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Posted: 9/4/2015 12:26:08 AM EDT
So I'm brand new to the reloading game and I just finished my bench. Managed to carve out a humble spot for myself in the utility room to build a tank of a bench out of 4x4s and 2x6s all screwed and glued to the wall studs and bolted to the cement floor. Went with a full Redding load out (except for the Dillon beam scale).
So today I'm installing my 308 dies and I screw in the Redding large and small universal decapping dies when I did a stupid thing. I managed to snap the little pin off my large decapping rod (part # RD69200). No problem. I'll just get online and order another replacement decapping rod. Nope! Can't find it for sale anywhere! Everyone sells the small decapping rod or replacement rods for the full length sizing/decapping die but not the large universal decapping rod. Eta: I don't mean to suggest everyone is simply sold out of this part. No, it would seem that it's simply not offered for sale without buying a whole new die. Has anybody else faced this? Anybody know where I can buy 2 or 3 replacements? Pics of my (unfinished) hovel and busted pin:  </a>" />
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Posted: 9/4/2015 12:32:43 AM EDT
[#1]
That'll foul your day!
Call Redding, if it isn't covered by a warranty they'll happily sell you a replacement. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 12:42:04 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That'll foul your day! Call Redding, if it isn't covered by a warranty they'll happily sell you a replacement. Yep this. You will find that most of the companys that you will be using for your new found addiction have very good customer service. Motor |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 12:43:19 AM EDT
[#3]
Better yet, get yourself a universal decapping die from RCBS or Lee. And buy one of the Smart Reloader $30-$40 single die station presses. Make it your dedicated deprime device and use the open die station in your turret press for something else.
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Posted: 9/4/2015 1:09:41 AM EDT
[#4]
I hope you did not find a piece of Berdan primed brass the hard way.
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Posted: 9/4/2015 2:00:46 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I hope you did not find a piece of Berdan primed brass the hard way. I wish it was that. That's half way respectable. I had the ram all the way up at different times just tightening down the various dies and their lock collars and for some dumb reason left the ram up when I brain farted and swung the turret over to the decapping station. It made a real pretty "tink" as the pin snapped off. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 2:08:15 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Better yet, get yourself a universal decapping die from RCBS or Lee. And buy one of the Smart Reloader $30-$40 single die station presses. Make it your dedicated deprime device and use the open die station in your turret press for something else. Do you like those decapping dies better? Are the pins cheaply and easily replaceable? Unfortunately, as you can see in the pics, I've got a pretty tight bench as it is so I'm a bit reticent to give up space to a single stage. I might be willing to lose some space to a progressive so I can crank out 9, 45, and 5.56. But at this point I don't mind giving up a spot for depriming. I'm planning on buying multiple turret heads anyway as I expand into different calibers. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 2:08:30 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yep this. You will find that most of the companys that you will be using for your new found addiction have very good customer service. Motor Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: That'll foul your day! Call Redding, if it isn't covered by a warranty they'll happily sell you a replacement. Yep this. You will find that most of the companys that you will be using for your new found addiction have very good customer service. Motor Yep, call Redding. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 2:40:57 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Do you like those decapping dies better? Are the pins cheaply and easily replaceable? Unfortunately, as you can see in the pics, I've got a pretty tight bench as it is so I'm a bit reticent to give up space to a single stage. I might be willing to lose some space to a progressive so I can crank out 9, 45, and 5.56. But at this point I don't mind giving up a spot for depriming. I'm planning on buying multiple turret heads anyway as I expand into different calibers. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Better yet, get yourself a universal decapping die from RCBS or Lee. And buy one of the Smart Reloader $30-$40 single die station presses. Make it your dedicated deprime device and use the open die station in your turret press for something else. Do you like those decapping dies better? Are the pins cheaply and easily replaceable? Unfortunately, as you can see in the pics, I've got a pretty tight bench as it is so I'm a bit reticent to give up space to a single stage. I might be willing to lose some space to a progressive so I can crank out 9, 45, and 5.56. But at this point I don't mind giving up a spot for depriming. I'm planning on buying multiple turret heads anyway as I expand into different calibers. Is the pin itself not replacable? Do you have to replace the entire rod/pin assembly? All my RCBS and Hornady dies have replacable pins. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 6:25:49 AM EDT
[#9]
That is one good thing about the Lee dies. That pin will push upward through the collet on top of the die before breaking the pin (most of the time - I did break one on a primer that got into a piece of .357 SIG brass).
I use RCBS X dies these days and I've had to buy replacement pins for them. I just bought a pack for spares. Like was recommended above. If you need to buy one you'll probably do it again, so buy two. That way you can keep going when you break the next one and waiting for the replacements to come in. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 7:43:56 AM EDT
[#10]
Don't feel bad OP, when I was setting up my Lee Turret Press and installing the .45 decapping die I forgot I had the ram all the way up and when I went to index the turret to the next position I slammed the decapping pin into the ram bending it. I bought a few replacements but managed to straighten out the pin before the new ones arrived. I also tried to decap a 9mm case but left the .45 shell holder on the ram. That was fun to remove from the die.
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Posted: 9/4/2015 8:11:50 AM EDT
[#11]
(607) 753-3331
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Posted: 9/4/2015 8:33:10 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Is the pin itself not replacable? Do you have to replace the entire rod/pin assembly? All my RCBS and Hornady dies have replacable pins. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Better yet, get yourself a universal decapping die from RCBS or Lee. And buy one of the Smart Reloader $30-$40 single die station presses. Make it your dedicated deprime device and use the open die station in your turret press for something else. Do you like those decapping dies better? Are the pins cheaply and easily replaceable? Unfortunately, as you can see in the pics, I've got a pretty tight bench as it is so I'm a bit reticent to give up space to a single stage. I might be willing to lose some space to a progressive so I can crank out 9, 45, and 5.56. But at this point I don't mind giving up a spot for depriming. I'm planning on buying multiple turret heads anyway as I expand into different calibers. Is the pin itself not replacable? Do you have to replace the entire rod/pin assembly? All my RCBS and Hornady dies have replacable pins. Yeah, can you believe it? In the first pic with the broken pin, that whole rod/pin unit is one piece. Seems like it'd be easy enough to use a collet type set-up that would allow you to replace a broken pin. That's the way they did it on the full length sizing die but not the universal die set. It's half tempting to go to the local machine shop and have them make me one but I know it would cost me a helluva lot more then just buying an RCBS decapping die. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 8:36:41 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
(607) 753-3331 Thanks for the number. If I call that, who would I be talking too? I can imagine them answering "hello" and then I'd have to admit I don't know who I just called. Edit: disregard. Google knows all. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 8:56:22 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I hope you did not find a piece of Berdan primed brass the hard way.  Been there and done that. 
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Posted: 9/4/2015 12:42:45 PM EDT
[#15]
You guys were right. Redding customer service is awesome. Scott put a new decapping rod in the mail for me today free of charge and let me know that Accurate Arms & Ammo would have more if I needed them. I went ahead and ordered 2 more of the large and 2 of the small rods for future bone headed moments.
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Posted: 9/4/2015 3:04:39 PM EDT
[#16]
Glad to hear Redding is sending you another.
Don't go too fast, Vne. 
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Posted: 9/4/2015 7:09:47 PM EDT
[#17]
Take the old one to the machine shop. Have them drill out where the pin broke and replace with a piece of hardened rod. cost me 10 bucks and a box of krispy Kreams to fix two of them.
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Posted: 9/4/2015 9:43:07 PM EDT
[#18]
I second (third? fourth?) the suggestion to get yourself a dedicated decapping die and use that all the time. I use a hand depriming tool while I sort and inspect brass, and I haven't goofed up a depriming rod in a while. Not that I haven't done it, but it's been a while.
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Posted: 9/4/2015 11:18:53 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Glad to hear Redding is sending you another. Don't go too fast, Vne. Shoot. At the rate I'm goin', I'll never reload a single piece of brass. Really, I just want one good recipe for 308 that is consistent, accurate, and good for hunting. One day, years from now, I'll be cranking out 300Winmag, 7.5 Swiss, 6.5 Grendel, 5.56, 300 blackout, 45acp, 9mm, and 22 tcm. But I'm starting with one safe load for 308. |
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Posted: 9/4/2015 11:20:45 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Take the old one to the machine shop. Have them drill out where the pin broke and replace with a piece of hardened rod. cost me 10 bucks and a box of krispy Kreams to fix two of them. I really like this idea. I don't see why it can't be done with a set screw too so I can replace pins myself. |
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Posted: 9/5/2015 3:48:32 AM EDT
[#21]
I like the rcbs universal decaper. Then buy a few extra bags of pins because its gonna happen agian sometime.
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Posted: 9/5/2015 7:21:49 AM EDT
[#22]
Nice use of a small space . Yes you will be wishing for more but with a bit of planning it will work. Kind of reminds me of my first set up in a pantry little wider than a closet
As the OP has found , the major reloading outfits are all good to great with CS so no one really stocks or sells any parts. |
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Posted: 9/5/2015 10:19:26 PM EDT
[#23]
meh, we've all broke pins
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Posted: 9/5/2015 11:57:02 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: meh, we've all broke pins How true, it's just part of reloading. |
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Posted: 9/6/2015 11:19:35 AM EDT
[#25]
Busted pins are common - it's why replacement pins are available for most brands of dies (in packs of 5 or more!). It's when you realize you did something wrong by just because you weren't paying attention that you can kick yourself a little. I bent a decapping ROD in an RCBS die once, simply by not paying attention to the first round not going as easily as it should and pushing...Yeah, it was Berdan. But the pin survived!
 That was one way I found out how good RCBS customer service was. To my knowledge, all the big reloading equipment firms have this level of customer service. And I'm OK with them having a laugh on me, as long as they don't laugh out loud when I'm on the phone with them.
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