A+ for universal deprimer

DennRN · June 6, 2013, 06:19 AM

This started out as a response to this thread but I thought it might benefit more as a new one.
Please add your thoughts, pros/cons.

I have a dillon 650 and think buying a universal decapper is a great way to maximize the other accessories I have bought for it.

On a progressive press a stand alone deprimer can be very beneficial given the right accessories/circumstances.

My thoughts:

I like to decap before tumbling to get the primer pockets nice and clean so primer seating is easy. I devote a spare toolhead just for depriming.

Surprisingly, with my thumbler's tumbler using only corncob media, the primer pockets get reasonably clean, good enough to tell the difference when seating primers anyway. I still usually opt for stainless wet tumbling, but when I want to make a range visit the next day, I don't think twice. Dry tumble and be done with it. When using stainless wet tumbling the universal decapper is invaluable and not using some sort of standalone decapping negates many of the benefits of wet tumbling.

Using the universal in conjunction with a casefeeder means I can deprime about 1 case every second, (any faster and I start squashing the occasional brass against the toolhead on the upstroke or jamming the rare case rim against the shell holder on the down stroke.). Still, that's ~60 a minute or 1000 cases in about 15 minutes so it's not a waste of time by any stretch.

If dry tumbling, yes corncob or walnut media will get stuck in the flash-hole, I just leave my standard deprimer in the resizing die. It gets the media out with no fuss whatsoever.

I can definitely feel the resistance of individual processes in each stroke of my handle. Removing the resistance and release of the primer makes me feel more secure that I won't miss out on more subtle feedback. (I really hate to mangle good brass).

Not directly related to, but aided by the use of a universal deprimer as a stand alone step, is the potential for additional safety. As mentioned earlier, a clean primer pocket will be easier to seat a fresh primer in, this means less wrist strain for me when I'm cranking out a large batch of ammo.
Additionally, I find it cuts down on primers that don't want to seat fully without really muscling them in. At the very least it saves me an additional risk and steps down the road of having to attempt to reseat the primer on a live round. At most it can save me from the potential of an out of battery fire on a bullet with a high primer.

All in all, for less than 20 bucks I think a universal deprimer is a great investment. YMMV with optional toolheads, if available, for your press.

-Dennis

serf 'rett · June 6, 2013, 09:53 AM

Actually, the total cost would be $20 plus the cost of a tool head. I wouldn't think twice about doing what you are doing if I was running a progressive press with a case feeder. Makes perfect sense to me (as I wet tumble with pins).

snuffy · June 6, 2013, 10:28 AM

Cleaning primer pockets has no effect on how much force is required to seat a new primer. The force is generated by the sides of the primer sliding into the primer pocket. Cleaning gets rid of the black carbon in the bottom of the pocket, which insures the primer goes-all-the-way-down-to-the-bottom. I have NOT cleaned any primer pockets in .223 for as long as I've had my AR.

Yes, I do run .223 on my XL-650. Brass is checked for length, then loaded into the case feeder after being spray lubed in-mass. They're full length sized and run through the entire process. Lube is removed by tumbling the finished ammo in bare corn cob for around 20 minutes.

Cases that measure close to too long, are set aside to be trimmed before loading. I know how much they grow when they're FL sized, so none of them are too long after loading.

I know some that set up a tool head to just FL size and deprime. Then the shells are all tumbled to remove lube, trimmed, and the pockets cleaned. Then returned to the dillon to finish the process.

IF my AR was set-up to be a high dollar target gun, and I was going to shoot at 600 yards, I would load on my Lee turret, measuring each powder charge and using match bullets. But, alas, my AR is a simple bushmaster with a factory barrel, nothing special. It can and does shoot nice, 1" groups @ 100 yds are common.

DennRN · June 12, 2013, 06:38 PM

Hi Snuffy,
Thanks for the clarification on primer seating. Regardless, I still have to put more force on them to displace the residue and get them to seat deeper.

June 6, 2013, 06:19 AM	#1
DennRN Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 96	A+ for universal deprimer This started out as a response to this thread but I thought it might benefit more as a new one. Please add your thoughts, pros/cons. I have a dillon 650 and think buying a universal decapper is a great way to maximize the other accessories I have bought for it. On a progressive press a stand alone deprimer can be very beneficial given the right accessories/circumstances. My thoughts: I like to decap before tumbling to get the primer pockets nice and clean so primer seating is easy. I devote a spare toolhead just for depriming. Surprisingly, with my thumbler's tumbler using only corncob media, the primer pockets get reasonably clean, good enough to tell the difference when seating primers anyway. I still usually opt for stainless wet tumbling, but when I want to make a range visit the next day, I don't think twice. Dry tumble and be done with it. When using stainless wet tumbling the universal decapper is invaluable and not using some sort of standalone decapping negates many of the benefits of wet tumbling. Using the universal in conjunction with a casefeeder means I can deprime about 1 case every second, (any faster and I start squashing the occasional brass against the toolhead on the upstroke or jamming the rare case rim against the shell holder on the down stroke.). Still, that's ~60 a minute or 1000 cases in about 15 minutes so it's not a waste of time by any stretch. If dry tumbling, yes corncob or walnut media will get stuck in the flash-hole, I just leave my standard deprimer in the resizing die. It gets the media out with no fuss whatsoever. I can definitely feel the resistance of individual processes in each stroke of my handle. Removing the resistance and release of the primer makes me feel more secure that I won't miss out on more subtle feedback. (I really hate to mangle good brass). Not directly related to, but aided by the use of a universal deprimer as a stand alone step, is the potential for additional safety. As mentioned earlier, a clean primer pocket will be easier to seat a fresh primer in, this means less wrist strain for me when I'm cranking out a large batch of ammo. Additionally, I find it cuts down on primers that don't want to seat fully without really muscling them in. At the very least it saves me an additional risk and steps down the road of having to attempt to reseat the primer on a live round. At most it can save me from the potential of an out of battery fire on a bullet with a high primer. All in all, for less than 20 bucks I think a universal deprimer is a great investment. YMMV with optional toolheads, if available, for your press. -Dennis

June 6, 2013, 09:53 AM	#2
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	Actually, the total cost would be $20 plus the cost of a tool head. I wouldn't think twice about doing what you are doing if I was running a progressive press with a case feeder. Makes perfect sense to me (as I wet tumble with pins). __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

June 6, 2013, 10:28 AM	#3
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	Cleaning primer pockets has no effect on how much force is required to seat a new primer. The force is generated by the sides of the primer sliding into the primer pocket. Cleaning gets rid of the black carbon in the bottom of the pocket, which insures the primer goes-all-the-way-down-to-the-bottom. I have NOT cleaned any primer pockets in .223 for as long as I've had my AR. Yes, I do run .223 on my XL-650. Brass is checked for length, then loaded into the case feeder after being spray lubed in-mass. They're full length sized and run through the entire process. Lube is removed by tumbling the finished ammo in bare corn cob for around 20 minutes. Cases that measure close to too long, are set aside to be trimmed before loading. I know how much they grow when they're FL sized, so none of them are too long after loading. I know some that set up a tool head to just FL size and deprime. Then the shells are all tumbled to remove lube, trimmed, and the pockets cleaned. Then returned to the dillon to finish the process. IF my AR was set-up to be a high dollar target gun, and I was going to shoot at 600 yards, I would load on my Lee turret, measuring each powder charge and using match bullets. But, alas, my AR is a simple bushmaster with a factory barrel, nothing special. It can and does shoot nice, 1" groups @ 100 yds are common. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

June 12, 2013, 06:38 PM	#4
DennRN Member Join Date: April 10, 2013 Posts: 96	Hi Snuffy, Thanks for the clarification on primer seating. Regardless, I still have to put more force on them to displace the residue and get them to seat deeper.