with this Lee die is TOO LARGE for LAPUA 6.5×47, 6BR, 220 Russian, and Norma 6 PPC flash holes. Because the pin diameter is too large for these brass types, you must either turn down the pin, or decap with a different tool for cases with .059″ flash-holes. Otherwise, the Lee Decapping Die works well and it’s a bargain.
Similar Posts:
- Don’t Bust Your Brass — Adjust Your Decapping Rod Correctly
- Don’t Ruin Primer Pockets — Adjust Your Decapping Rod Properly
- Adjust Your Decapping Dies to Avoid Primer Pocket Problems
- How to Select and Set Up Decapping Dies Properly
- How to Properly Adjust Decapping Dies (and Not Damage Brass)
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Tags: Boyd Allen, Brass, Decapping Rod, Primer, Sizing Die
“NOTE that the decapping pin supplied with this Lee die is TOO LARGE for LAPUA 6BR, Lapua 220 Russian, and Norma 6 PPC flash holes.”
Add to that list Lapua’s new Palma 308 and 6.5×47 brass; this item was likely first posted before those Lapua products became available.
Thanks for the tip! I had this problem and I didn’t know what was causing it. Just checked my decapper and the rod was set way too low.
i am haveing a problem reloading win .308 with a lee die. i have been reloading for about 15 years, never had this problem everything is fine until i crimp the sheel and bullet (speer) together thatsd when the brass collaspes st the shoulder everything seems ok with the brass bullet and dies but the last “cam” type action of the press does the dammage…any ideas?
Osiris my brass will calapse when seating certain flat base bullets. I had to buy a vld chamfer tool that solved the problem for me. I would have to look at your setup to fully diagnose the problem kind of off topic sorry.
Are you trying to seat and crimp at the same time? A separate Lee crimper die might solve the problem. If you are using the Lee crimper then I have no idea what is happening to your brass.
Osiris I have had the same problem. When your seater die is not properly adjusted (in this case, screwed in too far in the press), it presses the neck down into the shoulder of the case, which causes it to collapse. Hope this helps.
osiris, From your description, I believe your seater die is set too low in your press. The crimp has been formed, and the final movement of the press ram causes the case to be compressed.
I had a issue with their 22 Hornet Collet die. The decap rod will NOT fit Hornaday Brass much like Lapula and other brass. Long story short decap pin broke. Lifetime warranty –called and was told that there would be a $7.95 shipping fee for the “FREE” decap rod
Jim
Is there a chart on which each De-capping pint go to which Cal. I am talking about the small pins with a head.