Pulling and replacing bullets - what needs to be done?

[cash_tx]

Hi all. I recently took advantage of Raven Rocks sale on Norma Big Game ammo in 308 Winchester with the 180 grain Swift A-frame bullets. For a couple of the boxes, I want to pull the A-frames for re-use in some of my bigger 30 caliber rifles, and replace them with either some Sierra 150 or 165 grain BTSPs. Once the A-frame bullets are pulled, do I need to do anything else to the case necks before seating the replacement Sierra bullets, or just seat them as I normally would on a freshly charged case? Just wondering if the neck tension gets affected much when pulling the bullet. Btw, I use a press-mounted bullet pulling die, not a kinetic puller.

 

[Wyfox]

You'll still need to resize the necks. Just set the decapping pin high so it doesnt decap your primer, pour powder into a powder pan, resize and proceed as normal. You wont need to lube as your just sizing the neck for neck tension.

 

[cash_tx]

Thanks, that is exactly what I was wondering about; and had envisioned folliwing a procedure along those lines. Is there any reason I couldn't just remove the decapping pin and ball from the die entirely for this step?

 

[Rare Breed]

Hi all. I recently took advantage of Raven Rocks sale on Norma Big Game ammo in 308 Winchester with the 180 grain Swift A-frame bullets. For a couple of the boxes, I want to pull the A-frames for re-use in some of my bigger 30 caliber rifles, and replace them with either some Sierra 150 or 165 grain BTSPs. Once the A-frame bullets are pulled, do I need to do anything else to the case necks before seating the replacement Sierra bullets, or just seat them as I normally would on a freshly charged case? Just wondering if the neck tension gets affected much when pulling the bullet. Btw, I use a press-mounted bullet pulling die, not a kinetic puller.

I have just finished pulling 32 470 NE bullets given my need for a different load. I was amazed at how easy the process is. The following is what I did. Even taking my time all 32 pulled and brass ready for reloading in 15 minutes:
1. Bought RCBS bullet puller for $30. Attaches easily to my Chucker press.
2. Bought the .475 cullet for $12.
3. Followed easy directions for easy pull.
4. Bullets nor brass damaged in any way.
5. Found I needed to resize the neck of each brass after taking out the primer portion first to insure a tight bullet fit.

Wish I had learned how cheaply and easy this was to do

 

[JimP]

Since you have no idea of what the powder is I would just dump it in the flower garden and start with new powder that you know.

 

[Rez Exelon]

I would not attempt to reuse the powder ESPECIALLY if you are going from a 180 gr to a different grain weight on the bullet. Different weight = different charge. And since there's no way to know what powder it is, then as soon as you pull it then it should become fertilizer.

I suppose you could chance it if you replaced the 180gr with a different 180 grain but even in that case, if the bullet seats different in the brass, then it could have radically different pressure.

Otherwise, I'm another vote for the RCBS puller that @Rare Breed mentioned above. It's lights out my favorite way to pull stuff in a way that they can be reused.

 

[Luvthunt]

I have just finished pulling 32 470 NE bullets given my need for a different load. I was amazed at how easy the process is. The following is what I did. Even taking my time all 32 pulled and brass ready for reloading in 15 minutes:
1. Bought RCBS bullet puller for $30. Attaches easily to my Chucker press.
2. Bought the .475 cullet for $12.
3. Followed easy directions for easy pull.
4. Bullets nor brass damaged in any way.
5. Found I needed to resize the neck of each brass after taking out the primer portion first to insure a tight bullet fit.

Wish I had learned how cheaply and easy this was to do

Ditto with RB

 

[Puddle]

Is there any reason I couldn't just remove the decapping pin and ball from the die entirely for this step?

Nope. That's what I do.

 

[Rez Exelon]

Thanks, that is exactly what I was wondering about; and had envisioned folliwing a procedure along those lines. Is there any reason I couldn't just remove the decapping pin and ball from the die entirely for this step?

Frequently I'll buy primed brass, and/or prep all my brass to include priming it before I store it. That being the case I frequently remove decapping pins from my sizers. I tend to always leave the bell in.

I've personally found over the years that I kind of like not having the decap in there in general though because my process for brass usually starts with a universal decapper, then wet tumble, then the rest of the prep. Because I've already de-primed there's no real point to having the pin in there while sizing since I've had cases where that pin got slightly off center, or hit a pocket that wasn't completely centered and screwed up the bell. In fact, just recently Hornady had to send me two replacement .223 bells for that reason.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Depending on the die you should probably leave the expander ball in. Tara what sets the neck tension. Some guys however never use an expander at all.

 

[cash_tx]

Depending on the die you should probably leave the expander ball in. Tara what sets the neck tension. Some guys however never use an expander at all.

I'll double-check, but I believe my 308 Win die is a standard RCBS full-length resizing die.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I also purchased this ammo and have used the components, for the .308 brass I use a neck sizing die from Lee, it is not possible to slide the expander ball up with their neck sizing die and you cannot resize the neck without the central expander ball piece. I solved the problem by cutting the deprime pin off with a grinder. This Nosler brass in .308 is a nice side benefit, I’m loading Barnes TTSX bullets into this Nosler brass for hunting use.

I loaded the 180gn SWIFT A Frame bullets in my .300 Win Mag, I just shot them today and they performed exceptionally well in the .300 WM. I’m loading them for an Africa trip in May.

I reused the powder in other .308 reloads using low cost soft points for range practice, I started out using the same weight of powder with 150gn Hornady SP bullets, then tried adding 1 gn of powder and finally settled on an extra 2gn of powder with 150 gn bullets, this gave me a reasonable velocity and no signs of pressure concerns.

Overall a very productive exercise and great value on the original ammo.

 

[RayAtkinson]

I pull the pin in my RCBS die and then neck size id needed, on rare occasions it's not required. Whatever you do run the case through the chamber before you do them all is good advise.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have pushed out primers and reused them without issue. Checked on a few reloading forums and everyone seems to agree that though it doesn't sound great, no one seems to have problems getting the primers to fire.

 

[Rez Exelon]

The only time I've ever observed issues with popped and reused primers is if they came from military crimped brass. In that case when you are pushing them out through the crimp it squeezes them ever so slightly, but enough so that they won't firmly seat in a primer pocket ever again.

Other than that I've reused 1000's of primers in the past. Sometimes because I messed something up and wanted to redo something, other times because the brass was salvage, or whatever.

 

[WyoBull]

I have used the RCBS bullet puller for years and have pulled hundreds of bullets for various reasons. It is very simple to do and beats the heck out of the plastic kinetic bullet puller.

 

[Luvthunt]

I have pushed out primers and reused them without issue. Checked on a few reloading forums and everyone seems to agree that though it doesn't sound great, no one seems to have problems getting the primers to fire.

Have not popped primers in large numbers but have popped many off and on over the years. Never had a problem reusing. Do push with gentle care. Works for me.