What to do with F'd up ammo?

[earthquake]

I messed up. I ordered a barrel last Fall and it didn't arrive in time for my match this past weekend. So I spun on an old barrel from my 2020 match season. I only shot one 1/2-day match in 2021 due to a lot of reasons, and I sold that barrel. Fast forward to this year. My die was set for the 2021 barrel and I forgot about it, loaded up 200+ rounds for the match using an older barrel. I did do a function/chamber check on a resized piece, but apparently it wasn't enough.

Day-1 of the match was a bitch trying to close and open my bolt. I had to pound it closed just about every time. It became such an issue that I didn't attend day-2 since it was becoming a safety issue.

Now I have 117 rounds of ammo I can't shoot. The 2021 barrel was a Proof shouldered prefit, and that was the last time I used this sizing die. The 2020 barrel is a PVA Rock Creek. I need to bump the shoulders back on all this brass.

I will pull the bullets/powder, but is it safe to bump brass with live primers? I'm going to wait until the new barrel arrives to see if this stuff fits that first. I'd just rather not punch live primers out if I can help it. Any other thoughts? Thanks.

 

[rustyinbend]

In similar situations with a required change, I've FL sized and bumped shoulders with primers in on multiple occasions. Be gentle, and wear safety glasses, and it's not a problem. BTW ... don't forget to remove the decapping pin and sizing ball if still in the sizing die.

 

[JMayo]

I'd take out the pin and bushing and bump the shoulders. No big deal.

 

[rustyinbend]

I'd take out the pin and bushing and bump the shoulders. No big deal.

Take out the pin ... but you can leave the bushing if you want. I'd leave it in to reset the neck tension to your preferred user setting.

 

[rustyinbend]

When you take out the pin, if you leave the bushing, make sure you put the pin-holding-ring in to set the bushing correctly.

 

[earthquake]

Hmmm ... I just took the barrel off and found this after spraying cleaner on n there and wiping it down:

Maybe something got in there and stuck on the lugs?

Did I ruin this action?!

 

[earthquake]

Closeup

 

[pfl338]

Whats the back side of the bolt lugs look like? If they are GTG you might get away with lapping.

 

[Codiekfx400]

That damage was probably done from forcing the bolt closed and galling the lugs.

 

[supercorndogs]

If you have a bushing die, its no problem to remove the decapper and bushing and lube and size the loaded ammo.

 

[spife7980]

Take out the pin ... but you can leave the bushing if you want. I'd leave it in to reset the neck tension to your preferred user setting.

Youre going to have a hell of a time getting that bushing to compress a solid bullet.

This is how you end up with a swaged 5.7 dasher instead of a 6

OP, if its a bushing die, gut it entirely and use it as a body die. If its not then buy a body die. Lube em good and take it SLOW and dont fight it.
Or pull em and take it all the way down.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Lugs are galled, do you lube the bolt lugs? No lube and forcing the bolt closed will do that.
Check the bolt lugs also.
Send it to the mfg they should be able to clean that up depending on how deep the galling is.

 

[CK1.0]

If you have a bushing die, its no problem to remove the decapper and bushing and lube and size the loaded ammo.

Now that takes balls lol. Please don't do this.

Will it work, yeah, theoretically... but there's a whole lot of downside. A hole in the ceiling and ears ringing is probably best-case if shit doesn't go right. Shit blows up in your fucking face and fucking kills you is probably more likely.

Pull the bullets and powder, bump them with the primers in while wearing ear and eye pro, and put them back together: not nearly as scary and/or potentially catastrophically dumb if it doesn't go right.

 

[Oryx]

117 ads of Ammo isn't really a lot. just fix it and move on.

 

[NukeMMC]

BTDT - pull the bullets, dump the powder. No decap pin and FL size to the correct shoulder bump. Re-load the ammo.

 

[supercorndogs]

Now that takes balls lol. Please don't do this.

Will it work, yeah, theoretically... but there's a whole lot of downside. A hole in the ceiling and ears ringing is probably best-case if shit doesn't go right. Shit blows up in your fucking face and fucking kills you is probably more likely.

Pull the bullets and powder, bump them with the primers in while wearing ear and eye pro, and put them back together: not nearly as scary and/or potentially catastrophically dumb if it doesn't go right.

Sizing loaded ammo is not dangerous. i can guarantee you I am not the only one here that has done it before. As this discussions comes up every time sizing loaded ammo comes up, and someone claims its dangerous.

Lube it size it, tumble it, shoot it. Makes sure you size it right next time before you load it.

Go find a thread where someone set off a round pulling bullets.

Now go find a thread where someone set one off sizing ammo......

 

[308pirate]

Hmmm ... I just took the barrel off and found this after spraying cleaner on n there and wiping it down:

View attachment 7812577

Maybe something got in there and stuck on the lugs?

View attachment 7812578
View attachment 7812579


Did I ruin this action?!

IDK about ruined but it's certainly fucked with serious galling on one of the lug abutments.

Send it back. Trying to fix that yourself is likely not going to end well.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Just resize the loaded ammo with a stripped down bushing die. Shit happens, I've resized ammo that way when I had to. The shell holder doesn't contact the primer, you'll be OK.

 

[Steel head]

Youre going to have a hell of a time getting that bushing to compress a solid bullet.

This is how you end up with a swaged 5.7 dasher instead of a 6

OP, if its a bushing die, gut it entirely and use it as a body die. If its not then buy a body die. Lube em good and take it SLOW and dont fight it.
Or pull em and take it all the way down.

This!

Trying it with a bushing is a great way to start a “I got a loaded cartridge stuck in my die” thread.

If it’s a mild bump shouldn’t have to worry about neck being disturbed much.

 

[supercorndogs]

I imagine the person who said leave the bushing in, intended him to pull down the rounds. If I pulled the bullets, I would hit the necks again.