I have quite a few 223s that will not chamber because of a problem with my fl sizer. I just got a redding body die, would it be terribly unwise to lube the rounds and bump the shoulder without pullung the bullets and removing the powder?

quote:

Originally posted by michael.tx:
I have quite a few 223s that will not chamber because of a problem with my fl sizer. I just got a redding body die, would it be terribly unwise to lube the rounds and bump the shoulder without pullung the bullets and removing the powder?

Personally, the only thing I would ever do with live ammo other than shoot it is pull the bullet and unload it.

How have you determined exactly what the problem is with chambering the ammo? You sure the necks aren't too long? Bullet not seated out too far? Just curious.

I've done it for a couple of rifles that had the headspace set longer and then the gun was replaced and I still wanted to use the ammo. I found in some cases you didn't even have to lube the ammo that had been in fl dies and that the downward pressure to body size was no more than seating some bullets. I'm sure the redding lawyers won't say it's a good idea but I would do it again without a hitch.

I've bumped shoulders on primed cases, heck I've even full length sized primed cases with the decapper pin removed and never ever had a round go off.

In fact, the only time I have ever had a primer go off accidentally was reloading some surplus 30-06 cases and didn't completely remove the crimp from a case, it caused the primer to cock sideways and it went off. That was in a Dillon press if anyone is interested.


Having said all of that, I would not and do not monkey with loaded rounds in a press other than to pull the bullets. If you realize that on the one in a gazillion chance the primer goes off accidentally there is almost no way of you not getting injured somehow. Maybe not a blowup but at the minimum all the powder and fire coming out of the top.

Only slightly slower is to pull the bullet in the press with a pair of cutters, dump the powder in the pan, then bump the shoulder and reseat the bullet.

And yeah, I might think otherwise had I NOT had a primer go off on me when it wasn't supposed to, but it did.

Doc: I was using a fl die, with the die down as far as possible, thr press popped a bit when it cammed over, and was VERY difficult to close the bolt in the rifle. I measured the shoulder and found they were .017 longer than factory rounds. I got a new die and the problem went away.

I would.....not scared

I have done this,(sheepishly said). It is a good sign that I wasn't paying close enough attention. Or just plain got complacent with my set up.
The shell holder has a hole in the center so no pressure is placed directly on the primer. But I still was and you should be careful.
My best advice is to check your die set up. Be sure a case will chamber before you commit to sizing your lot of cases. I also now will test chamber my first completed cartridge before I proceede to load up the batch.
It will save time in the long run. As well as frustration.

muck

Thanks everyone, think I'm going to try it. (CAREFULLY)

I had a professional Ordinance AR15 pistol that would not chamber 1000 reloads from the gun show.

So I bought and RGB Lee .223 die set and ground off the neck.
With the tools I have now I could have opened the neck to .250", but that is what I had then, a bench grinder.

That works.

I sold the pistol for $850, bought it for $1000, after I shot it twice. Glad to be rid of it.

Now I have ~ 7 rifles chambered in .223, and the ammo fits in all of them, so I am not resizing any more bodies.

My philosophy is like the old George Carlin joke:

"If you have a $10.00 head, buy a $10.00 Helmet"

I just wouldn't want a round to go off...

Sometimes being safe is time consuming and is a pain in the fanny...

Is the time being saved, worth risking your life? or worth risking something like go off in the press, and face injury lord knows where?

I'd pull the bullets, size them with the body die, and then reassemble..

Or do you have another 223 they might chamber in? My Remingtons have tight chambers, but my Ruger 77 Mk2's are a different story...

stuff that won't chamber in the Remingtons, will chamber in the Rugers with no resistance whatsoever...

You seat bullets over LIVE powder/primer and sometimes the load is compressed......nobody is scared to do this?

Bumping a shoulder of a live round with a proper shell holder is safe.

Got a friend? If it will fit his gun, then swap something.

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
You seat bullets over LIVE powder/primer and sometimes the load is compressed......nobody is scared to do this?

Bumping a shoulder of a live round with a proper shell holder is safe.

Have you EVER got anyone to stop being afraid for more than a few minutes with a cognitive argument?

People have elastic minds, only temporarily changed by logic and facts.

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
You seat bullets over LIVE powder/primer and sometimes the load is compressed......nobody is scared to do this?

Bumping a shoulder of a live round with a proper shell holder is safe.

Have you EVER got anyone to stop being afraid for more than a few minutes with a cognitive argument?

People have elastic minds, only temporarily changed by logic and facts.

You talk fancy

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:

You talk fancy

In 1971 the English professor was 29 and I was 20. She could buy alcohol. We exchanged information.