Primers hanging up on decapping pin

[milanuk]

Recently dusted off the 223 dies doing some loading for the mouse guns

 

An old nuisance issue popped back up, and I figured it was time to nail it down and be done with it.

 

Specifically, the spent primers aren't making it all the way out.

 

Sometimes it works as intended, and I got the audible 'tink' of the spent primer popping out and hitting the catch.

 

Other times, no audible indication and when I lower the ram, the spent primer stays with the case. The way this shows up depends on the press being used. On the Co-Ax, the primer is sticking out of the case halfway, and I can pry it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. On a press with conventional shell holders it's considerably more of a PITA. On the 550, it blocks rotation of the shell plate until it comes loose - at which point it falls into the primer slide feed cup (less than ideal).

 

I've tried adjusting the decapping stem out as far as I can get it - to the point of bottoming out on the case web; it made no difference.

 

The die is nothing special: a Redding Type S F/L bushing die. I've chucked the stem in a drill to check for runout, and I've polished the tip of the pin. Brass is Lapua match.

 

One theory was that maybe the tip of the pin was getting wedged in between the anvil and the cup wall; hence spinning it to check if it was bent, and polishing any burrs. Nothing.

 

Current work-around involves listening for the primer popping out, and if it doesn't then short-stroking the ram to air piston the primer out. It works, but it's a PITA.

 

Ive tinkered with this off and on for a long while. I'm not sure what else to try, short of adding a separate decapping die to the process, or just getting a new sizer.

 

Any suggestions or ideas?

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

 

[Darrell]

put a bevel on the end of the decapping pin, then polish the pin with a dremel. Worked for me.

[BiknSwans]

46 minutes ago, Darrell said:

put a bevel on the end of the decapping pin, then polish the pin with a dremel. Worked for me.

I tried three different dies, polished, with and without a bevel, and the sucked back primers continued.  I then bought the Mighty Armory universal decapping die with a primer flicker spring and that has been excellent.  I do have to clean and polish the tip on occasion.  The new decapping die from FW Arms might be even better, but I'm happy with the MA decapper.

[Farmer]

I had one decapper pin that would do that and I finally just ground it flat. I think it was getting wedged in the tiny center dimple of the anvil and actually pulling the primer back into the pocket. After flattening it so it wasn’t so perfect the problem went away. 

[Just4FunLP]

Had the same issue with 9mm. As mentioned above, I started beveling the pin and the problem went away. Thanks to this forum...  it really made things run a lot smoother.