Newbie question - Re- resizing already loaded cartridges

Pull the decapping pin and then size them again.

Even if you remove the decaying pin, won't it still push the bullet down more or squish it, possibly doing an over crimp? I would be leery of shooting the cartidge than possibly creating to much pressure and blowing up the AR. I am asking because I don't know myself since I have never encountered this problem.

KentM said:

After I pull the bullets and the powder, can I. . . remove the decapping pin and re-size the cases with the primers intact?

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Yes, that's how it's done.

Note: remove the pin, just the pin. You still need the expander ball in there.

I'm looking in my crystal ball.......I see you......in the near future.....beating on a table with an inertia hammer.......

Just pull them and start over

If you feel confident in your case lube you might get away without de-priming the cases. What you definitely want to avoid is getting a case with a live primer stuck in the sizing die. Don't ask me how I know this... (and certainly don't ask how I remedied that situation)

The best way to deal with this is to remove the rod entirely and use an expander mandrel after. If you have a case get stuck with the expander ball rod completely removed getting the case out is easy.

Gotta pull the bullets first. Otherwise even if one can run the loaded round through a sizing die - a feat it itself - the bullet will be severely reduced in diameter by the neck being resized. Not to mention the rod and expander 'ball' will not clear the seated bullet.

Pulling the bullets and powder, then removing the decapping pin should suffice. However, you will have to lube the outside of the case and then remove the lube prior to use.

I would probably run them through a body die. But if you don't have one they are about $40 plus so much stuff is out of stock.

You can do it either way you mentioned. By leaving in the primer you avoid much extra labor. But you need the sizer ball to open up the necks so as mentioned remove the decapper pin. If your dies are Lee then you cant easily remove the pin so you will be decapping them as well. Just go slow and use steady pressure and the primers will all be reusable. This is why I try a couple casings in the firearm to make sure they fit before reloading them.

I usually just raise the decap/expand assembly till the decaping pin dosent touch the primer.
Might lightly lube the neck inside and out every third case or so, but not always.

If you can borrow a body die, you might be able to resize (bump the shoulder) without pulling the bullet.

You do not have to remove the decapping pin just back it off significantly.

What kind I’d crimp did you put on the 100?

I gave the answer for good reason. I loaded up some 7.62x51. Some would chamber in three rifles but not the forth. It had a tight chamber. So those that wouldn't fit, I pulled the bullet and powder, the decapping pin and resized them just a hair more. That did the trick. Then put them back together.

Bummer. I think I'd dry a body die or FCD first. We're they originally sized on a deep base die? when you plunk them, do they drop in to deep? Or just not drop in enough? pulling and resizing is a pain, but may be what you have to do. If you didn't crimp them originally, you can pull all the guts out of the sizing die, you don't need the expanding ball. If you crimped them the first time, you're going to want to remove the pin but leave the neck expanding ball.

You need a Body die like said. Redding S busing die without the bushing. Since you said loaded, the other option is breaking them down. If you use a LFCD it is going to be a lot of work.

Good luck. The easiest option is the Body die.

KentM said:

From the OP
Just to confirm, some of you have safely decapped live primers and reused them?

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That is not a problem. So yes

2. Should I remove the decapping pin and re-size the cases with the primers intact? This is an X-die, if that makes a difference. This option seems to make the most sense.

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Once you pull the bullets and dump powder, that sounds the most logical to me as well.

With the RCBS die you can remove the decapping pin but you are going to want to leave the expander in there.

I would shy away from just raising the entire assembly because if you raise the expander enough it wedges between the case neck and die, you will have a stuck case like few have seen. The expander needs to be down inside the body as the neck is sized.

I have decapped live primers but wouldn’t tell anyone to. Unnecessary work with what you are wanting to do.

Remove the assembly, then the retainer/expander and take out the decapping pin itself, put the expander back on and thread back into the die.



No need to change anything you are just going to have to change back or remove primers your just going to have to put back in. Sounds like .gov reasoning.

KentM said:

From the OP
Just to confirm, some of you have safely decapped live primers and reused them?

Click to expand...

I have decapped a lot of live primers. And reused them if I knew what they were. Just be slow and smooth. I recommend Safety glasses just because. I've never had an issue.

"What is a body die"?
A body die sizes the body and shoulder without touching the neck. The ones I have are made by Redding. Around $40-$45 when they are in stock.

KentM said:

From the OP
What is a body die? Not heard of it before. I have an RCBS small base die and an RCBS small base X-die.
I fear a stuck case with a live primer in it, even though I lube with lanolin, so I’m leaning towards decapping since opinion seems to be that it is safe and the primers will be usable. Maybe try a dozen and see how they fire.

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A body die is just that. It only touches/size the body from the should down. Not touching the neck at all. Loaded rounds just get the body sized leaving everything as it was with the neck and bullet.

Learn something new all the time. Been reloading for 30+ years seen plenty of straight wall handgun bulge-buster type dies. Never seen a body die for a rifle cartridge before. Can think of a few times over the years that would have been really helpful!