Full length sizing question

[mark501w]

Learn something every day!

[M1NM]

For only 250 rounds pull the bullets dump the powder (reuse it) take out your decapping pin and full length resize them. Add powder & bullet = Got Ammo

[J-cat]

I wouldn't want anyone sleeping above your press when you did it

Unless yor press has a firing pin, there is no issue.

[JagerDog]

Correct, a regular F/L die would not work.



You do not swage or undersize the bullet. Like I stated, a standard / regular F/L sizing die will not work. No way you can squeeze a loaded round into the die even if you remove the decapping stem.

A Redding body die does not touch the neck or the seated bullet and only sizes the case below the neck. It will bump the shoulder and size the case body, but doesn't touch the neck.

I also have a Redding body die in 308 Winchester and I can repair a loaded round that hasn't been resized properly.

I've done it quite a bit and haven't stuck a case yet. You just have to be sure to use a good lubricant. I use Imperial wax or Mobil 1 20-50 Synthetic oil on the case and sometimes, the repair is very subtle and requires little sizing force.

The repaired ammo shoots just fine. It can be done. You just need to know what you're doing. I use gauges and measure what the chambering issue is and can repair the problem with the body die.

I usually repair a case here and there, but I did about 50 loaded 223 Remington rounds that didn't get sized, (actually shoulder bumped) enough during the initial sizing.

I concur given the Redding die. I was referring to a standard FL die. If you can even engage a std. die it will be swaging the bullet. I've done it in 45 ACP with cast (before getting a Lee FCD), but wouldn't suggest trying on a jacketed rifle bullet. The pistol FCD swages a little bit, but not near a std. sizing die.

At 250 rounds a special die may not be worth it. Then again kinetic pulling 250 rounds isn't a fun operation. I much prefer the press mounted puller if I have to pull any volume.

[FLIGHT762]

I have body dies in 223 Rem. and 308 Win. I also have Lee Collet dies in these calibers. The body dies give me flexibility to use F/L sized cases every loading (for my gas guns) or I can neck only (in my bolt guns) for a few loadings before F/L sizing again. This combination loads very accurate in my four precision 308 rifles and my two precision 223 rifles.

For me the body dies are worth it, especially the added bonus of the body dies being able to repair a loaded round that doesn't want to chamber.

If you're going to spend your lifetime only loading with a traditional F/L sizing die with an expander ball, the body die may not be for you.

[23's Dad]

Are we sure it's a sizing issue? Maybe a bad crimp? Seating Depth?

OP,
Did you FL resize the cases when you reloaded the ammo, or neck size them?

It probably is a case issue, but you may have a crimp problem or a seating depth issue instead. Some pictures would be helpful, as would a description of your rifle's make and chamber.

Do you have a .223 gage? What is your OAL?

[blockfort]

"So, it's not made to load ammo, it's just made to adjust the shoulder?"

That is an odd question. There is no single die made to "load ammo". Each die performs a specific function, some do several at once, some do just one specific thing, or affect just one part or dimension of the brass.

[five.five-six]

Unless yor press has a firing pin, there is no issue.

Yes, I understand that... but something got in there to set off the primer you would have a SBR

[J-cat]

What would get in there?

"There" is a hollow space into which spent primers fall. A primer needs a hard impact from a firing pin in order to fire. What could possibly fall in there to cause a hard focused impact against the primer?

[Bumslie]

What would get in there?

"There" is a hollow space into which spent primers fall. A primer needs a hard impact from a firing pin in order to fire. What could possibly fall in there to cause a hard focused impact against the primer?

Wizards.