Resizing 9mm bullets

[Bench]

Two different pistols from different manufacturers are slugged. One @ .357 "and the other @.355". With all things considered including 'spring back' I understand that conventional wisdom says to increase coated lead bullet diameter by .001". I've been shooting .358's with no problems in the first gun but I'm wondering if a resizing die can 'comfortably' resize a .358 down to a .356 to run the second gun? I'm trying to get my mileage out of a bulk order of one size bullet and have no experience with resizing dies such as the Lee "C" press and resizing die kit. Thanks!

[singleshot]

No problem with a cast bullet, but don't know how the coated ones would hold up.

[bowenbuilt]

Yes, coated bullets are sized after being coated so you should not have a problem.

[Beef15]

Should be no issue resizing. 

Have you tried them in the .355 barrel? They're large, may work fine anyway. Dropping the charge a few tenths and shortening the COAL is way less effort.

[Bench]

1 hour ago, bowenbuilt said:

Yes, coated bullets are sized after being coated so you should not have a problem.

That's what I thought I had read a while back, Thanks.

[Bench]

42 minutes ago, Beef15 said:

Should be no issue resizing. 

Have you tried them in the .355 barrel? They're large, may work fine anyway. Dropping the charge a few tenths and shortening the COAL is way less effort.

I'm always one for 'less effort' though I'd wonder about shooting a bullet that is .003" oversized even with the backed off powder and shorter OAL. Thanks.

[Steve RA]

Try a few, you may be pleasantly surprised.  I use 125 gr FP .358 Precision bullets in my Kart barrel and they are very accurate.

[Bench]

35 minutes ago, Steve RA said:

Try a few, you may be pleasantly surprised.  I use 125 gr FP .358 Precision bullets in my Kart barrel and they are very accurate.

So are your barrel grooves .355" and you are shooting a .003" oversized bullet? If that's the case then I just may give it a try. Thanks.

[Steve RA]

I haven't bothered to check the exact size of the barrel.  There isn't much danger in trying an oversized lead bullet - bare or coated - as they are nowhere near as difficult to deform (shape to lands and grooves) as jacketed or solid bullets are.

[Bench]

6 hours ago, Steve RA said:

I haven't bothered to check the exact size of the barrel.  There isn't much danger in trying an oversized lead bullet - bare or coated - as they are nowhere near as difficult to deform (shape to lands and grooves) as jacketed or solid bullets are.

Good point, thanks.

[Miranda]

lead bullets will ... erm... be made to fit into a slightly smaller barrel.

you can size them ahead of making ammo also.

 

more important.... how are you going to keep track of ammo that all looks alike?

 

miranda

[Steve RA]

He can get a sample pack to test with and then use different colors of bullets to keep track of loads.  Could be the .358s would work well in both guns.  You can just never tell until you try something !!

[Bench]

1 hour ago, Miranda said:

lead bullets will ... erm... be made to fit into a slightly smaller barrel.

you can size them ahead of making ammo also.

 

more important.... how are you going to keep track of ammo that all looks alike?

 

miranda

Color will be the key for differentiating the loads.

[Bench]

1 hour ago, Steve RA said:

He can get a sample pack to test with and then use different colors of bullets to keep track of loads.  Could be the .358s would work well in both guns.  You can just never tell until you try something !!

The .358's don't plunk well at all so I'm thinking to work up the load from ground zero. You're on the money re: bullet color.

[igolfat8]

You can resize them down but it will take some effort. Try a few and check the coating for scraping after they come through the die. If you are seeing some exposed lead then take some 400 grit sandpaper, wrapped around a wood dowel, chucked in a hand drill and hone the leading internal edge into the sizing die to smooth or slightly round over the lead into the die.

 

Hi - Tek sells a sizing lube that will reduce the effort needed to resize the bullets.

[Bench]

14 minutes ago, igolfat8 said:

You can resize them down but it will take some effort. Try a few and check the coating for scraping after they come through the die. If you are seeing some exposed lead then take some 400 grit sandpaper, wrapped around a wood dowel, chucked in a hand drill and hone the leading internal edge into the sizing die to smooth or slightly round over the lead into the die.

 

Hi - Tek sells a sizing lube that will reduce the effort needed to resize the bullets.

Thanks, I'll give it a go.

[igolfat8]

I would also suggest mounting your press to the underside of your bench, yes the press will appear to be upside down. It’s MUCH easier to insert your bullets nose first into the die, than to try to center them onto the pusher, with the press mounted on top of your bench.

[Bench]

13 hours ago, igolfat8 said:

I would also suggest mounting your press to the underside of your bench, yes the press will appear to be upside down. It’s MUCH easier to insert your bullets nose first into the die, than to try to center them onto the pusher, with the press mounted on top of your bench.

Good thought....

[Steve RA]

Why size them down when you can buy .355 to .358 very easily ????

[Miranda]

exercise?

 

I like making ammo and just because I can buy it does not mean I'll ignore the joy of swing a press arm. .

 

..... I may revisit that idea after my next batch of 223 trimming.

 

miranda

[Bench]

3 hours ago, Steve RA said:

Why size them down when you can buy .355 to .358 very easily ????

Just trying to get more mileage out of a bulk order. I shoot .358's in my primary pistol but thought that resizing occasionally to .356 as needed though not in bulk quantities.

 

Edit: It just hit me...if I resize down...the bullets will be the same color so that kicks out the thought of different colors for different sizes. Oh well, it was a good thought...initially!

Edited June 21, 2018 by Bench

[Bench]

2 hours ago, Miranda said:

exercise?

 

I like making ammo and just because I can buy it does not mean I'll ignore the joy of swing a press arm. .

 

..... I may revisit that idea after my next batch of 223 trimming.

 

miranda

A switch from "joy" to "work" is never a good thing...

[Steve RA]

Have you tried the .358s in the other gun yet.  They could work well as is but you'll have to road test them.

[Bench]

46 minutes ago, Steve RA said:

Have you tried the .358s in the other gun yet.  They could work well as is but you'll have to road test them.

They don't plunk at all well (!).

[Steve RA]

Ok, now you've tried them.  You could get the barrel throated, or resize, as mentioned previously.