Another "never had THIS happen before...'

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
So have gawd knows how many 556 cases. Two stuffed gallon bags full i determined to process . Took 4-5 sets just to tumble them. Then started sizing/decapping enmasse. Finished the first full bag/all good. Somewhere during the second big bag, I just happened to notice that the decap pin was gone. Figured, ok, broke it, no big deal, unscrew the die and replace it. And pick thru cases not decapped.

But when I unscrewed the decapping stem, the entire expander ball was gone. And I mean G O N E! Nowhere in the primer 'bucket.' Nowhere on the floor that I can find. and never felt it come off or found it in any of the cases, after I went thru all in that big batch I had run thru the die. No clue where it went. I THOUGHT I 'found' it in a case, but after 20 min tearing into the case, it was actually a case neck from another case that had gotten broken off/stuffed down into the case. No clue how that happened either.

BTW - have I said how much I HATE reloading 556?!?!
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
The only real PITA for me with 556 cases is inside flash hole uniforming. But that's with any .224" neck not just that one. Otherwise I've never had an issue with them.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I switched to prepping any all possible crimped cases to a mitmite universal decapper first. Its a guarantied no break well made 35 ish$ die. I do like allot. I bought after brealing the unbreakable LEE three times. Try as ya might ya always find a berdan slip in. Well this MM eats them for a snak. Punching right thru the brass. You know as/after but no breakages.

Saves allot of aggravation.
CW
 
Last edited: