I would use a dremel with a small cut off wheel. I have had the pin pull out but never a rod.

 

What a pain- I have @ 100 brass ready to go and am all fired up to test groupings up a charge ladder for my new 300 WSM. First round into a brand new die this happens (arrrgghhhh!).

 

I've had it happen a few times. The easiest thing to do is make sure the decapping pin/rod are pulled as close to the neck as possible so you do not nick/cut the expander/pin. Take a hacksaw or cut off wheel and cut the head of the case off. The entire thing will come out the bottom. I really had issues with this when I used mica case lube with Lee dies. Somehow it works it's way up the expander rod into the collet that holds the rod in and they would slip out. (Hopefully this makes sense)

 

Bull in a china shop.

 

I know you really don't want to hear this.....but the next set of dies you get....buy Redding, RCBS, or Hornady and avoid or (for those who may argue this point) substantially lessen the chance of this happening.

FWIW

SW

 

Thanks for the advice Sethwood (and everyone else).

For the record I bought the "Lee Anniversary Kit" single stage press on sale in the early 90s, and used it to reload thousands of .357 and .38s, which are easy. I just recently moved into reloading for rifle and it's a bit trickier, alot of nuances, but incredibly fun and rewarding. I'm zeroing in on a great load for the 300 Win Mag, and am looking to do the same w/the 300 WSM. I may graduate to other presses/dies if the Lee setup gives me problems like this. For the record, I've done a ton of work w/the Win Mag, no problem. It's a bit disconcerting this die just sort of fell apart like this.

I put a service question/request into LEE, IMO their QA/QC failed on this component and they should send me a new one, but we'll see what they say.

Thanks,

BH

 

They will make it right. All companies have a few lemons slip by. Though it could have been that one guy that took a puff off his one hitter the night before work in the morning

 

BUT, the decapper-pin (or rod) came completely out of the die and is now stuck in the brass case.

Any suggestions?

BH

The rod or pin?

Set the die up side down on the lock ring in a vise then use a 1/8" pin punch to drive the decapping pin flush to the bottom of the primer pocket followed with 1/16" punch to drive the pin the rest of the way through the case web.

BTW, the rod is secured by the collet and is not set or tightened from new. After adjusting the depth the collet is tightened...really tightened.

Bill

 

Use a punch slightly larger than the pin. Tap lightly with a brass hammer, until head of the rod protrudes from mouth. Pull rod with pliers.

 

Thanks guys- for the LEE die I have the rod is the pin is the rod (does that make sense)? It's one shaft held in place by a bolt on the top, and at the bottom there's a decapper pin (it's all one piece).

And it wasn't held in there too tight from the factory, I can put the brass back in the press, and press it up and the rod slides easily back into place (it's supposed to be flush w/the bolt that holds it in place when you have the case all the way up).

LEE came back by e-mail and suggested the following- re-lube case outside and inside of neck, push brass back into die in press, until top of rod is flush w/top of the bolt. Then using 2 wrenches tighten the #@#@ out of it. Then pull the brass down on the press, it should slide out as intended and be fine afterwards.

I'll let you know if that works. Alternate suggestion by LEE was to cut the brass, extract rod and reinsert in die, and tighten the #@$@ out of it.

BH