hyena
Member
I am using a Lee Classic Turret Press, Lee carbide die sets, to load .38 and .45 ACP. I loaded around 700 .45 without any problems. Mixed brass, all large primer. I am reloading brass I shot myself, so I know no Berdan primers.
Last week, loading .45's, while sizing/depriming a case, the pin on the decapper broke off. I had enough cartridges reloaded, so rather than rob the decapper from the .38 die I just stopped. Called Lee. (Both the dies sets and the CTP are new, supplementing or replacing my old RCBS Rock Chucker.) Lee sent me one pistol decapping pin free, and I bought two extras.
Today I reloaded a little over 100 rounds of .45. The pin broke off the first replacement decapper, within the first couple dozen rounds. In the ensuing rounds, the second replacement pin bent three times. I have straightened it, but suspect it won't last long now having been bent and straightened three times.
I called Lee, and the tech guy suggested it's the brass. He said if it was the die, it should be happening on every piece of brass, not just on a few. Can't disagree. But after our call I looked at the brass each time it bent and saw no commonality.
Replacement decapper rods are only $2, so I ordered five, but I need to figure out what's wrong.
It appears, to my naked eye, as if the pin is not perfectly centered in the die.
Also, Lee says "considerable torque" may be necessary when you tighten down the nuts holding the decapper in the die. I can apply considerable torque. Just happened to have hands and arms much stronger than normal. I'm thinking I am putting too much torque. It seems to me you want that sweet spot that holds the decapper pin securely, yet not so tight it won't slide up in the die rather than bend or break if it misses the primer. But I don't know how to hit that sweet spot.
Suggestions? I am thinking of sending the die to Lee, and ask them to inspect it. I am confident they will replace if that decapper is not centered, although I didn't think to ask on the phone.
I don't know if it's relevant, but I loaded at least 500 rounds of .38 Special without any problem before switching over to the .45.
Thank you.
Last week, loading .45's, while sizing/depriming a case, the pin on the decapper broke off. I had enough cartridges reloaded, so rather than rob the decapper from the .38 die I just stopped. Called Lee. (Both the dies sets and the CTP are new, supplementing or replacing my old RCBS Rock Chucker.) Lee sent me one pistol decapping pin free, and I bought two extras.
Today I reloaded a little over 100 rounds of .45. The pin broke off the first replacement decapper, within the first couple dozen rounds. In the ensuing rounds, the second replacement pin bent three times. I have straightened it, but suspect it won't last long now having been bent and straightened three times.
I called Lee, and the tech guy suggested it's the brass. He said if it was the die, it should be happening on every piece of brass, not just on a few. Can't disagree. But after our call I looked at the brass each time it bent and saw no commonality.
Replacement decapper rods are only $2, so I ordered five, but I need to figure out what's wrong.
It appears, to my naked eye, as if the pin is not perfectly centered in the die.
Also, Lee says "considerable torque" may be necessary when you tighten down the nuts holding the decapper in the die. I can apply considerable torque. Just happened to have hands and arms much stronger than normal. I'm thinking I am putting too much torque. It seems to me you want that sweet spot that holds the decapper pin securely, yet not so tight it won't slide up in the die rather than bend or break if it misses the primer. But I don't know how to hit that sweet spot.
Suggestions? I am thinking of sending the die to Lee, and ask them to inspect it. I am confident they will replace if that decapper is not centered, although I didn't think to ask on the phone.
I don't know if it's relevant, but I loaded at least 500 rounds of .38 Special without any problem before switching over to the .45.
Thank you.
