Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles universal deprime die

who makes the best universal deprime die?

I don't know about best, but I've used the same Lee thousands and thousands of times with no trouble.

So have I.

I've used a Lee Universal since before I can recall. It works and I just don't know how much better it could be, unless it would trim and chamfer my cases for me.

Yup, get the Lee decapping die.

Lee works good till you get too fat if a I remember right the 30-378 was too fat to run in Lee decapper

I run a Lyman universal decapping die. Had it for prolly 20 years. No issues. Best? I don't know. You really don't need anything fancy to pop a primer out.

^ +1

My RCBS one is probably that old.

I'm thinking about the Redding, but I also shoot 17's too. It's gotten good reviews.

Help me out here. I've been reloading for over 15 years, but still find myself ignorant of a lot of things. I've never run into a situation where I needed to de-prime without sizing. What have I missed?

I prefer to deprime before tumbling with SS pins, and the die holds up better with crimped in primers.

I don't like to run dirty brass into my sizing die, and the SS pins do a fine job of cleaning inside of the cases and the primer pockets.

Therefore....

I just deprimed 500 once fired Lake City 5.56 cases before wet tumbling. So having a universal depriming die comes in handy before cleaning cases. Especially if you have firearms that throw perfectly good brass away and make you go looking for it. Meaning clean brass after wet tumbling will not scratch your dies.

I de-prime with a Universal, then re-size with the stem removed. Then put the stem back in and expand the necks with a short down stroke. I know there are better ways (bushing dies) but this works for me and gives me more concentric cases with less neck stretching.

OK. That makes sense now. Thanks.

lastround

You could also use the Sinclair expander die or a Lyman type "M" die to expand the necks. The type "M" die has a "step" that aids in bullet seating and less runout. But if the necks are lubed properly you will get very little neck stretching with normal sizing. I'm using home made lube of rubbing alcohol and lanolin and apply a little to the inside of the neck.





Below is a RCBS expander and a light polishing and lube works wonders. You can also buy carbide expander for Redding dies that are very slick.



If you remember the Star Wars Ewoks rough habits and lube your case necks they will not scream in pain.