Replacing Pin on Lee Sizing Die

Homerboy · June 15, 2014, 12:26 PM

Just got into reloading and de-primed about 150 .38 cases. About halfway through, the die rose and the pin stayed in the brass. I got it out and put the pin back in. I loosened the clamp, stuck the pin up there till it was flush, then retightened it. Knocked out another 50 or so primers.

I'm a new reloader so I am paranoid. First of all, does reinserting the pin somehow change the amount of re-szing? I highly doubt it, but wanna be sure. Second, the top of the pin is flush with the hole in the top of the clamp. This is correct, right?

Thanks.

DavidAGO · June 15, 2014, 03:35 PM

It does not change the amount of resizing. The top of the pin does not need to be flush with the top of the die, you only need the bottom of the decapping rod to stick down past the bottom of the die only a 1/4 inch or so.

David

Jim243 · June 15, 2014, 10:28 PM

No it does not change the resizing.

What I do when the pin get's pushed out of place is:

Lose top nut so pin will go up and down.

Place a resized case in the case holder and with the pin in the die, bring the case all the way up into the die. The pin will ride up with the case and stop at the top of the stroke.

Now tighten down the top nut so that the pin will stay in that position, but not so tight that if you put a berdan primed case instead of a boxer primed case it will break or bend the pin instead of just pushing it up.

You are now set to continue depriming with the decaping pin set to the correct height.

Jim

bt380 · June 15, 2014, 11:28 PM

Remember how much you tightened the pin. If it comes loose, add more turn to the feel to make it tighter. I use hand wrenches so I can adjust by feel. I also don't oil the very top of the pin.

Sevens · June 16, 2014, 12:05 AM

^bt380's post directly above mine is important.^

Lee came up with a fantastic design that is a very, very good safeguard against snapping decapping pins. When you end up with a piece of media stuck in a flash hole (deceptively tough, those nuggets) or an inadvertent berdan primed case -- the Lee design keeps you from wrecking your decap pin, you only end up tasked with resetting the rod.

However, that's where the post above becomes vitally important.

Because if you re-tighten that collet too much, you completely defeat the design, and it will not slide up harmlessly under stress. At that point, you'll bend or break it.

I managed to do that with a few pieces of 9mm years back. First berdan case slid the decap rod up as it was designed, but I gorilla-tightened it when I reset it... and THAT set me up to later bend & then break the decap pin right off the rod.

I called Lee, they dropped a free replacement in the mail, but I never lost much time because I simply stole the decap rod from my .44 Magnum size die.

chris in va · June 16, 2014, 05:08 PM

That's interesting. I snapped a 45acp pin a while back and they said I'd have to send in the broken pin and would have to pay half the cost of a new one.

I guess it's just who you talk to in CS.

June 15, 2014, 12:26 PM	#1
Homerboy Junior member Join Date: June 16, 2004 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,320	Replacing Pin on Lee Sizing Die Just got into reloading and de-primed about 150 .38 cases. About halfway through, the die rose and the pin stayed in the brass. I got it out and put the pin back in. I loosened the clamp, stuck the pin up there till it was flush, then retightened it. Knocked out another 50 or so primers. I'm a new reloader so I am paranoid. First of all, does reinserting the pin somehow change the amount of re-szing? I highly doubt it, but wanna be sure. Second, the top of the pin is flush with the hole in the top of the clamp. This is correct, right? Thanks.

June 15, 2014, 10:28 PM	#3
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	No it does not change the resizing. What I do when the pin get's pushed out of place is: Lose top nut so pin will go up and down. Place a resized case in the case holder and with the pin in the die, bring the case all the way up into the die. The pin will ride up with the case and stop at the top of the stroke. Now tighten down the top nut so that the pin will stay in that position, but not so tight that if you put a berdan primed case instead of a boxer primed case it will break or bend the pin instead of just pushing it up. You are now set to continue depriming with the decaping pin set to the correct height. Jim __________________ Si vis pacem, para bellum

June 16, 2014, 12:05 AM	#5
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	^bt380's post directly above mine is important.^ Lee came up with a fantastic design that is a very, very good safeguard against snapping decapping pins. When you end up with a piece of media stuck in a flash hole (deceptively tough, those nuggets) or an inadvertent berdan primed case -- the Lee design keeps you from wrecking your decap pin, you only end up tasked with resetting the rod. However, that's where the post above becomes vitally important. Because if you re-tighten that collet too much, you completely defeat the design, and it will not slide up harmlessly under stress. At that point, you'll bend or break it. I managed to do that with a few pieces of 9mm years back. First berdan case slid the decap rod up as it was designed, but I gorilla-tightened it when I reset it... and THAT set me up to later bend & then break the decap pin right off the rod. I called Lee, they dropped a free replacement in the mail, but I never lost much time because I simply stole the decap rod from my .44 Magnum size die. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

June 15, 2014, 03:35 PM	#2
DavidAGO Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2008 Location: Magnolia, AR Posts: 340	It does not change the amount of resizing. The top of the pin does not need to be flush with the top of the die, you only need the bottom of the decapping rod to stick down past the bottom of the die only a 1/4 inch or so. David

June 15, 2014, 11:28 PM	#4
bt380 Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2012 Posts: 331	Remember how much you tightened the pin. If it comes loose, add more turn to the feel to make it tighter. I use hand wrenches so I can adjust by feel. I also don't oil the very top of the pin.

June 16, 2014, 05:08 PM	#6
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	That's interesting. I snapped a 45acp pin a while back and they said I'd have to send in the broken pin and would have to pay half the cost of a new one. I guess it's just who you talk to in CS.