Lee depriming die

[alanwk]

Why would you use the universal depriming die and not the one that comes with die set? Thanks.
Alan

[lugerstew]

I use mine for removing the primers before I do wet tumbling, so that the primer pockets get cleaned like new.

[10-96]

Just flinging out a guess here, but I'm guessing it might be for those who wish to only neck size, work with wildcats, quickly de-prime to sell/swap brass, or to de-prime quickly without working the brass prior to cleaning.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by alanwk

Why would you use the universal depriming die and not the one that comes with die set? Thanks.

I use it because I deprime on a separate, single stage press and then use a Lee hand primer for priming. When I get to loading on a 4-station turret press, the decapping pin is removed from the sizing die and that step only performs resizing.

[jpx2rk]

Some prefer to avoid the sizing dies from getting all the grit, etc so they deprime, clean and then size. This way the sizing dies aren't subjected to all the dirt/grit associated with fired brass. Personal preference and intended purpose of reloads. If just plinking in an AR, or competition loads in a high $$ custom, people have different reasons.

[ms6852]

I de-prime on a separate press in the garage some of it mine and a lot range brass that is dirty. I like to de-prime first before cleaning brass in the sonic cleaner, this way everything is clean.

[7.62 man]

I deprime my .45 auto brass to mechanically sort between small & large primers.

Also depriming pins in the sizing dies are hard to find right now & it only takes one berdan primed case to mess up your reloading. Pins for the universal depriming die are easy to find, I keep a few extras around all the time.

[dahermit]

Originally Posted by alanwk

Why would you use the universal depriming die and not the one that comes with die set? Thanks.
Alan

For all my rifle hand loading, I use a single stage press and I clean the primer pockets before I re-prime.

For all my handgun hand loading, I use a progressive and do not bother cleaning primer pockets... just way too many casings.

[Unclenick]

I deprime separately for cleaning, but even before I did wet tumbling with pins that can get the crud out of the primer pocket, I was separately decapping military brass for decrimping so I didn't have to interrupt my loading workflow with that step.

[wbbh]

I too de-prime before cleaning, but for another reason, cleanliness. I use a separate press, either a small single-stage Lee or a Lee APP because it keeps my loading presses clean.

[Alamosa Bill]

I use it for my 45-70 Sharps as i don't need to resize, just fit heads by hand to fire formed case. I only use decapper and compression die.

[Unclenick]

Seating die? I hadn't heard the term 'compression die' before, but it might be common on your side of the pond. Just curious about that.

[Jim Watson]

Black powder burns best in a compressed load, sometimes compressed a LOT.

Compressing the load by hard seating the bullet will distort a soft cast bullet and accuracy suffers, so we use a separate compression die.

Bill is of the no resizing - finger seat school of thought. You can do that with a single shot rifle at the relatively low pressures of black powder.

I saw one guy bring out his charged cases with nothing but an overpowder wad, gently finger seating bullets as he set out his ammo for the next string of fire.

[Unclenick]

Ah! So it's a ram that compresses the powder ahead of seating the bullet. I found one on Midway. I've never used one. Learn something new every day. Thanks!

[Alamosa Bill]

Originally Posted by Jim Watson

Black powder burns best in a compressed load, sometimes compressed a LOT.

Compressing the load by hard seating the bullet will distort a soft cast bullet and accuracy suffers, so we use a separate compression die.

Bill is of the no resizing - finger seat school of thought. You can do that with a single shot rifle at the relatively low pressures of black powder.

I saw one guy bring out his charged cases with nothing but an overpowder wad, gently finger seating bullets as he set out his ammo for the next string of fire.

Jims correct and that is how i load, finger seating the 530 grain postells after a light compression.