Resizing brass with live primers

[Bigeclipse]

I have quite a few rounds from a rifle I have changed bullets on. I would like to pull all these bullets and reload them with the bullets I switched to. Do I need to deprime from them a safety standpoint in order to resize them or can I resize them? I do not use sizing stems but rather use an expander mandrel setup. Can the sizing process create pressure inside the case which will move the primers or some how ignite them? Thanks!

 

[bpcrshooter]

pull the de-cap pin and have at it......

 

[T3ninja]

Depends on you die I guess, but I've sized hundreds of rounds with primers still in tact.

 

[GLTaylor]

Not a problem if depriming pin is removed. Just try not to get neck lube inside case.

 

[Rardoin]

I've done it a few times. I also do not use an expander ball. Just pull the decap pin, if present. If you set the die to size short about 0.015" so you are only sizing the neck you don't have to lube the body. You will have a very small area of the base of the neck unsized but it will be of no consequence.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I always wonder what effect the resizing will have on the neck tension compared to my baseline of using annealed cases. If it's only a few, I pull them apart, deprime and send them through the process as if they'd been shot.

If it's quite a few, you may want to verify if those cases are just as accurate as your others. I suspect they would be, but thought I'd mention my line of reasoning.

 

[MagnumManiac]

If you're using a standard type FL die, I find the best method after pulling bullets is to raise the decapping stem so the pin is in the die.
If you size with the stem removed, the neck will be too small and cause issues seating bullets.

Cheers.

 

[Bigeclipse]

If you're using a standard type FL die, I find the best method after pulling bullets is to raise the decapping stem so the pin is in the die.
If you size with the stem removed, the neck will be too small and cause issues seating bullets.

Cheers.

I don't follow? What does the stem have to do with too small of a neck? Also I use an expanding mandrel after I size

 

[MagnumManiac]

I don't follow? What does the stem have to do with too small of a neck? Also I use an expanding mandrel after I size

I find it difficult using the mandrel after sizing the necks without the expander in place.
Even though I now use honed neck dies for nearly all of my cases, I still have some obscure stuff that requires using normal FL dies hat aren't honed.

Cheers.

 

[Bigeclipse]

I find it difficult using the mandrel after sizing the necks without the expander in place.
Even though I now use honed neck dies for nearly all of my cases, I still have some obscure stuff that requires using normal FL dies hat aren't honed.

Cheers.

I apologize but I must be ignorant. Doesn't leaving the expander in place negate the point of using the mandrel?

 

[MagnumManiac]

No, not ignorant at all.
My system is that the necks of the dies are honed .001" under the expander size, the mandrel is then used to open the necks to whatever neck tension I require. It's a complex set of measuring I do. I like to only size .002" in any direction if possible, .004" at the most.
So, if I use the die without the expander, it is difficult for me to use the mandrel, as I use very tight fitting mandrels and the neck will be too tight to fit.
I like all imperfections pushed to the outside before I turn the necks, then I can size the necks with as least amount of working the brass as possible.

Cheers.

 

[Bigeclipse]

No, not ignorant at all.
My system is that the necks of the dies are honed .001" under the expander size, the mandrel is then used to open the necks to whatever neck tension I require. It's a complex set of measuring I do. I like to only size .002" in any direction if possible, .004" at the most.
So, if I use the die without the expander, it is difficult for me to use the mandrel, as I use very tight fitting mandrels and the neck will be too tight to fit.
I like all imperfections pushed to the outside before I turn the necks, then I can size the necks with as least amount of working the brass as possible.

Cheers.

Ah ok I understand. Thank you for clarifying

 

[Mrkdiver]

I have quite a few rounds from a rifle I have changed bullets on. I would like to pull all these bullets and reload them with the bullets I switched to. Do I need to deprime from them a safety standpoint in order to resize them or can I resize them? I do not use sizing stems but rather use an expander mandrel setup. Can the sizing process create pressure inside the case which will move the primers or some how ignite them? Thanks!

It'll work fine just take out decamping pin. It actually really easy

 

[grry10]

I raise the decapping rod and pin, so that pin does not contact the primer. This way the expander is still in place and nothing is removed. I've never had a problem