newbie error, need help picking which option to fix

[dcnyli]

So here's the quick and dirty version, my newly chambered .308 and my FGMM are not cooperating, the lot i got is very tight in my chamber. I did my math wrong on the initial "re-seating" and went too deep on a bunch of round.

I need to do one of three things to either fix it so the unfired rounds are not wasted(i shoot the FGMM and use the fire formed brass to reload with 175g VLDs), or move on and take my lumps…

option 1, use my bullet puller(hammer style) to tap out a bit then reseat. measuring during the process, it's laborious but gets it done
option 2, use my bullet puller and knock out the bullet & powder. pour it back in and reseat <would this require a neck sizing?>
option 3, use my bullet puller and knock out the bullet & powder. just wait till i have my load worked up and reload with VLD&Varget

I was also thinking of cutting a wooden dowel to fit inside my puller, making it the exact length so when I bang out the bullet it stops just beyond where I want to reseat it to, this would make it far quicker then banging and mic'ing repeatedly…

 

[Rob01]

How deep did you seat them? Sierra bullets really aren't very jump sensitive and they may shoot fine. Have you tried them? I would do option 1. It's not very labor intensive and definitely less than having to deal with powder. Just learn how hard to smack the puller and you should be able to give it one smack and then take it out and put it in the seater and done.

Also You might want to check with who chambered the rifle as factory ammo should not be very tight when chambering.

 

[dcnyli]

spoke with my smith and unfortunately(well very fortunately) it is the ammo in this case. I went about .0774 too deep. they sit at 2.7 COAL, i want 2.774

 

[SPEAK338]

That's a hundred thou (.100) deeper than factory. You could use a collet puller die to pull the bullet out that's easier IMHO on rifle rounds

 

[JGorski]

I think your kinetic puller would be easier on the bullets, so just tap them out a bit and seat to 2.8".

 

[Rob01]

spoke with my smith and unfortunately(well very fortunately) it is the ammo in this case. I went about .0774 too deep. they sit at 2.7 COAL, i want 2.774

So he said FGMM was faulty and that's why it won't chamber in your .308? Doesn't sound right to me. Never heard of FGMM not chambering in any rifle. If you can't load that ammo to 2.800" then he short chambered your rifle.

 

[dcnyli]

it loads, but I cannot pull a live round out of the chamber consistently(its into the lands). I don't plan on shooting factory ammo after I blow thru my cases, and will be reloading from there…

actually just finished fixing all the rounds. I used some paper towels to fill up the space in the kinetic puller, I loaded up and compacted them down till after a nice whack I was around 2.8, worked like a charm, kept loading a slice or two of paper as it got looser…

 

[918v]

The last time I used a hammer to pull bullets out of cases primed with FC primers, the priming mix fell out of the primer cup and contaminated the powder.

 

[dcnyli]

i hope that didn't happen, but if it does at least the bullets won't jam now. I plan on testing out these round this week at the range and seeing how they perform

 

[918v]

Get a collet bullet puller. It's the way to go. If you're worried about bullet damage, don't. It doesn't affect accuracy.

 

[dcnyli]

which collet puller do people seem to be happy with, both Hornady&RCBS seem to get good reviews..

 

[918v]

I have the RCBS. Had it for decades. One tip I'd like to share: don't screw it down to touch the shell holder. Screw it down 4-5 turns only. This way you'll have more leverage on the bullet.

 

[dcnyli]

thank you for the info 918V, and everyone who chimed in here. I appreciate it bigtime

 

[KYpatriot]

I agree with Rob...the chamber should not be that short. Even in hand loads you will be getting compressed charges sooner than you should. Why be into the lands that much? You don't have to worry about chasing lands in a 308 that much and smks usually don't mind jumping.

On the other hand, I guess if you shoot a bullet that likes the lands you will be good to go for magazine length rounds for a long time. Did he chamber the rifle for 155 scenars maybe?

 

[Strykervet]

Use the hammer for a small lot, that's fine and likely the best way to go, but I wouldn't put a dowel in the hammer. You could mark the bullet at the brass with a sharpie if need be, and visually identify how far it's come out, then reseat like your option 1.

If you have a lot loaded up, hundred or more, you'll wanna use the collet puller and then seat the bullet again, being careful to not remove any powder when it comes out if you can (otherwise you get to dump it all and start from scratch, reusing the powder and bullets, but weighting it all again). It'll have light pull marks, maybe none if you're careful and if you didn't crimp any, but these won't hinder accuracy much, if at all, particularly at closer ranges. The RCBS collet puller works great, I've even used the .358 rifle puller on plated 9mm bullets and it did a phenomenal job. Light to no marks for the most part, I reused 'em and they shot as well as new plated bullets.

Good luck. When I load, I like to measure up the round and insert the first load into the chamber to see if it works. When you handload and you design loads for particular rifles and get close to the leade/rifling in the barrel, you run the risk of getting TOO close, so better to find that out early on than after loading a bunch.