So I had a brain fart while reloading last night and seated .312 bullets in 30-06 cases. I've pulled the bullets no problem there but I don't have neck tension on .308 bullets. Any hacks of how to fix my problem without FL resizing again? I do not have a bushing die so that's not an option. Would pulling the decapper out and running them through my sizer work? Thankfully I discovered my error when cleaning up the bench and not at the range. I'm not sure what the results would have been on the first trigger pull. I assume they wouldn't have chambered and it would have been uneventful.
Oops
- Thread starter fwm
- Start date
Licensed to kill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Peace Country Alberta
Yes. I resize all my brass without the decapping pin installed. I deprime all of my brass with a universal depriming tool before resizing.
I would be concerned about lubing the necks and getting this inside the primers though.
I would be concerned about lubing the necks and getting this inside the primers though.
If u remove the capping pin AND sizing ball and FL resize, you will end up “over” sizing and you will have higher neck tension if you are able to seat bullets.
If u can resize with the pin removed but the ball in place you will be fine.
Better yet, resize with the die only and set neck tension with mandrels.
If u can resize with the pin removed but the ball in place you will be fine.
Better yet, resize with the die only and set neck tension with mandrels.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
OP - understand how normal sizing dies work - the die will squish the neck from outside to be too small inside - the expander ball is inside the case - it will "expand" the case neck to correct size as it is withdrawn. Other kinds of dies will deal with the issue differently, but "normal" sizing dies will oversize cases from outside and rely on diameter of expander ball to end up at correct case neck diameter.
I have reloaded several thousands rounds over the years and have never lubed the exterior case necks or the expander ball - except when forcing one size case into another size case - like turning a 308 Win case into a 243 Win case. Is probable that the small amount of carbon from previous firing provides adequate lubrication for expander ball on the inside of the neck - it might be totally different, if the cases were tumbled squeaky clean on inside, first.
USA Gun writer John Barsness was on the search for minimal run-out of his brass - he discovered that he got straighter cases from "normal" dies by removing the expander rod completely - resizing the brass in the die, then re-inserting the expander rod and expanding the case neck by running the expander INTO that case, instead of pulling it OUT - so that becomes an option for you as well. But your lack of neck tension means that you ARE going to have to re-size those necks.
I have reloaded several thousands rounds over the years and have never lubed the exterior case necks or the expander ball - except when forcing one size case into another size case - like turning a 308 Win case into a 243 Win case. Is probable that the small amount of carbon from previous firing provides adequate lubrication for expander ball on the inside of the neck - it might be totally different, if the cases were tumbled squeaky clean on inside, first.
USA Gun writer John Barsness was on the search for minimal run-out of his brass - he discovered that he got straighter cases from "normal" dies by removing the expander rod completely - resizing the brass in the die, then re-inserting the expander rod and expanding the case neck by running the expander INTO that case, instead of pulling it OUT - so that becomes an option for you as well. But your lack of neck tension means that you ARE going to have to re-size those necks.
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You can just unscrew the decap rod until the pin is inside the die body. You don't need to take the pin out. You can unscrew the die a couple of turns as well, so you're not bumping the shoulder. Or invest in a neck sizing die.
Yes, removing the deep pin will work but you still need the expander ball and now you have the problem of removing the lube from primed cases without potentially damaging the primers.
Nothing would have happened had you chambered and fired those rounds. The .310 bullets would just swage down a couple of extra thou and you wouldn't even notice.
The real solution to your problem is a Lee Factory Crimp Die in .30 cal.
OR one could just buy a Redding S-type Bushing die and remove the expander ball altogether.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
^ and buy a shaving tool to cut the brass in the neck to precise thickness so that S-type die will result in correct size case neck inside. Many ways to get from here to there ...
Fixed. I messed around a bit at the beginning trying to get the decapper/expander in the right spot. Ended up just completely resizing as I normally would. It was only 20 rounds so not a huge deal. My dies are Lee so I can’t remove just the pin. Being frugal I reused the primers. I doubt it will be a problem. They are just plinking rounds.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I looked at several Lee Factory crimp dies here - I think they only work the leading edge of the case mouth - they do not appear to re-size the case neck over it's length - so perhaps to make something go "bang" a LFCD might work when oversized bullets had been seated and then pulled - but that will only be relying on the very front edge of the case neck, I think.Yes, removing the deep pin will work but you still need the expander ball and now you have the problem of removing the lube from primed cases without potentially damaging the primers.
Nothing would have happened had you chambered and fired those rounds. The .310 bullets would just swage down a couple of extra thou and you wouldn't even notice.
The real solution to your problem is a Lee Factory Crimp Die in .30 cal.
Uhhhhhh ...... you do understand how a bushing die works right?
You measure the thickness of the neck and then choose the correct bushing size to give the desired neck tension. No need to ream or turn the neck to a specific thickness..
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I thought that I understood, but maybe I do not - I believe the various sized bushings press against the outside of case neck to re-size the inside case neck diameter - supposedly, that is "more accurate" than a "standard" system - but then both actually assume that the brass in the neck is the same thickness all the way around the neck. My own experience with Remington new brass is that they are not.
