Ugh! Too big!

[hawkeye1]

A week or so ago, I cast up about 1,000 200 gr. RNFP for 45 Colt. Sized and lubed. Loaded 450 rounds. Today I started running them through the crimp. I checked a couple in my cartridge block, no go. I back checked. All the way back to my bullet sizer. I had forgotten to change .458 sizer for .452 sizer. Obviously these will not chamber in my SAA.
My question, is there any alternative to pulling all of these and resizing the bullets?
Any ideas will be much appreciated.

[45_Colt]

That is a bunch to size down, both in count and diameter. If you have access to a 45 caliber Lee factory carbide crimp die. Could try running them through it. Not sure if the die & press will like that, but can try a couple and see how it works out.

45_Colt

[HWooldridge]

Wow! That sounds like something I would do <LOL>. I don’t think a sizer die will fix that much out of spec, but you could give it a try. Suspect you’ll be forced to pull the bullets and resize them

[hawkeye1]

That’s what I’m thinking. Was hoping someone may have a secret fix I haven’t thought of.

[super6]

I am thinking about buying the LEE FCD for my Reloading, If you go that way please let us know how it works out! If you can get em back to the right size I'm sold.

[hawkeye1]

I took one loaded round and kept dialing the Lee FCD down and trying it in my SAA cylinder. Was about to give up when the loaded, very factory crimped round dropped in the cylinder. It will also chamber in my Rossi 92 lever gun. Measured the bullet just ahead of the crimp, measures .456-.457”.
Do you think this oversized bullet and very heavy factory crimp will cause pressure problems? I load these at the middle of the range using AA-5.

[oley55]

Wow! That sounds like something I would do <LOL>. I don’t think a sizer die will fix that much out of spec, but you could give it a try. Suspect you’ll be forced to pull the bullets and resize them

We have a sticky for what "you did you do in the reloading room today?". I've often thought we should have a sticky for "what I royally screwed up today in the reloading room" or any number of self depreciating titles...

"today I screwed up a bunch of PC'd boolits trying to bump them without use of a dead stop and ended up with a tray full of too short and still too skinny boolits and a bunch of totally trashed to point of embarrassing to even look at boolits. And yea the whole bunch is now resting comfortably in my recycle bucket"

But on the other hand we probably have too many stickies as is.

[BLAHUT]

I had a similar ?? not as large a difference, not as many, only a box of 50. I carefully started them into my full length resize die. checked often,
they finally did go into the round checker. shot ok, don't want to have to do that again.

[Larry Gibson]

I took one loaded round and kept dialing the Lee FCD down and trying it in my SAA cylinder. Was about to give up when the loaded, very factory crimped round dropped in the cylinder. It will also chamber in my Rossi 92 lever gun. Measured the bullet just ahead of the crimp, measures .456-.457”.
Do you think this oversized bullet and very heavy factory crimp will cause pressure problems? I load these at the middle of the range using AA-5.

The bullet inside the case will have been sized down. How much? You'll have to pull one to find out but I suspect the sized portion will run .451 - .452. I suspect any pressure increase, if any at all, would not cause any pressure problems.

[RickinTN]

I guess since you used a .458" sizer everyone is assuming your bullets are .458". I'll bet they are not .458". Have you tried to chamber a couple of rounds? Yor gun is the final say, not a measuring tool. What diameter do they drop from the mold?
Good Luck,
Rick

[Sasquatch-1]

I had a similar ?? not as large a difference, not as many, only a box of 50. I carefully started them into my full length resize die. checked often,
they finally did go into the round checker. shot ok, don't want to have to do that again.

I was going to suggest this. I have had 38 spl. loads where the case had bulged out too much during flaring and would not fit in the cylinder after crimping. I ran them about halfway into the sizing die and then re-crimped.

[bedbugbilly]

That was going to be my question. What mould are you using that they are so fat? I use a 452 and a 454 mold - and both chamber just fine in my Uberti Cattleman. If you are using either a 452 or 454 mold, I don't see how they would be so much oversize - as suggested - have you tried to see if they chamber in your cylinder? And since you haven't loaded them all - what do they measure out at?

My chambers are generous in size - your's may not be - and it may just be my individual molds - but I have never had to size any of mine out of my 454 molds, even if a tad over - and I don't use the Lee FCD.

What mold are you using and what are they dropping at sidewise? If they are enough oversize that a 458 sizer reduces them - I'd be looking for a different mold. If they are dropping say .001 oversize and they won't fit your chambers, then the suggestion of trying to run the loaded rounds through the dollar of the Lee FCD will probably be your answer.

[hawkeye1]

Bullet mold is Lee 6 cavity 452-200 RNFP, dropping bullets at .456; straight wheel weights. I was able to run them deeper in the Lee FCD and got them to chamber both in SAA and lever gun.

[gwpercle]

Bullet mold is Lee 6 cavity 452-200 RNFP, dropping bullets at .456; straight wheel weights. I was able to run them deeper in the Lee FCD and got them to chamber both in SAA and lever gun.

WHEW !!! Boy oh Boy did you come close to having a date with the boolit puller ...
For once , one of the so called down sides to the Lee FCD came in handy ...running it through sized the boolit down in the case just like you needed !
Good idea ... I would hang onto that die ... every so often you get fat ones that wont chamber and that Lee FCD is just the ticket !
Gary

[hawkeye1]

I agree. I was not looking forward to using the puller. I knew you guys would have the answer. That’s the best part of these forums, helping each other and we all learn in the process.

[super6]

I agree. I was not looking forward to using the puller. I knew you guys would have the answer. That’s the best part of these forums, helping each other and we all learn in the process.

Well I just learned something from you! I ordered several LEE fcds today, I am sold! I detest lee products but this one sounds like a winner.