I have about 80 rounds that I loaded for my 700P before I sent it to GA Precision to be rebarreled that I forgot about. The rounds do not fit the new chamber. To get the old rounds to chamber I would need to bump the shoulder .005. I have a Redding s type match full length sizing die that I can use to bump the shoulder back by removing the decapping rod and bushing. Would it be dangerous to bump the shoulder of a loaded round? I did try it with a dummy round and it did work with out any pressure on the case wall. The ony pressure that was felt was on the shoulder. I dont want to do something stupid and have a round go off.
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Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
i would pull them
i would pull them
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
You aren't going to set it off.
I have heard of guys successfully doing it as you describe, but I do not have any firsthand experience with it. If you are worried about it, it's always safer to pull them down and start over, but if I was in your shoes I would do it CAREFULLY.
You aren't going to set it off.
I have heard of guys successfully doing it as you describe, but I do not have any firsthand experience with it. If you are worried about it, it's always safer to pull them down and start over, but if I was in your shoes I would do it CAREFULLY.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
Firsthand experience with a few hundred rounds I just didn't want to break down.
I had to use a body die, because the loaded rounds just won't fit into the neck region of a regular die with a bullet in the neck.
There's really nothing going on which would light up the round.
Now, if you put a tiny steel ball bearing of maybe .05 right in the middle of the shellholder, and could fit/keep it under the round while it's in there, and THEN slammed the ram up, you might be able to get a primer to fire I'd guess (note that special word) that you might be able to get 1 out of 10 or 25 to fire. Because the die is just like a chamber, any round lighting up would have full confinement and would be expected to generate some impressive pressure really, really fast.
So, my experience reloader "spidey sense" says that there's hardly any likely way a round could get fired while being bumped back, but if one ever did, it would be catastrophic. I have no idea whether the steel of our reloading dies is suitable for use as a chamber, or is too brittle, or is too soft (I have reasons to doubt too soft).
As for my experience, just remember the joke about the hitchhiker and the driver who slammed on the brakes when they finally reached a green light. I might be that driver's brother-in-law....
Firsthand experience with a few hundred rounds I just didn't want to break down.
I had to use a body die, because the loaded rounds just won't fit into the neck region of a regular die with a bullet in the neck.
There's really nothing going on which would light up the round.
Now, if you put a tiny steel ball bearing of maybe .05 right in the middle of the shellholder, and could fit/keep it under the round while it's in there, and THEN slammed the ram up, you might be able to get a primer to fire I'd guess (note that special word) that you might be able to get 1 out of 10 or 25 to fire. Because the die is just like a chamber, any round lighting up would have full confinement and would be expected to generate some impressive pressure really, really fast.
So, my experience reloader "spidey sense" says that there's hardly any likely way a round could get fired while being bumped back, but if one ever did, it would be catastrophic. I have no idea whether the steel of our reloading dies is suitable for use as a chamber, or is too brittle, or is too soft (I have reasons to doubt too soft).
As for my experience, just remember the joke about the hitchhiker and the driver who slammed on the brakes when they finally reached a green light. I might be that driver's brother-in-law....
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
This can be done CAREFULLY the decision is up to you!!!
This can be done CAREFULLY the decision is up to you!!!
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
No problem with a body die.
Don
No problem with a body die.
Don
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
There aren't any safety concerns in bumping shoulders on loaded rounds anymore that priming or seating bullets. Think about it!
There aren't any safety concerns in bumping shoulders on loaded rounds anymore that priming or seating bullets. Think about it!
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
I have done it with a redding full length neck bushing die with decaping pin and bushing removed, no problems. just re lubed case and went slowly, and they chambered like a new round.
I figured the same thing, go slow with lube (thats what she said) shouldn't generate heat, and theres nothing to hit the primer so seemed safe to me.
I have done it with a redding full length neck bushing die with decaping pin and bushing removed, no problems. just re lubed case and went slowly, and they chambered like a new round.
I figured the same thing, go slow with lube (thats what she said) shouldn't generate heat, and theres nothing to hit the primer so seemed safe to me.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
I have done it many times at the range for other people and a few times for myself with no problems.
Manufacturers of body dies don't reccomend it for insurance reasons.
Its no big deal. I have whacked a loaded round with a hammer until the case was so squashed that the powder pressure popped the bullet out and it never went bang . Although I was kind of scared doing it .
Ammunition is safer than your gas BBQ .
I have done it many times at the range for other people and a few times for myself with no problems.
Manufacturers of body dies don't reccomend it for insurance reasons.
Its no big deal. I have whacked a loaded round with a hammer until the case was so squashed that the powder pressure popped the bullet out and it never went bang . Although I was kind of scared doing it .
Ammunition is safer than your gas BBQ .
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
I've done it with a body die too. Be sure the lube carefully, I have no clue how you would get one out if you happened to stick one.
I've done it with a body die too. Be sure the lube carefully, I have no clue how you would get one out if you happened to stick one.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
While I know it can be done, better not to risk your press and dies. Pull the bullets, dump the powder, and then resize with a body or full length sizer die (without stem installed). Then reload them.
Small price to pay for being a smart and safe reloader.
While I know it can be done, better not to risk your press and dies. Pull the bullets, dump the powder, and then resize with a body or full length sizer die (without stem installed). Then reload them.
Small price to pay for being a smart and safe reloader.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
How is it unsafe???
How is it unsafe???
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
We're talking about .002" for pete's sake.
We're talking about .002" for pete's sake.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: michael.tx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've done it with a body die too. Be sure the lube carefully, I have no clue how you would get one out if you happened to stick one. </div></div>
If one got stuck you should be able get a hold of the bullet and pull it out then empty the powder and tap it out with a flat punch.
I would only be concerned if doing it to ammo with crimped bullets. They might be hard to pull out by hand.
It depends how much of the shank of the bullet protrudes out of the die. My body dies allow most of the bullet to protrude so I could even use a collet bullet puller if required.
Generaly very little sizing has to be done because loaded ammo should already have had some resizing done before loading or at least be only getting a bit tight for the chamber they have to go back into.
I would polish up the brass with fine steel wool . Wipe it off and lube it up well as others have said.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: michael.tx</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've done it with a body die too. Be sure the lube carefully, I have no clue how you would get one out if you happened to stick one. </div></div>
If one got stuck you should be able get a hold of the bullet and pull it out then empty the powder and tap it out with a flat punch.
I would only be concerned if doing it to ammo with crimped bullets. They might be hard to pull out by hand.
It depends how much of the shank of the bullet protrudes out of the die. My body dies allow most of the bullet to protrude so I could even use a collet bullet puller if required.
Generaly very little sizing has to be done because loaded ammo should already have had some resizing done before loading or at least be only getting a bit tight for the chamber they have to go back into.
I would polish up the brass with fine steel wool . Wipe it off and lube it up well as others have said.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JustForFun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Would there be a concern about whether or not this is a compressed powder load and potentially causing a change in OAL? </div></div>
I agree , if its a very compressed powder load then the bullet could move forward. Thats something the owner has to know and deal with. Generaly few loads are compressed loads.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JustForFun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Would there be a concern about whether or not this is a compressed powder load and potentially causing a change in OAL? </div></div>
I agree , if its a very compressed powder load then the bullet could move forward. Thats something the owner has to know and deal with. Generaly few loads are compressed loads.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 918v</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How is it unsafe??? </div></div>
Its no more unsafe than seating primers and how many of them go off.
Hell I have been handloading for 45 years and I have never had a single primer go off during seating.
I made my first body die back in the 60'ies way before Redding brought them out. I have sized many loaded rounds and it is quite safe as long as you take normal sizing precautions such as clean cases and good lube.
Its fairly hard to jamb a tapered case in a body die beacuse there is no neck friction . As soon as the case moves a small amount back its free of the die . With a clean case and some good lube like RCBS it is not a worry.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 918v</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How is it unsafe??? </div></div>
Its no more unsafe than seating primers and how many of them go off.
Hell I have been handloading for 45 years and I have never had a single primer go off during seating.
I made my first body die back in the 60'ies way before Redding brought them out. I have sized many loaded rounds and it is quite safe as long as you take normal sizing precautions such as clean cases and good lube.
Its fairly hard to jamb a tapered case in a body die beacuse there is no neck friction . As soon as the case moves a small amount back its free of the die . With a clean case and some good lube like RCBS it is not a worry.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
I got 1000 rounds of 223 reloads at the gun show 10 years ago.
My para ordnance AR15 pistol had a very tight chamber, and the reloads jammed half way in.
I took a Lee RGB .223 die set and ground the neck off the sizing die.
I lubed and resized the loaded ammo and it worked.
I had never heard of a bump die then, but I think that is what I was doing.
===================================
Glad to see 918V posting on the internet.
The average IQ of the WWW just increased
I got 1000 rounds of 223 reloads at the gun show 10 years ago.
My para ordnance AR15 pistol had a very tight chamber, and the reloads jammed half way in.
I took a Lee RGB .223 die set and ground the neck off the sizing die.
I lubed and resized the loaded ammo and it worked.
I had never heard of a bump die then, but I think that is what I was doing.
===================================
Glad to see 918V posting on the internet.
The average IQ of the WWW just increased
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
I seriously doubt that bumping the shoulder .005" would have any major effects on load density percentage. As for how to go about it, my primary concern would be to ensure that there was no interference between the neck and die with the bullet already seated. However, with no control over the neck, I wouldn't want to make any bets about the round's resulting concentricity.
Greg
I seriously doubt that bumping the shoulder .005" would have any major effects on load density percentage. As for how to go about it, my primary concern would be to ensure that there was no interference between the neck and die with the bullet already seated. However, with no control over the neck, I wouldn't want to make any bets about the round's resulting concentricity.
Greg
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
I just had to do this to 30 loaded rounds myself. I have RCBS FL dies and I took the de-capping pin out and lubed REAL good and resized the primed brass. Again take the decaping pin out.
I just had to do this to 30 loaded rounds myself. I have RCBS FL dies and I took the de-capping pin out and lubed REAL good and resized the primed brass. Again take the decaping pin out.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
STOP!
You cannot do this with standard dies. Only with bushing dies with the bushing removed.
STOP!
You cannot do this with standard dies. Only with bushing dies with the bushing removed.
Re: Bumping the shoulder on a loaded round
.....what he said.
I have no problems with using a body or bushing dies(minus bushing) to do this....but have not had the need for many years. I see it as safer than seating since seating is a much greater volume reduction. Also in the highly unlikely event of ignition, a seating die would allow pressure to build where a body die would not. If ignition occurs, I would rather be using a body die.
.....what he said.
I have no problems with using a body or bushing dies(minus bushing) to do this....but have not had the need for many years. I see it as safer than seating since seating is a much greater volume reduction. Also in the highly unlikely event of ignition, a seating die would allow pressure to build where a body die would not. If ignition occurs, I would rather be using a body die.
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