Newbie Question about Bullet Pulling

[jwrowland77]

I am currently working on a reduced recoil load for my daughter and her single shot Rossi .223.

I am using H-4895, R-P cases trimmed to 1.752, CCI 400 primer, Hornady 55gn V-Max. I am using a powder charge of 16.5 per Hodgdons instructions for making a reduced recoil load (called them).

Question is, if I make the OAL to short and need to back it out a tad, can I use my kinetic bullet puller and tap it few times to back it out a bit and then set the bullet to the correct OAL or do I need to completely pull the bullet and start from square one?

I am using an OAL of 2.238. OAL in the book is 2.250, but I know her gun will shoot an OAL of 2.240 safely and with the reduced load I figured the 2.238-2.240 OAL would not cause over pressure. I made a round and the OAL was 2.225 and I wanted to back it out a bit to the 2.238-2.240 OAL.

Any and all advice appreciated.

 

[RedHeadHunter]

If you really want to get a longer OAL, I would pull the bullet and resize the case. The reason is because you will loose neck tension. When you put the new bullet in, it may be loose and fall in the case (worse case) or just have inconsistent tension and cause a loss in accuracy.

You can remove the decapping pin or just remove and reuse the primers. (Just go slow and wear eye protection) I haven't had one go off yet.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I don't see why not.

If you tap it out gently, the bullet has made two trips in and out of the case instead of just one going in.

Even if you overshoot and have to press it back in a little, as long as the case mouth doesn't dig in to the bullet sides I would not be concerned.

Theoretically, of course. If any more expert loaders see something I missed, please post.

Lost Sheep

 

[Pacsd]

Never had much use for those hammer type bullet pullers anyway. Go get a the RCBS puller and collet or other brand, that you use in the press.

 

[RedHeadHunter]

I have made reduced loads for my daughters 243. I got the load data from Guns & Ammo. It was far below any listed load data that I had available. It required a small amount of Nylon pillow stuffing to keep the powder against the primer to prevent pressure spikes.

Here is a link to my page which has some info for the load.
http://pwp.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=204555&ck=

I think the original Guns & Ammo link is gone now but I will try to dig it up on my server. It may have some 223 loads in it. It is always better to have more than one option.

 

[jwrowland77]

Yeah, I had the person that mentors me, tell me to tilt the gun back to make sure the powder is at the primer before firing the gun.

 

[jcwit]

No reason why you couldn't use the Kinetic puller to gently move the bullet forward then reseat it where you wish.

Regarding the pullers themselves, they work great, I have both the Kinetic and a Forester puller. Both have their place, but for your use I use the Kinetic. I've pulled a few thousand rounds in my 50 years of reloading, I'm sure.

I would use some dacron stuffing, available from a fabric store to hold the powder back. It's cheap and better and safer that tipping the barrel back. Use just a small amount, and it will burn up.

 

[osprey176]

You could use Trail Boss to give reduced velocity with nearly full cases.You wouldn't need to mess with fillers.

 

[gamestalker]

I've experienced a rather large velocity and accuracy spread with rounds that I've adjusted OAL on over the years when I didn't resize the neck after. I've never had neck tension problems on those that I have bumped out slightly and then reseated to the desired OAL, just inconsistencies as described above.
GS

 

[Jim Watson]

I have tappety tapped bullets partway out to allow reseating to the desired OAL.
Good enough for plinking and sighting in, at least.

 

[RedHeadHunter]

I have found that using the kinetic bullet puller, you will tap several times with out the bullet moving at all, so you tap a few times more a little harder, still nothing. Try a few times a little harder, then the bullet comes completely out on some of the rounds.

I think you will find it much faster and end up with much better ammo if you just pull them, size the cases and reuse the components. IMHO

 

[kingmt]

Being that it is a single shot, the way it is loaded, & such a light bullet you could get by with it. It isn't a good practice tho because when the bullet is seated the first time as it scratches the brass it creates press from the elasticity of the brass. When you pull the bullet the brass doesn't return to the same size so the next pass you size the brass more & have less press.

I'm not a fan of filler but I have never used that powder. I use one just a little slower then Blue Dot. I have found no difference with the powder in the front of the case & the back. Groups the same & looks the same over the Chrony.