Semi OT - Military .223 ammo/crimped primer pockets

[shooter]

I am reloading some .223 for a friend. I actually bought the brass from one of the members here. The transaction went smoothly, so no complaints there. I just have no experience with crimped primer pockets. I don't know if it's because of the crimp or what, but I am having a heck of a time getting some of these primers to pop out. I have broken 2 decapping pins, and totally bent the decapping insert in one of my dies. About every 30 cases or so, I get one that won't push out. I went and bought a reamer, because I have a thousand empty cases. I've found about 1/4 of them to have the crimps so far. Is there a way to get these primers out so I don't keep tearing up dies and pins?

[Cliff]

I am not certain, but I believe Lee Precision makes a universal depriming tool set up so you will not break the decapping pin. The decapping pin will just push up out of the die. Also you might want to use a bright light and make certain you are not running into some berdan primed cases. Once deprimed you will have to remove the crimp, make certain you have a proper crimp removal tool or even better one of the Sinclair primer pocket uniforming tool. Makes seating new primers much easier. Good Luck.

[TedH]

Are you certain these trouble makers aren't berdan primed? It is possible to punch a decapping pin through the bottom of a berdan type case. Don't ask me how I know.

[Hobie]

I've NEVER (knock on wood) had a problem decapping BOXER primed cases with the crimp. I use the RCBS primer pocket swager to make them "normal". However, I have, twice, tried to decap a BERDAN primed case the BOXER way...

[1894cfan]

Just in case you are not aware, Berdan primers (which were designed in the U.S.) have two sort of small holes instead of the single hole of the boxer primer (which was designed in Europe, go figure?)

[shooter]

Them being berdan primed did cross my mind after the second or third difficult one. I actually did punch the decapping pin through one of the primers. Is there any way to tell which ones are berdan primed without looking inside all the cases? Aren't berdan primers larger than boxer primers? I will do it if I need to, but looking down 1,000 cases will be tedious and time consuming. I would much rather spend my time loading .45 Colt.

I was under the impression, maybe falsely, that all the brass I bought was once fired boxer primed. Maybe that was just a bad assumption on my part.

I did buy the reamer to remove the crimp from the pockets. I just didn't know if the crimp caused the primers to be difficult to pop out. I will get a light and go check some of the problem cases.

[timberghost]

Are you certain these trouble makers aren't berdan primed? It is possible to punch a decapping pin through the bottom of a berdan type case. Don't ask me how I know.

I wont ask. Ive done it too.

[shooter]

Found the problem, or part of it anyway. I guess my decapping pin was a little off center, or I wasn't putting the cases in quite right. In all the problem cases there is a small dimple right beside the flash hole at the bottom where the decapping pin hit. All of the cases are boxer primed. Now I just have to solve the problem of why it isn't hitting in the center every time.

I don't know why they were hitting off center. It seems like I have this trouble more often with RCBS or Redding dies. I have never had any problem with the Lee dies doing this, but have a couple of times with other brands. Oh well. I will just try to be more careful and make sure everything is lined up from now on.

[AJMD429]

I am not certain, but I believe Lee Precision makes a universal depriming tool set up so you will not break the decapping pin. The decapping pin will just push up out of the die. Also you might want to use a bright light and make certain you are not running into some berdan primed cases. Once deprimed you will have to remove the crimp, make certain you have a proper crimp removal tool or even better one of the Sinclair primer pocket uniforming tool. Makes seating new primers much easier. Good Luck.

I've used the Lee Universal/Unbreakable Decapping die on them with no problem - just be SURE to carefully center the cases in the shell holder.

The Lee Decapper WILL punch right through Berdan primed cases - it's pretty tough.

The RCBS pocket swager I have works ok - just slow, but the savings from using militray brass is nice, and if they're crimped, you know (I think) they're truly "once-fired" brass...

[Rusty]

Kind of use the old cave man method here. I decap with the decapping portion of a Lee Loader. To remove the crimp I just run the point of my pocket knife around the rim of the pocket a few times.

[AJMD429]

To remove the crimp I just run the point of my pocket knife around the rim of the pocket a few times.

Oh man, you gotta have some cool tool for just that, surely...

Hopefully at least your pocket knife is RCBS green or Dillon Blue or something...

[TedH]

Nah, don't need a special tool. I use my case mouth chamfer tool.