Tempus Tom
Member
I have a few hundred .308 cases that I've picked up in the desert over the last couple years.
After purchasing a new Savage Axis II .308 rifle from Walmart, I picked out 50 Federal cases from my stash and full length resized them. However, I'm a total moron and grabbed the wrong shell holder. Ya know.....cause its hard to grab the shell holder in the Lee box sitting next to the die.
Due to my stupidity, the shoulders were brought back too far. When I compare to a new, unfired Federal .308 loaded cartridge, my resized shoulders are as much as .010 shorter (some are less).
How short is too short? Is having a shoulder .005 shorter than brand new cartridges too short? How about .010? That seems like a big problem to me but I'm not a headspace expert. Usually, I just use the correct shell holder and all is well.
Is there a safe way to fire form these back or are they relegated to the recycling pile at this point? I'd imagine some trail boss could potentially offer a low pressure means of reforming the brass? While I don't have any trail boss, I'm a patient person and can wait until this shortage ends if that's what it takes to safely reform them.
I hate wasting components, but I also don't like injuring myself, my children or damaging my firearms.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you.
After purchasing a new Savage Axis II .308 rifle from Walmart, I picked out 50 Federal cases from my stash and full length resized them. However, I'm a total moron and grabbed the wrong shell holder. Ya know.....cause its hard to grab the shell holder in the Lee box sitting next to the die.
Due to my stupidity, the shoulders were brought back too far. When I compare to a new, unfired Federal .308 loaded cartridge, my resized shoulders are as much as .010 shorter (some are less).
How short is too short? Is having a shoulder .005 shorter than brand new cartridges too short? How about .010? That seems like a big problem to me but I'm not a headspace expert. Usually, I just use the correct shell holder and all is well.
Is there a safe way to fire form these back or are they relegated to the recycling pile at this point? I'd imagine some trail boss could potentially offer a low pressure means of reforming the brass? While I don't have any trail boss, I'm a patient person and can wait until this shortage ends if that's what it takes to safely reform them.
I hate wasting components, but I also don't like injuring myself, my children or damaging my firearms.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you.
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