Sizing primed 308 brass

H

hammer58

New member
Ok, I am feeling pretty silly right now because I just realized that I primed some 308 brass that evidently I didn't resize first. Must have just gotten them out of order.

My question is this. Is it safe/possible to resize the brass with the new primers still in the case? I am using Lee dies so I should be able to remove the de-capping pin from the die first.

(Excuse my will I put my head back on straight)
 
No problem at all.

I decap before I clean my cases. When I size, I raise the decapping rod as high as I can go, as this results in straighter necks since the case is better supported in the die. This would be another option.

Just don't go crazy removing your sizing lube in a way that could deaden the primer.
 
I agree , not a problem to size a primed case. That's coming from a guy who almost added powder to 30 sized cases without a primer. We all had an O.S. moment.
 
I am using Lee dies so I should be able to remove the de-capping pin from the die first.
Click to expand...

I have Lee dies, I do not use them but I have them JIC (just in case). My lee sizing does have a collet/choke nut that secures the primer assemble. Now for the complicated part, removing the primer punch from the assemble. Now there should be another option like raising the assemble to prevent the primer from being punched while at the same time allow the neck expander to expand the neck after sizing.

F. Guffey
 
"...remove the de-capping pin..." That'll do nicely. Also one of the least persnickety things to set up again.
"...gotten them out of order..." Plastic bins, 2 from a dollar store. One for unprocessed. The other for processed.
 
Since I decap and size at the same time, I've never primed brass before sizing. I have tho....primed cases before flaring or belling. In those cases, I just flare as usual. I assume the same would hold true for sizing after priming.
 
I de-prime my cases before I clean them and I usually have them in bags that are marked reminding me of what stage they are in. Somehow I missed these. This weekend I'll back off the de-capping pin and give that a try. Worst case I guess I could lose a few cases.....
 
I think it's easier to remove the de-capping pin. In fact, if you're using boattail bullets, you may not need an expander at all.
 
Depending on what type of dies you have, you may be able to just remove the depriming pin and leave the expander there.
 
With the design of the Lee dies, will you be able to pull the stem up far enough to not push the primers out and still get the benefit of the expander?
 
Remove the decaping pin from the expanding rod assembly
( on a Lee rod I cut the pin off the rod and purchased
a new rod for latter, they are not expensive )

I resized 880 rounds of surplus ammo with live primers that had
a powder charge that varied 2.8gr ( the ammo is good now )
 
Well, I raised the de-capping pin about a half inch and resized all the brass with no problems.

Nice to know that works:)
 
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