Can I Resize Loaded Ammo?

[Commander Crusty]

Is there a way or a tool that can safely re-size or taper LOADED ammunition?

When my dad died, he left me several thousand rounds of loaded .45 ACP ammunition--thanks dad! The problem is that these rounds are over sized and won't fit in the chamber of my new M&P 45. They get halfway in and get stuck. I can tap the slide closed, but then the brass dribbles out and falls down the empty magazine well.

I'm not a reloader, but at almost a buck a shot, I could afford some type of tool to make this ammo useful again. Thank you.

 

[rcmodel]

No, you can't resize loaded ammo in a sizing die without squishing the bullet too.

Your only recourse now is a Lee FCD die and a reloading press.
It will size the case enough to make them chamber, but may squish the bullets too if they are that much over-size.

I can tap the slide closed, but then the brass dribbles out and falls down the empty magazine well.

Say What??


rc

 

[Sam1911]

Agreed with RC. The Lee Factory Crimp die in .45 ACP will size the whole cartridge down far enough to make them fit. I use it for all my .45 ACP competition ammo and have never had one fail to chamber. It does take a little effort getting some of those .451"-.452" cast bullets through it, especially in new or thicker brass.

You'll need a press, though.

But, seeing as you should start reloading now instead of waiting to figure that out later, that's not a bad thing!

-Sam

 

[rondog]

Buy a new Lee Classic Turret press, and a 4-die set of .45 dies. You'll get the Factory Crimp Die with that set, and be ready to start reloading all those cases you're going to empty out soon!

 

[MMCSRET]

Please keep in mind that when we, here, speak of a "Lee Factory Crimp Die" for hand gun we really mean "Carbide Crimp Die", to stay exactly with "LEE" terminology, and not promote confusion.
Good shooting!!!

 

[The Bushmaster]

Funny...Mine came in a package marked "Factory Crimp Die".

Yeh...What about that? "...brass dribbles out an falls down the empty magazine well."

 

[wally]

Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die is how its referred to at MidwayUSA.com It should solve your problem assuming the rounds OAL is OK.

I on occasion have run rounds through the seater again to reduce the OAL a bit followed by the FCD. Won't be the most accurate ammo, but shooting them for plinking sure beats pulling bullets.

Be very careful, my father-in-law left me a his reloads, and while I was grateful, he continued to reload way past the time he should have quit for eyesight and cognitive issues. I had a lot of squibs in the ammo he left me. I wasn't too worried about doubles as he used Unique which overflows a case if double charged.

--wally.

 

[armoredman]

Use the FCD, or better yet, pull the bullets, get rid of the powder, and start over, customizing the load for YOU gun, and have fun learning how to load!

 

[RSVP2RIP]

It might be possible that there is a little flare left in the case. Look carefully to see if there is a little bell in the mouth of the case where it meets the bullet. If that is the case, you can run them back through the seating die with it turned in a little so it is just begining to taper crimp the mouth into the bullet. Make sure the seating stem is screwed out far enough not to hit the bullet. It's safe to do and I do it with factory ammo I'm going to use for HD, just to be sure there is no lip on the case that would hangup feedin. As far as brass dribbling, you got us all with that one.

 

[Walkalong]

RSVP2RIP may have the easy cheap solution here. Worth a look at least.

 

[Commander Crusty]

Original Poster says:

Thanks for your great suggestions. Sorry for the confusion. I didn't express myself very well there about the brass dribbling out. I should have said that ...

... when feeding from the pistol magazine, the loaded cartridges get stuck halfway into the chamber, but I can push them all the way into the chamber by "tapping" on the back of the slide. Then, after TAKING OUT the loaded magazine (just in case something goes wrong) and FIRING THE GUN, the brass dribbles out the empty magazine well.

i hope that is a bit less confusing.

 

[Wildkow]

I laughed so hard when I read that I think something dribbled down my leg!

 

[ny32182]

I don't know if firing the gun without the magazine is the best idea, and besides, you won't really know if the ammo will run reliably in your gun until you try it. Maybe it will chamber all the way, or chamber often enough to be ok for basic plinking, if the slide is running at full velocity.

 

[243winxb]

the loaded cartridges get stuck halfway into the chamber,

The extractor can cause this also if its putting to much pressure on the case. But taper crimping may just fix your problem. Then there is always the FCD ,Ok for jacketed bullets, maybe not so great for lead. Does you gun have the correct recoil spring installed?