CoAx case alignment issue?
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Has anyone had issues with the coax holding the case off center on the shell plate?
I understand it centers itself as soon as the case and die start to interact, due to the free float function, but I've recently run into the issue of the the die not being centered with the case while trying to push some stubborn rice out of flash holes on new brass with a decapping die.
You can see the mark next to the flash hole where the pin struck the case web.
I carefully tried a few more pieces and they all had this same issue.
Anyone have a fix so the pin and case line up more closely?
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I had that issue once. Still do from time to time. Though usually its the bottom of the expander mandrel that crashes into the neck, but that's on smaller bottleneck cases.
You want to make sure you're running the exact right jaws for your case. Also, some dies tend to have their decapping pins running off center. Sometimes you have to clock them based on that. There is also a little play in the jaw retainer on the press. You can nudge it one way or the other before tightening it down.
I got replacement jaw retainer from Mike that I really like. No more springs flying around!
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I have mikes jaw retainer also and it is first rate! Decap before tumbling in rice (or anything) since the press is great at keeping primer residue away from the working parts and the pockets can benifit from a bit of tumbling. Roll the recapping pin on a table top to be sure it is straight. I just realized you may be sizing and decapping in the same stroke- there are lots of benefits to decapping with a universal in a separate step.
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@ericbc7 said:
there are lots of benefits to decapping with a universal in a separate step.
What are those benefits?
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Ok punch the old primers out before tumbling . It should be obvious that tumbling with the pockets empty works better than with them filled with an old primer. If you use the cps you will feel the difference immediately
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First benifit is that the primer pockets are now open and being cleaneded by tumbling media.
2nd is there is no nonsense regarding primer pin straightness
3rd is that the progressive press that you are using will not sense that the primer hole is off center and will break a pin
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I can't say that all the benefits accrue simply by changing your loading order but I will say that it helps
I don't have all the answers I just know what I worry about lol
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I'm using my universal decapping die
I decap before tumbling, then size and then expand in separate operations. Near as I can tell the die and expander enter the case straight because it's a coax and it's able to float. The decapping pin on the universal die seems straight as well but clearly something is off center somewhere.
I tried fooling with the alignment on the jaw plate. It got me to 80% success but I'm still missing the flash hole occasionally. I'll order up a new jaw assembly and see if that fixes it.
Does Mike have a US website? I only saw a Australian one.
I should add this seems to be a new issue. I haven't had this problem previously.
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Lee decapping dies are cheap and everyone should have a couple of them. I would either start by changing out the pin and see if it fixes it or swap the Lee die out entirely.
What lock ring do you have on the decapping die?
Is the die staying all the way to the back of the press. The only issue I have ever had with alignment is when a die started sliding out of the press. I epoxied two magnets near the rear of the press to hold the die in and now don't have that problem.
I personally decap with the sizing die BEFORE tumbling. My brass is not that dirty and can be annealed and then sized/decapped just fine without causing damage to the die. Then I just tumble once that way. I see very little to no advantage to decapping, tumbling, sizing, tumbling again to remove lube, and then loading.
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I tried swapping the pin out, but I have a couple and I'll see if the others do something different. It wouldn't hurt to order an extra die.
Forster lock ring. I replaced all my lock rings with the Forster ones.
In my current situation I don't have enough opportunity to shoot. I do everything in separate operations because I have days (usually weeks) between range days and I'm not otherwise rushed for time.
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I use the Harvey depriming tool (link) Then I use the Lyman Case Prep Tool (link) to clean the primer pockets. Since I am always shooting at the range, there are down times that I use to deprime and clean primer pockets. The advantage for me is that I don't have to take that time at the bench to remove primers and clean pockets, I just get home and throw my brass in the tumbler to clean it.
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Harvey deprimer is nice when away from a press. I keep mine by my 1050 to use to clear cases that the decapping rod pulls the primer back up into the case before the swage operation.
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@dddoo7 I just started reloading for my 9mm, but I don't use it for the pistol rounds. Since my pistol reloads are just for plinking and practice, I just deprime and reprime on the bench. Since I don't clean primer pockets for my 9mm I don't use it for that.
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@dddoo7 said:
I personally decap with the sizing die BEFORE tumbling. My brass is not that dirty and can be annealed and then sized/decapped just fine without causing damage to the die. Then I just tumble once that way. I see very little to no advantage to decapping, tumbling, sizing, tumbling again to remove lube, and then loading.
^ Exactly this.
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I just want to see if I understand the process you are using. Sounds to me I will save time.
Shoot, Anneal, Size decapped one step, tumble, trim then start loading process.
This will cut out a decapped step and another tumble step. Major time savings.
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that is what I do. I used to tumble twice...but at orkan's recommendation I went to doing it this way and it saves time and works well.
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@tpk936 said:
I just want to see if I understand the process you are using. Sounds to me I will save time.
Shoot, Anneal, Size decapped one step, tumble, trim then start loading process.
This will cut out a decapped step and another tumble step. Major time savings.
Correct. :)
It just works.
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@orkan
I do tumble before resizing on my Grendel based cartridges due to shooting suppressed that they get so dirty I was noticing scratches in my dies and they were gumming up. Screw depriving first that is a waste of time.
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@jibnast said:
@orkan
I do tumble before resizing on my Grendel based cartridges due to shooting suppressed that they get so dirty I was noticing scratches in my dies and they were gumming up.I shoot suppressed almost exclusively... but I've never run into this.
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my short barreled AR's that are suppressed leave the brass absolutely filthy. If that Grendel is an AR I can see it happening.
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aaaah yes... in a gas gun I can certainly see that happening.
A quick trip through the rice should handle that pretty quick I'd imagine. I wouldn't think it would take longer than 10-20 minutes in there to get them clean enough to process through the FL die. One of you will have to try it.
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I might try it next time I shoot the AR's. Gotta tell you though...it has been 2-3 years and might be another 2-3 years. Bolt guns are just so much more fun.
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@orkan
It is my gas guns and you are right with 20 minutes and it is good to go.
