A couple questions

tools · September 2, 2008, 08:26 PM

1. Anyone know how to deprime the PMC .223 ammo? My usual depriming die cannot fully remove the primers, they are moved out but not completely. These seem to be very tight primers.

2. I have read about the necessity of removing all tumbling media from the cases before reloading, to save the tumblingmedia scoring the barrel upon firing. Is this true? How do poeple do this in a practical way?

Thanks for the tips.

**Unclenick** · September 2, 2008, 09:12 PM

PMC makes standard boxer primed brass and also sells primers for reloading. If the primer doesn't come out, the pin just isn't extending down far enough. Try adjusting it in the die. If that doesn't work, get a universal decapping die from Lee and use that as a separate operation. They also make an inexpensive hand decapper you operate with a mallet. That works fine with stubborn primers, too.

You need to get tumbling media particles out of your cases to avoid creating excess pressure. Anything that reduces the volume available for the powder in the case will increase the peak pressure when the powder burns. It should not be hard to do. Just invert the cases and it should fall out. Tap the case mouth on a board to be sure, and any remaining particle should fall out. If it doesn't you may have moisture in the media. If you get the media too wet with polish, that tends to stick it in the case. In that case, you should run the media with the polish alone until it is dry before adding the brass to it. If the media is in the flash hole, the decapping pin on the sizing die should push it out. You can always take a plastic swizzle stick and scrape it out if you got it really stuck in there. I've only seen that once when I accidentally left some cases in some media in a plastic bag in the corner of my basement and over several months it picked up enough moisture to swell the corncob.

rg1 · September 2, 2008, 09:14 PM

Can you turn your decapping rod a little further into your die so that the decapping pin sticks out a little further out the bottom of the die? Not so much as to cause the expander button to hit the inside bottom of the case. I've read that a lot of people recommend the Lee Univeral Decapping die and that it works well removing crimped primers. I haven't tried it myself.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=136543
As for tumbling media, I use corn cob media only and it doesn't leave any dust inside the case unlike walnut media which I find dusty. I only make sure there's no media stuck in the primer flash hole. The only remedy for residue from tumbling media would be to wash and dry cases or blow them out with air pressure from an air compressor.

tools · September 3, 2008, 08:19 AM

I've tried pushing the decapping pin down all the way -- that is not the issue. Depending on the adjustment of the pin, it can actually contact the primer before the press is fully engaged. The issue is the primer's on these PMC brass are very tight -- tighter than any I've encountered before and that includes military brass.

I might try the Lee hammer style decapper on these.

The media residue I am worried about is nothing big, barely visibile to the human eye. It is the "dust" that remains after tumbling. I can look into the cases and they look empty, but if I swipe a cotton swap inside them there is some dust there. My question is -- is it imperative to get this dust out and get the inside of the cases perfectly clean? I know I can wash them or blow them out, but I'm wondering if it is actually necessary to do so.

September 2, 2008, 08:26 PM	#1
tools Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2006 Posts: 124	A couple questions 1. Anyone know how to deprime the PMC .223 ammo? My usual depriming die cannot fully remove the primers, they are moved out but not completely. These seem to be very tight primers. 2. I have read about the necessity of removing all tumbling media from the cases before reloading, to save the tumblingmedia scoring the barrel upon firing. Is this true? How do poeple do this in a practical way? Thanks for the tips.

September 2, 2008, 09:12 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,057	PMC makes standard boxer primed brass and also sells primers for reloading. If the primer doesn't come out, the pin just isn't extending down far enough. Try adjusting it in the die. If that doesn't work, get a universal decapping die from Lee and use that as a separate operation. They also make an inexpensive hand decapper you operate with a mallet. That works fine with stubborn primers, too. You need to get tumbling media particles out of your cases to avoid creating excess pressure. Anything that reduces the volume available for the powder in the case will increase the peak pressure when the powder burns. It should not be hard to do. Just invert the cases and it should fall out. Tap the case mouth on a board to be sure, and any remaining particle should fall out. If it doesn't you may have moisture in the media. If you get the media too wet with polish, that tends to stick it in the case. In that case, you should run the media with the polish alone until it is dry before adding the brass to it. If the media is in the flash hole, the decapping pin on the sizing die should push it out. You can always take a plastic swizzle stick and scrape it out if you got it really stuck in there. I've only seen that once when I accidentally left some cases in some media in a plastic bag in the corner of my basement and over several months it picked up enough moisture to swell the corncob. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

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September 2, 2008, 09:14 PM	#3
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	Can you turn your decapping rod a little further into your die so that the decapping pin sticks out a little further out the bottom of the die? Not so much as to cause the expander button to hit the inside bottom of the case. I've read that a lot of people recommend the Lee Univeral Decapping die and that it works well removing crimped primers. I haven't tried it myself. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpag...eitemid=136543 As for tumbling media, I use corn cob media only and it doesn't leave any dust inside the case unlike walnut media which I find dusty. I only make sure there's no media stuck in the primer flash hole. The only remedy for residue from tumbling media would be to wash and dry cases or blow them out with air pressure from an air compressor.

September 3, 2008, 08:19 AM	#4
tools Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2006 Posts: 124	I've tried pushing the decapping pin down all the way -- that is not the issue. Depending on the adjustment of the pin, it can actually contact the primer before the press is fully engaged. The issue is the primer's on these PMC brass are very tight -- tighter than any I've encountered before and that includes military brass. I might try the Lee hammer style decapper on these. The media residue I am worried about is nothing big, barely visibile to the human eye. It is the "dust" that remains after tumbling. I can look into the cases and they look empty, but if I swipe a cotton swap inside them there is some dust there. My question is -- is it imperative to get this dust out and get the inside of the cases perfectly clean? I know I can wash them or blow them out, but I'm wondering if it is actually necessary to do so.