The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't decap my cases using my FL die with the expander ball assembly wound right down, so the case doesn't actually get resized at that stage? From what I can tell the case neck is much bigger, at that stage, than the expander so there's minimal working of the brass.

I don't have a tumbler yet so I decap first, wash my cases, dry them and then resize, trim and chamfer.

Shouldn't be a problem :)

Or if it's a Lee die remove the expander mandrel and fit a de-capping pin instead, Lee part no. 90292

Should work OK. I do exactly as you do except that for some calibers I don't re-size---for some calibers, such as 310 and 8.15 x 46R I don't even use dies to reload.
Fred

Lee do a universal de-capping die which works very well and is cheap - Hannam's normally have them in stock and will post to you.

I use a Lee universal de-capping die to deprime all my brass and tumble straight away. This way my resizing dies won't get any debris or grit from the range. Since you wash them this is even better since you won't have to control the dust generation from tumbling.

Mine's an RCBS full length die. I shall look into the Lee universal die, it sounds like a good bit of kit at a reasonable price. Thanks all.

Gaz wrote:Is there any reason why I shouldn't decap my cases using my FL die with the expander ball assembly wound right down, so the case doesn't actually get resized at that stage?

Yes, there is a reason why you shouldn't. The case neck will probably still get sized and then expanded. At least part of the case neck will enter the die neck and get squeezed down. Then the expander will get dragged out of it, opening it up again. It doesn't matter how low you set the expander. I doubt you can back the die out enough to prevent the case neck from entering the die neck while still decapping reliably. Assuming you plan to subsequently size the cases you are unnecessarily working the necks.

When I clean brass by dry media tumbling I clean with the primers still in. This almost guarantees no media will enter the flash holes (even though my media is too fine to clog anyway). Besides which, dry media tumbling does little to clean the primer pocket, so it is neither here nor there whether the case has been decapped or not.

If you want to use your FL die to decap, why not properly FL size, then you can decap and delube in one hit (personally I wouldn't let a dirty case into my FL die, but it seems you are prepared to do this). Otherwise, either clean with the primers in, or get a decap die for about a tenner.

..

I also use the Lee universal decapper. It's good, I did break the pin because I got a berdan case mixed up and it was really easy to replace the broken part.

rox wrote:

Gaz wrote:Is there any reason why I shouldn't decap my cases using my FL die with the expander ball assembly wound right down, so the case doesn't actually get resized at that stage?

Yes, there is a reason why you shouldn't. The case neck will probably still get sized and then expanded. At least part of the case neck will enter the die neck and get squeezed down. Then the expander will get dragged out of it, opening it up again. It doesn't matter how low you set the expander. I doubt you can back the die out enough to prevent the case neck from entering the die neck while still decapping reliably. Assuming you plan to subsequently size the cases you are unnecessarily working the necks.

When I clean brass by dry media tumbling I clean with the primers still in. This almost guarantees no media will enter the flash holes (even though my media is too fine to clog anyway). Besides which, dry media tumbling does little to clean the primer pocket, so it is neither here nor there whether the case has been decapped or not.

If you want to use your FL die to decap, why not properly FL size, then you can decap and delube in one hit (personally I wouldn't let a dirty case into my FL die, but it seems you are prepared to do this). Otherwise, either clean with the primers in, or get a decap die for about a tenner.

..

Depends on the die- my RCBS .308 die has a *ridiculous* amount of extra thread sticking out the top for lowering the decapping pin/expander when adjusted correctly. Probably an inch and a half, from memory.