Decapping ?

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  • Dosproduction

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    So I've been using a Dillon carbide sizing and recapping die for 45acp. But now I'm looking into a universal decapping die specifically a Mighty armory or a FW arms. What I'm confused by are they size dependent per caliber or is it one die to fit them all? So if I buy one of those dies will it work on both a 45acp and a 223 and a 308. Or do i need one per caliber? Then for the swage is it the same concept? Last can I use the swage hold down to prime or is the swage dies just centering and not for hold down? Thanks.
     

    VERT

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    The universal decapping die will work for everything. You just need the appropriate shell plate. Swagging or reaming is either large or small primer.
     

    1775usmarine

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    Help me understand why one would buy just a decapping die when one already owns a sizing die and can size and deprime already and not add an extra step?

    To wet tumble before sizing. I use a frankford arsenal hand deprimer. Allows me to visually inspect every case and sort it out by caliber as I go. Plus I like seeing the plastic tube modification fill up with primers.
     

    VERT

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    Help me understand why one would buy just a decapping die when one already owns a sizing die and can size and deprime already and not add an extra step?

    I am going to have to decap rifle first. Crimped primers year up my sizing die. For handgun I just clean the brass and run them through.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    To wet tumble before sizing. I use a frankford arsenal hand deprimer. Allows me to visually inspect every case and sort it out by caliber as I go. Plus I like seeing the plastic tube modification fill up with primers.

    I get that, its like old people watching orbital lawn sprinklers for hours at the retirement homes going round and round.

    I still don't understand why add an extra step when you want to see defects in your brass, sizing first certainly will bring more defects out of your brass before final inspection.
    But since your adding more steps by wet tumbling one more doesn't really matter.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    I use a universal decapping die just because it's easier. Easier on me, and easier on my press, especially on rifle calibers. As mentioned above, especially if the rifle brass is milsurp, often times the primers are crimped, so decapping and sizing at the same time seemed to put a lot of strain on the press. Not as much of an issue with straight walled pistol calibers though.
     

    Dosproduction

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    I'm putting it on a progressive press so I have room to add dies. And if I can buy one die for multiple calibers then why buy seperate dies for each. As far as the swaging I ment in regards to a swage hold down die not the swage itself. Is that still large/small primer specific? And does the FW arms swage hold down die work for holding on the primer stroke or is it just centering the case not holding it down?
     

    Dosproduction

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    Hmmm that’s interesting. Could be a good upgrade for someone that runs several calibers with bottle necks. It does many calibers with crimp.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iwh3fPu_6Tg

    Thats one of the reasons I'm unsure about its universality I keep seeing it used on rifle bottle neck rounds but not straight rounds. It seems to me mighty armory has more fame but that this FW arms might be a stronger decapper.
     

    Hawkeye7br

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    Help me understand why one would buy just a decapping die when one already owns a sizing die and can size and deprime already and not add an extra step?

    For some of my bolt guns, I just want to neck size with my old bushing sizer that doesn't decap.
    Sometimes I will realize a certain primer will not reliably fire in a rifle with a light firing pin strike and I will de-construct some rounds.
     
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    VERT

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    I'm putting it on a progressive press so I have room to add dies. And if I can buy one die for multiple calibers then why buy seperate dies for each. As far as the swaging I ment in regards to a swage hold down die not the swage itself. Is that still large/small primer specific? And does the FW arms swage hold down die work for holding on the primer stroke or is it just centering the case not holding it down?

    What Press and what swagging die? I think the RCBS swagger for example only works with a single stage press. There are aftermarket swaggers that replace the primer feed for Dillon 550 and 650. But those would void warranty on the press.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    For some of my bolt guns, I just want to neck size with my old bushing sizer that doesn't recap.
    .

    Ok.. I get that. What manufacture made your die please.
    I have loads of my gf and fathers dies from days gone by and i dont recall seeing a bushing die that doesn't have a decapper rod.. How about a pic...
     

    Cameramonkey

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    I don't think its wrong to JUST decap using a universal. Sometimes I prefer the feel of a separate decap pass. I've bent more pins trying to do both because its hard to tell the difference between stubborn brass and misaligned brass that will bend the pin if you keep applying pressure. If I am just decapping, I know if I get resistance I need to stop because something is wrong. (misaligned, Berdan, etc)
     

    Dosproduction

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    I don't think its wrong to JUST decap using a universal. Sometimes I prefer the feel of a separate decap pass. I've bent more pins trying to do both because its hard to tell the difference between stubborn brass and misaligned brass that will bend the pin if you keep applying pressure. If I am just decapping, I know if I get resistance I need to stop because something is wrong. (misaligned, Berdan, etc)
    That's one of the reasons I'm leaning toward FW arms. It aligns the case as it deprimes which would negate those issues. Also they are punching berdain primers constantly in multiple videos.
     

    Dosproduction

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    What Press and what swagging die? I think the RCBS swagger for example only works with a single stage press. There are aftermarket swaggers that replace the primer feed for Dillon 550 and 650. But those would void warranty on the press.
    Sorry my wording is unclear. I'm not talking about a swaging die. I'm talking about a swage holding die. As in all the die does is hold the case straight as the swage attached to the press comes up. My question in this regards is to specifically the FA arms swage die. Does the die just align the case or does it hold it down in place as well. Im wondering can it be used as a hold down for priming as well. Or is there a substantial difference between those two types of dies swage hold and prime hold. I see a lot of people using a sizing die with decapper removed to hold in the priming station. Sorry again if this still comes out confusing. I'm confused myself lol.
     

    Hawkeye7br

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    Ok.. I get that. What manufacture made your die please.
    I have loads of my gf and fathers dies from days gone by and i dont recall seeing a bushing die that doesn't have a decapper rod.. How about a pic...

    My neck sizer die is a Neil Jones from circa 1987, sorry I haven't mastered forum pics.

    It's old school, once upon a time I used a special shell holder base that sat on the bench & tapped out the primers with a decapping punch and a hammer made from wrapped & glued leather. The Wilson bullet seater for my 6x47 used the same shell holder base and you seated the bullets by hand. The die slid over the case and bottomed out, you drop a bullet down the tube to the case mouth and then push a plunger down to seat the bullet. The tolerance was so tight the plunger made a popping noise when you pulled it out from the vacuum it created. Yes, things have changed a bit. My 40x in .222 often shot in the mid 2's, the 6x47 shot in the low 3's, both from late 70's & mid 80's, those guns are probably older than you are and still stack bullet holes.

    The Neil Jones was sooooo much faster! I started with a .304 bushing to size 7mm BR, then added bushings for 6mm & 6.5mm. Today, I would probably go with a Hornady S bushing die, from what little I know about them.

    I now use 2 Universal Redding Decapping dies, each in small caliber .22-.50. One is the standard with .063" pin, the other has a .057" pin for Lapua small primer cases.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    My neck sizer die is a Neil Jones from circa 1987, sorry I haven't mastered forum pics.

    It's old school, once upon a time I used a special shell holder base that sat on the bench & tapped out the primers with a decapping punch and a hammer made from wrapped & glued leather. The Wilson bullet seater for my 6x47 used the same shell holder base and you seated the bullets by hand. The die slid over the case and bottomed out, you drop a bullet down the tube to the case mouth and then push a plunger down to seat the bullet. The tolerance was so tight the plunger made a popping noise when you pulled it out from the vacuum it created. Yes, things have changed a bit. My 40x in .222 often shot in the mid 2's, the 6x47 shot in the low 3's, both from late 70's & mid 80's, those guns are probably older than you are and still stack bullet holes.

    The Neil Jones was sooooo much faster! I started with a .304 bushing to size 7mm BR, then added bushings for 6mm & 6.5mm. Today, I would probably go with a Hornady S bushing die, from what little I know about them.

    I now use 2 Universal Redding Decapping dies, each in small caliber .22-.50. One is the standard with .063" pin, the other has a .057" pin for Lapua small primer cases.


    Very good, I am older than you think my friend,, My first 40X BR is in 222 early 80's and still is still in a safe at home. My brother and many of the BPCR crowd use Neals decapping tool at the range. I will say that You buy well..
    I have many of one of his Pennsylvania friends, "Meacham"products and one of his Highwalls.
    I have a few of his Vickers style Inline seaters ( 40-65 45-70 45-90 ) and a few of his bushing neck sizers... His inline seaters are the sizzle, a quick inside ream with VDL hand reamer to your brass and 20 to 1 lead bullets just slide inside the cases, no shaving at all.

    I tend to be a Redding die for most good dies I have bought over the decade, And a set of Forster dies for a 19 Calhoon Cooper.
     
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