Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Who’s using a Universal decapping die,,

And why?

Lee decapper is mentioned often,

Lets talk, Do I need one?

I have a Lee universal decapping die which is the only piece of Lee I have (honestly I think Lee is garbage but that's only my opinion).

I use mine to decap then wet tumble the brass. If you don't wet tumble, you may not need one.

I have also used it for the few times I've needed to deprime the cases but not resize (example would be to deprime cases I primed but later didn't load for one reason or another).

Do you need one ? I can't answer that one, but it's not a crucial have to have it type of equipment.

I keep a RCBS decapper set up in a dedicated press.

I have three Lee Decapping dies on my reload bench...

If one gets broken, I have two more...

I would rather break a depriming pin on a Universal deprimer
than one on a F/L die, or a Lee Neck Sizing die...

Me and Lee dies sets get along pretty well...Its the brand I use the most..
Then RCBS and finally some minor use of Hornady and even less of overpriced Redding dies...

Almost on every caliber I shoot, I have several sets of dies for each caliber.
A set of most calibers are the cost of one box of factory ammo off the shelf at the stores..

I've actually worn out a couple sets of 223 dies, I reload that much..

but we all learn our own preferred ways and methods, once we've been loading a while..

there is really no wrong answer.... whatever works for you is what is most important...

Any particular reasons Don?

Looking for the usefulness of a decapper, so far not seeing it, but I’m the Junior in this forum.

Wet tumble or dry, I deprime first, yes flash holes can get clogged on occasion,

The times I’ve needed to deprime live primers I’ve just extended the depriming pin low enough.

seems like I should have one, just not sure why.

No particular reason, I just got in the habit of punching primers and tumbling before resizing, just to keep from running dirty brass up my sizers. Your mileage may vary......

Legit answer, Thanks.

I have one that is set up all of the time and usually decap everything in it first before moving to the next step in my reloading. Mine is a Lee, and I bought a .30 caliber Lee stem that had a lot of taper and used it in the decapping die to size up .270 brass when making a false shoulder when making .280 RCBS brass. Never lost a case. miles

You mention decrimping in your title and decapping in your message. Which one are you asking about?

If decapping, Lee is about the best out there as the decapping pin is stout and won't break. The Redding decapping die has a pin that is thin and will bend/break much easier. I use the Lee version mainly.

If talking decrimping, Dillon Super Swage is the only way to go.

yes , Lee , because I wet tumble and take advantage of that system to easily keep primer pockets clean..

Good catch, Main focus here is the Lee Decapping die, with the intent of depriming,

I do have the Dillon Superswage for crimped primers, mainly 5.56

You guys that wet tumble, How are you drying the brass afterwards?

I just stick it on a cookie sheet or pan in the oven at about 220 for an hour or two till dry.
summit are you 220 is a little warm but I like to get it just above boiling and the drawing goes much faster and more complete. nothing worse than having a batch of brass you assume was dry and start priming or dropping powder and find water drop somewhere..

If I'm going to size the brass with a conventional FL die I decap first because I size without the decap/exapnder assembly in the die. I prefer to push whatever expander I'm using through the case necks, rather than pull an expander ball out.

So then you leave the expander ball in the brass right? If you push it in it’s either got to stay there or be pulled back out, right?

I pour a portion of my wet brass into a bath towel I keep in my shop for such purposes. I fold the edges in capturing the brass and bounce the brass around for about 20 seconds. After that I lay it flat on my shop floor in front of the heater and the towel and brass finish drying together.

Yes. I leave it in there.

Kenneth,

The reason I prefer to push the expander through (before pulling it out to withdraw it, for the especially dense) is to do most of the work of expansion on the in stroke. I've generally found it easier to get straight brass this way.

Ok, left turn here,

How are you sizing necks, Bushing or neck dies?

Clarify please.