Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Why RCBS?

Yeah. I broke one, maybe two, 35-40 years ago as best I can remember, because of inadvertently trying to decap berdan primed cases, again near as I can remember. The only way I can see it happening in "normal" use is if the decapping stem is egregiously loose in the die. Correct me if there's another scenario.

Maybe a really off center flash hole? Maybe a shell not fully inserted in the shell holder?

I don't know. I've been using a bunch of RCBS stuff for over 35 years and haven't broken a pin yet.

Of course I just jinxed myself.

It's difficult. You put in the RCBS 300 Savage or 250 Savage die, then you use it on fired 300 Savage or 250 Savage cartridges.

Breaks about once per 50 cases.

Now, you tell me what I'm doing that could possibly make a difference on the decapping pin. It's not like I can put the case in sideways...

I've got 2 RCBS dies, the 300 Savage breaks more often than the 250 Savage - but both break pins. I've got at least 15 sets of Lee dies. Never ever broke or came close to breaking a decapping pin on one of those.

I don't know what's happening at your load bench. I've loaded quite a number of 300 Savage rounds with my RCBS set and never had a problem.

The nice thing about RCBS -- they do sell a nice little package of spare decap pins. And these decap pins also fit Herter's dies, just in case any of you fellers need to know such an esoteric fact. Which also tells you RCBS has been resting on their design laurels for at least 5 decades. And yes, one package of pins has lasted me for my lifetime and I have a couple left. But only about 20% of my dies are of the old RCBS/Herter's design.
If you never decap military brass (or you use the Lee universal decapper for that particular job) and if you never make 35 Whelan's out of '06 cases or some other up-stepping neck operation, and if you are always very careful to center and tighten and check the tightness occasionally on the decap stem when sizing '06 and longer cases, then RCBS are fine dies.

Me as well. .300 and .250 make up the bulk of reloading these days. I honestly can't remember the last pin the broke on me. I use 1/16" X 1" long dowel pins for replacements when I need one.

Sounds like the decapping rod is not centered and likely bent if you've broken that many.

When I install and adjust the decapping rod I put a resized cartridge in the die and make sure the pin is sticking through before tightening the lock nut. I started doing this after breaking a pin. I have never broken another.

I've not broken one in 35 years of reloading, but that's just me. Every 50 cases? That's crazy talk!

Likely I just got a bad die in my 300 Savage set, the 250 isn't as bad.. but when it broke a pin I wrote the entire company off.

Thousands of rounds with Lee dies and never a single problem.

Craziest thing I experienced with RCBS was with a set of .303 Savage dies. First time I used them the bullet fell through the neck of a resized case. I took it back to the factory and they swapped it for a new set. Second time same thing happened. After the first time I had a hunch they had installed an expander ball that was meant for the .303 Brit. Sure enough that was the issue and they fixed it real quick. They also gave me a small bag of decapping pins but I've never broke one. I don't think RCBS is a particularly innovative company but I do think they make a good product and stand by it. And since RCBS right down the road they get my business.