Haven't Seen This Before - Ideas?

[robertvarner]

If it does not hurt your feelings, I'll just IMAGINE IT at this point.

 

[SUPER X]

See the attached photos. Tried to decap this 9mm from a batch of several thousand I recently purchased (1X-fired).

Decapping pin would not remove the primer. Headstamp says it's Lapua Finland. Are there some brass that CAN'T be reloaded like this? I'm glad I hadn't really clamped down on the sleeve that holds the decapping pin.

View attachment 598517 View attachment 598518

You can easily I'd BERDAN prime by the 2 holes next to the center primer pocket .

 

[bbbass]

. I only found it when I tried to decap and it drove the pin up in the die. That caught my attention!

You dodged a bullet there! My first berdan primed case broke the pin on a RCBS die... now I have a stock of extra decap pins. But I don't force it, if it takes that much pressure, I stop and take a look. Since I used to pick a lot of range brass, I run into problem cases once in awhile. I've learned to toss anything with a red circle around the primer too!

 

[robertvarner]

I found several brass rounds with red on the base. Not all were Berdan, though, since I was able to decap them with no problem.

I tried a different approach during my decapping after finding that Berdan round. I dropped the decapping pin further toward the press base, so it would only take a "light tap" on the handle to remove all other pins, since the brass and was not under the friction of the die body (I do not have a Universal Decapping Die). That helped me easily determine if a primer needed more pressure than normal. If felt, I would not apply more pressure that could possibly break my decapping pin. It was not the best solution, but it worked "in a pinch".

 

[thorborg]

You dodged a bullet there! My first berdan primed case broke the pin on a RCBS die... now I have a stock of extra decap pins. !

I have lee carbide set for 45ACP which has its decapping punch held in a collet so if there is an obstruction like a piece of gravel or even a Berdan primer, it will not break the pin, just slides it up. It works! Wished all my dies were that way.

 

[robertvarner]

That's the same brand as my 9mm dies. I switched from RCBS (non-carbide) to Carbide Lee 4-Die Sets with the Factory Crimp Die. I love those. No more stuck brass and having to lube all my brass. I know, "opinions vary".

 

[thorborg]

That's the same brand as my 9mm dies. I switched from RCBS (non-carbide) to Carbide Lee 4-Die Sets with the Factory Crimp Die. I love those. No more stuck brass and having to lube all my brass. I know, "opinions vary".

I wish I could say "no more" but with 13 die sets, and only two are carbide, At my age, it would be hard to justify replacing them.
Were I starting out in life, I would not buy a die that was not carbide. One could easily amortize the difference with labor savings.
If you load a lot, and your wife starts to wriggle at the price, say it frees up more time for chores!

 

[Mikej]

I found several brass rounds with red on the base. Not all were Berdan, though, since I was able to decap them with no problem.

Granted I don't have as much experience reloading as some here. Sellier & Bellot has had red on the case head. S&B is also extremely hard brass and you'll notice it in sizing. I have separated S&B from other more pliable brass because of that. 9mm , if you didn't know, is a very slightly tapered case so it feels different on the down stroke from true straight-wall cases, .38/.357, .45, .40 . etc.

 

[Boboclown]

RCBS Berdan Decapping Tool

But tbh not worth it for a pistol round unless its an obscure one that relies on reloading. Rifle? Different story.

 

[RVTECH]

Simply install a expander die in the press, fill the case with water and run it up into the expander die.

You can also find a short steel or brass rod that will fit the case snugly, drill a hole in a block of wood for the case to nest in and drill a smaller hole in the center all the way through for water and the primer to escape.
Dip the case in water, set in the wood block, insert the rod and a light tap blows the primer out.
I once deprimed a bunch of Berdan 9mm cases for some 'one time' field ammo I was shooting while on the move and did not want to stop and pick up.
Its not a huge PITA but with 9mm brass being essentially 'free' most don't mess with it.

 

[robertvarner]

Granted I don't have as much experience reloading as some here. Sellier & Bellot has had red on the case head. S&B is also extremely hard brass and you'll notice it in sizing. I have separated S&B from other more pliable brass because of that. 9mm , if you didn't know, is a very slightly tapered case so it feels different on the down stroke from true straight-wall cases, .38/.357, .45, .40 . etc.

I have found several S&B brass as well as some WCC, and WIN that had red-painted primers. The S&B and WCC seemed to be the toughest to decap, perhaps due to a smaller primer hole.

That's a good idea to separate the S&B, since there might be quite a few. Thanks for the idea.

 

[robertvarner]

Ouch! At least I did not do this. Not that I have more skill than this person, just a bit more luck!!

Rookie Reloader Chronicles (Rifle Brass Prep)

 

[Mikej]

The S&B and WCC seemed to be the toughest to decap, perhaps due to a smaller primer hole.

I don't think the "Flash Hole" or the "Primer Cup" being undersized are the reason for more resistance when resizing. Just "my" feeling..... It has to do with more brittle/thicker brass. However, S&B brass it's also harder to seat primers. They kind of, POP in, and then it takes a little more effort to seat them fully.

I've done more 9mm on the RCBS single stage than anything else. It's kind of a game....Smooooth, easy, resize/decap= Blazer Brass. Really have to reef on the handle= S&B, CBC, Perfecta, GFL maybe. and then some headstamps are easy sometimes and harder others. shrug

 

[robertvarner]

Yep. You're probably right.

And FWIW, after depriming and tumbling over 3500 rounds this week, I only had ONE Berdan round!

How lucky can a guy get? Now I have over 3500 "my little pretties" just waiting for me to load up. Now I'm bored!

 

[Mikej]

How lucky can a guy get?

i never had one. Somehow I'm getting the idea that you may have gone through more 9mm brass than I have though.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I have seen the hole in the primer pocket off center before and chucked the brass in the scrape brass bucket.

I also got one piece of 9mm "AMMO LOAD" that had a step inside the case. I'm sure it wouldn't of been good on the resizing die.
I think I still have it, if I do I will post a picture of it.



This picture shows the internal step.

 

[Mikej]

I've heard of this. Google "9mm brass with ridge inside" for some reading. I've never seen one in person.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I pick up a lot of range brass at the gravel pit I take my grandson to shoot at. Out of thousands of 9mm cases this is the only one I have ever seen so I kept it.
Last time out shooting I picked up some 7.62 x 51 brass.
72 pieces had Baridian Primers
356 pieces had Boxer Primers. All this 308 brass came from the same guy that was shooting a AR10.

one of these days i will try sell a bunch of brass off and buy my grandson a handgun.

 

[CLT65]

The hydraulic method of removing berdan primers doesn't always work. Sometimes they're stubborn and just won't come out. Here's a couple of WWII 7.62x38R that I was trying to reload. The hydraulic pressure was so great that it ballooned out the brass instead of pushing out the primers. I'm stubborn so I eventually drilled them out and converted the brass to boxer. Time consuming and absolutely NOT worth it.

 

[HighlandLofts]

Them cases look like the barrel on a friends 12 gauge Remington 870 Wingmaster shotgun after his kid triped and plugged the barrel with snow then shot it. It had a bulge about the size of a pigeon egg just above where the barrel attaches to the gun.