Resizing loaded ammo
- Thread starter Chick
- Start date
Marco Califo
New member
Pull the bullets.
Salvage components.
Then start over.
Salvage components.
Then start over.
ligonierbill
New member
I did it once with some old Browning 9mm Long ammo. It was partially successful, but I wouldn't do it again. The biggest issue is the neck with a seated bullet, as tangolima stated. For the amount of work involved, my advice, like everyone else's, is pull the bullets.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0007675148/30-06-springfield-body-die
lawyer-speak: Not a recommendation
lawyer-speak: Not a recommendation
stagpanther
New member
Forget it--too many variables beyond just the neck, do it right and start from scratch with the brass properly sized for the different chamber.
Another vote for "Don't even think about it!" 
Sure, if you apply ENOUGH FORCE you could, but you'll be wrecking your ammo. And, crushing a loaded round isn't a good idea.
Think about how your FL sizer die works. Its made to reduce (squeeze) the case down to, or below minimum spec dimensions, on the outside particularly the case neck. Then, after that happens, the expander ball returns the inside of the neck to slightly smaller than the bullet diameter.
What do you think will happen when you push a loaded round into the sizer die with the expander removed? It is not going to just slip all the way in.
With the decapping spindle removed how much clearance is there in your FL die body where the bullet needs to fit??? (above the sizing area??) Take your die body (stem removed) and see if a bullet will drop through it.
IF it won't, then if you run a loaded round into the die, when the bullet hits resistance, its going to either squeeze down, or, more likely stop while the press pushes the case up over it. Neither one is a good thing. Both can wreck your ammo.
IF you actually do squeeze down the bullet, "springback" is a problem. Brass, lead, and copper all have a degree of it, but its different for each metal, and this can result in a bullet that is now too loosely held in the neck, or even the core "loose" in the jacket. And, if the bullet didn't go into the sizing part (remember that the only thing holding the bullet is case neck tension) and stops where the die gets too tight, and you keep going to resize the case, then the bullet winds up seated WAAY too deeply.
Either one damages or destroys the ability of the round to fire safely and accurately and that renders the process pointless, a waste of time, and potentially hazardous. Think of the fun you'll have if you get a loaded round stuck in the die, and tear the case rim off!!
Don't do it.
Pull the bullets (I use an inertia puller), since you loaded the rounds you know what the powder is, so it can be safely reused.
Size the primed case carefully, don't let any case lube get inside where it might contaminate the primer or the powder. Depending on your particular case/die/bullet tolerances, you might need to run the expander through the case necks again. Then TEST the resized case in the chamber of the gun (or more than one gun) for fit, and if good, THEN recharge and powder and reseat the bullets and you should be good to go.
Sure, if you apply ENOUGH FORCE you could, but you'll be wrecking your ammo. And, crushing a loaded round isn't a good idea.
Think about how your FL sizer die works. Its made to reduce (squeeze) the case down to, or below minimum spec dimensions, on the outside particularly the case neck. Then, after that happens, the expander ball returns the inside of the neck to slightly smaller than the bullet diameter.
What do you think will happen when you push a loaded round into the sizer die with the expander removed? It is not going to just slip all the way in.
With the decapping spindle removed how much clearance is there in your FL die body where the bullet needs to fit??? (above the sizing area??) Take your die body (stem removed) and see if a bullet will drop through it.
IF it won't, then if you run a loaded round into the die, when the bullet hits resistance, its going to either squeeze down, or, more likely stop while the press pushes the case up over it. Neither one is a good thing. Both can wreck your ammo.
IF you actually do squeeze down the bullet, "springback" is a problem. Brass, lead, and copper all have a degree of it, but its different for each metal, and this can result in a bullet that is now too loosely held in the neck, or even the core "loose" in the jacket. And, if the bullet didn't go into the sizing part (remember that the only thing holding the bullet is case neck tension) and stops where the die gets too tight, and you keep going to resize the case, then the bullet winds up seated WAAY too deeply.
Either one damages or destroys the ability of the round to fire safely and accurately and that renders the process pointless, a waste of time, and potentially hazardous. Think of the fun you'll have if you get a loaded round stuck in the die, and tear the case rim off!!
Don't do it.
Pull the bullets (I use an inertia puller), since you loaded the rounds you know what the powder is, so it can be safely reused.
Size the primed case carefully, don't let any case lube get inside where it might contaminate the primer or the powder. Depending on your particular case/die/bullet tolerances, you might need to run the expander through the case necks again. Then TEST the resized case in the chamber of the gun (or more than one gun) for fit, and if good, THEN recharge and powder and reseat the bullets and you should be good to go.
Jim Watson
New member
Shoot it in the rifle it came out of.
Load fresh for the other gun.
Load fresh for the other gun.
You must avoid sizing down the neck and bullet .
When you seat a bullet into the neck it expands to fit ... the neck and bullet will be re-sized too small in a regular full length die ... a Body sizing die might work ...
I've never tried a body sizing die so don't know exactly how much room is in the neck area but it will involve buying a body sizing die ...
My solution would be a bullet puller , pull them , catch the powder and bullets and start over with the now primed brass .
I once did 500 - 30-06 AP military rounds with a kinetic bullet puller , still have soime 30 cal AP bullets from that . not hard if you break the military crimp first by seating the bullet a little deeper in the case 1/16" will do it .
Gary
Looks like it works. But I wouldn't buy a body die just for that.
I have bullet puller die. I can pull the bullet without disturbing the powder. Resize the brass with full length sizer in-situ. Reseat the bullet. A turret press will make a smooth process. Safer that way. In a remote occurrence that a live round goes off in a body die, it is going to be a big problem.
-TL
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
I like it
That sounds like a reasonable plan. I am no fan of the inertia bullet pullers except for the occasional one or two rounds. It is pure drudgery to take down a bunch of rounds with that little RCBS "hammer"
A turret press with puller collet and FL sizing die and seating die in place will make quick work of it. Heck I think that leaves you a left over station.
That sounds like a reasonable plan. I am no fan of the inertia bullet pullers except for the occasional one or two rounds. It is pure drudgery to take down a bunch of rounds with that little RCBS "hammer"
A turret press with puller collet and FL sizing die and seating die in place will make quick work of it. Heck I think that leaves you a left over station.
I use the Lyman "orange hammer" and it works well for me, much better than the RCBS collet die I used for years. The hammer will also pull lead bullets without damage, something I could never get a collet die to do.
Once you get the bullet pulled, dump the powder out of the case, size the case empty. IF you don't, I'm confident that at some point, something will bump, jar or otherwise result in some powder "jumping out" of some case(s) creating a spill that would require adding powder to make up for what little got lost to recreate the charge you used. adding more work to the process.
Pull the bullet, dump the powder into a cup/container, FL size the brass, check it in the rifle chamber, then pour the powder back into the case, reseat the bullet and you're done. Do it one round at a time from start to finish.
Yes its tedious, but that will prevent damage to your components and errors affecting more than a single round. Setting up to do it production line style might be useful to you, wouldn't be for me, for what is essentially a one off operation. what I mean is, even if you have several hundred rounds to process, when you're done, you're done and not going to be doing it again, right??
Once you get the bullet pulled, dump the powder out of the case, size the case empty. IF you don't, I'm confident that at some point, something will bump, jar or otherwise result in some powder "jumping out" of some case(s) creating a spill that would require adding powder to make up for what little got lost to recreate the charge you used. adding more work to the process.
Pull the bullet, dump the powder into a cup/container, FL size the brass, check it in the rifle chamber, then pour the powder back into the case, reseat the bullet and you're done. Do it one round at a time from start to finish.
Yes its tedious, but that will prevent damage to your components and errors affecting more than a single round. Setting up to do it production line style might be useful to you, wouldn't be for me, for what is essentially a one off operation. what I mean is, even if you have several hundred rounds to process, when you're done, you're done and not going to be doing it again, right??
georgehwbush
New member
i'm with the rest of you, pull the pills and start over.
that said; the kenetic bullet removal hammer, doesn't work very well on light pills with a factory crimp in a canalure. just saying.
that said; the kenetic bullet removal hammer, doesn't work very well on light pills with a factory crimp in a canalure. just saying.
Well sometimes you just got to bite the bullet (its a natural for this, not laughing at your dilemma, its seriously annoying situation to be in). But you are in a corner and no out.
I have done some things best not done, I am shuddering at trying to resize a loaded round.
As most have noted, pull the bullet and redo or shoot in the other gun and load fresh to the gun in question. Check the size is right with the first 10 rounds with the empty cases.
Yea you don't have to de-cap it, but de bullet and de powder yes.
Hornady makes a pretty good bullet puller with collets for caliber. Ergo, 30 call from 308 to 300 WM can be pulled with the 30 cal collet.
The Kinetic hammers work, well. I use that for one or two and the Hornady for more than 5 with 3-5 a toss up. A pad on the floor helps if you do 4 or more with a Kinetic.
I have done some things best not done, I am shuddering at trying to resize a loaded round.
As most have noted, pull the bullet and redo or shoot in the other gun and load fresh to the gun in question. Check the size is right with the first 10 rounds with the empty cases.
Yea you don't have to de-cap it, but de bullet and de powder yes.
Hornady makes a pretty good bullet puller with collets for caliber. Ergo, 30 call from 308 to 300 WM can be pulled with the 30 cal collet.
The Kinetic hammers work, well. I use that for one or two and the Hornady for more than 5 with 3-5 a toss up. A pad on the floor helps if you do 4 or more with a Kinetic.