Thread: Sizing loaded ammo?

Here is the part where I get told off!
A while ago I full length sized a heap of 5.56 brass I got from Gunworks and proceeded to load up about 600 with hornady 55 grainers, I made the novice mistake of not trying a few and now none of them will completely chamber in my AR, I don’t have a case gauge but I’m thinking that the shoulder needs more of a bump.

Just wondering what my options are?
I’m totally not interested in pulling all the pills.
Is it possible/safe to resize loaded ammo?

Cheers

Also, does anyone have the likes of a Sheridan cut away case gauge for sale?

ive done it before obviously take the decapping pin out shoulder should be good if you set die up properly

I got the same stuff,( RG L17A2)and had a similar problem in that being a newbie, I hadn't trimmed them to length and they were too long to chamber.

You might wanna check that as well as the shoulder.

I use a wilson case gauge. It tells you very simply and easily whether your case is out of spec, or too long.

What you could do is buy a RCBS trim die, these dies will put the shell back to factory specs. I used them in 30 06 and 308 when we were using semi autos so we had no issues with tight rounds. Ideally you should do the trimming , sizing etc before you load them but you can do them when loaded. A friend had a heap of 308 shells he had FL resized but would still not close the bolt on his rifle until I ran them all through the trim die. Make sure you use a little lube as you would for FL sizing so you don't get any stuck shells in the die. This should work fine for your problem.

I wonder what it would do to the neck, trying to squeeze it smaller with a projectile in it.
A shoulder bump might be okay, but if it turns out the cases are over-length like Max had they may clamp on the projectile in the chamber drastically raising pressure (and risk!).

Sizing them in a standard FL die will stuff the bullet the neck is sized about .005" under bullet diameter,
Best solution is to use a Redding body die bumps the shoulder back and sizes the base with out touching the neck
I use it as the last step on my Dillon 550 when loading .223"s

a bullet pulling collet die is pretty cheap, or buy a hammer type. probably best to be safe than sorry.....

Cool, yep it’s the RG brass, I’ll check lengths first, I didn’t think of that with them being only once fired.
I think I have a 223 body die, I’ll keep you posted on results.
Cheers

If yours are anything like mine then they've been through AR'S and LMG'S, and been battered about pretty hard.

You won't want to read it, but I suspect you'll have to pull' em in the end. (as I had to)

If you do decide to, Hornady make a camlock bullet puller die. I would'nt muck about with anything less.

I have a hammer (Inertia) puller but would not want to do 600.
Eye muffs and eye protection!!

I would suggest, in my humble opinion
1. most likely the base will not be sized down enough assuming you are using regular dies not "small base" ones.
2. Buy one of these JP Gase Guage If it fits in this it will fit in your AR

I’ve got hold of a small base sizer so will try that.
I’ll also check some lengths, but the bolt is a millimeter or two from closing so I think it’s more than that.
Does anyone here have a case gauge for sale before I order one?
Cheers

Originally Posted by robh500

I’ve got hold of a small base sizer so will try that.
I’ll also check some lengths, but the bolt is a millimeter or two from closing so I think it’s more than that.
Does anyone here have a case gauge for sale before I order one?
Cheers

I would bet it the base is the issue. use a marker to colour the base right round and 1/2 inch up and try chambering should show where its sticking if its the base

Ok 12 posts in and not been told off yet

FL size ten and shoot them. May save you time and money.

It will crimp the bullets rather hard as shooternz says, but, then again, they may obturate quite well, what with what is a very tight crimp. No way of telling until you try.

Wear eye protection.