RCBS die problems

Throw it away and buy a lee sizer die or the whole set. Trust me been there.

Just be sure you get everything tight when you put it back together. Did you put the right de-capping pin back in it? I like Lee dies also, What I don't like about them Is that if you break a de-capping pin they are now a expensive paper weight, because you can't change out the pin without trashing the die. That is why I still use the RCBS. I like the functionalilty of the lee better though

If everthing is tight you should be having no problems. Is the cases you are using military brass? If so, You could be trying to deprime cases that have the primer crimp or they could be berdan primed cases. I have succesfully deprimed cases with primer crimp if I take it slow and steady. Some cases the primer comes out rather easily and others will break your decapping pin everytime no matter what you do. I would almost bet this is your problem. A Lee Die wouldnt do you any better if this is the cause of your problems.

FWIW.....I have inadvertantly deprimed a 5.56 berdan primed case by pushing the anvil out of the primer pocket. Of course i didnt realize thats what i was doing. I dont suggest it as a general practice unless you have access to lots of decapping pins.

As I recall, last time I fought this, the stem it self is bent, especially if you ever tried to de cap import brass. It does not take much to make the pin hit the edge of the hole, especially if you stack the tolerances of a bent stem, and then maybe an off center flash hole, and then maybe not have the case all the way into the shell holder, its possible to be 10 or 15 thousanths out.

There are two sizes of pins, (on RCBS) or at least used too be. but I dont recall them even coming close to working or fitting unless the correct one was being used.

The threaded stem itself is not heat treated to any great degree, another way to bend one is too have it too far down, the case actually hits the expanding button which of course holds the pin itself.

Bout the only way to get it in tight enough to last much time, is to use pliers on the button it self. Now, not on the expander part of the button, just on the bottom third where its knurled, or cross hatched as some might call it. Getting up on the expansion button portion will of course scar and mar it, basically ruining it.

Most if not all die sets if used enough, will sooner or later show vise grip or plier marks somewhere on them.
The threading does look a little rough on the stems, I think thats cause they slit them after threading, and its on a bit of taper as well.

I think I have used all of them with the exception of Forester, and they all have some little on occasion headache, where a guy has to think a little bit to have the best success.

And yes, primers not wanting to reseat easily, is an indication of still being crimp in place. Not all crimps are equal, some barely there, others are really swaged.

James wrote:

Nope, no berdan primers in this batch. They all deprime fairly easy, but am running into a few that the new primers don't want to go back in cause the hole is smaller, but that isn't what is causing the problem with the RCBS. When the first de-primer tip broke i got some new tips and put a new one in. After a hundred or so the part that holds the de-primer worked loose and came off inside a casing. I finally got it out and put it back on the rod but it looked like the threading was sloppy. I snugged it down as good as i could and did about a hundred more, then it came apart again. Looks like i need to get the whole rod and all now. Was just wondering if this was a known problem with RCBS.

Primers not wanting to go back in is a good indication of a crimped primer pocket. Anyways, email RCBS and they will send you a new decapping rod assembly free of charge.....at least they did for me anyways.

James wrote:

Sorry Remington your wrong there, you can change the de-capping pin in a Lee die. I have 5 extra pins for the Lee die. Last time i ordered from MidwayUSa i ordered them. Problem is i no longer have a Lee die!! Will have to order another one. I bought the RCBS die cause i could get it here local, but it has given me lots of problems. I have done thousands of rounds with the Lee and only about 500 with the RCBS and yet the RCBS has given me all the trouble.

Huh.... I must of just had a junk die then..Thanks for setting me straight on that.