Old reloads in new rifle?

[Paul]

Hi all,

Just checking on a thing.

Ive got some reloaded rounds that I used fire formed brass and then neck resize from my old Parker Hale 22-250. I have some 55gr V-max, some 45 gr sierra and 36gr Barnes loads done (prob 20 of each).

I am thinking that really, I would not be able to use these in my new gun - Tikka T3x Forrest - because the fire formed brass I used to reload would not chamber properly (that's without going through the process of trying each reloaded round)?

Is my thinking correct?

Should I just buy a new batch of cases, or factory ammo and fire form this, to build up some new stock of brass? Also, if I fire the older reloads, then full length resize, would these then be right to go in the new Tikka?

Thanks in advance folks.

Warm regards,

Paul

[LawrenceA]

They may or may not fit depending on relative chamber sizes.
If the reloads are around starting loads when working up then as long as they fit they should be safe.
Personally I would pull the bullets and resize then start afresh.

[Bugman]

You could load a round in the chamber and if there is no resistance, then eject the round. Do this for all the reloads you are concerned about but obviously, oh so carefully.
If there is even slightest bit of resistance then better to err on the side of caution and disassemble the rounds and start again.

[Oldbloke]

They may or may not fit depending on relative chamber sizes.
If the reloads are around starting loads when working up then as long as they fit they should be safe.
Personally I would pull the bullets and resize then start afresh.

Agree.

If you are going to try chambering most or all 40, suggest you remove the firing pin

[on_one_wheel]

Your instinct is correct.

The general rule is, A hand load that has proven safe in one firearm shouldn't be considered safe to use in another.
Even if your loads are on the mild side, there's a chance that the reloads may jam the projectile against the lands and cause excessive pressure.

While I have seen live rounds run through resizing and projectiles bumped back, I'd never do it, way too many concerns for my liking.

Personally I'd be removing the projectiles, re-resizing if necessary, annealing the brass and working up a new load specifically for your new firearm. Id only start with new brass if I was suss on the old stuff.
If your old Parker & Hale is still around and good to go, smash the old reloads through that.

[GQshayne]

I would pull the projectiles as well, and dump the powder and primers. Then you can FL resize the brass and trim if necessary.

[JohnV]

For a small batch like that you could chamber " very carefully " each round to see if they fit but the risk is if you jam a round into a chamber that is too small it will probably not extract again , even after firing it may not extract .
If the rounds were sensible pressure loads look into what body dies can do . If the rounds were max hot loads pull the projectiles , resize the case to a nice easy fit in the new chamber but not sized too much , adjust the powder load down a few grains and start from there . If you leave the primers in make sure you keep your head well back from above the press as a precaution and wear safety glasses .

[snag]

If it were me, I'd pull the pills, full length resize the primed cases (with the de-capper pin removed from the die, of course) and reload them with a starting load. This will fire-form them to your new gun's chamber and give you a useful starting point for load development. Oh, and measure the cases and trim if necessary after re-sizing just in case they've stretched.

[bladeracer]

Your instinct is correct.

The general rule is, A hand load that has proven safe in one firearm shouldn't be considered safe to use in another.
Even if your loads are on the mild side, there's a chance that the reloads may jam the projectile against the lands and cause excessive pressure.

While I have seen live rounds run through resizing and projectiles bumped back, I'd never do it, way too many concerns for my liking.

Personally I'd be removing the projectiles, re-resizing if necessary, annealing the brass and working up a new load specifically for your new firearm. Id only start with new brass if I was suss on the old stuff.
If your old Parker & Hale is still around and good to go, smash the old reloads through that.

It should not be possible to re-size the neck of a loaded round as it shouldn't fit into the die, if you forced it you would swage the bullet under-size. Whether that would measurably affect the accuracy though I can't say without trying it myself.

[JohnV]

Your instinct is correct.

The general rule is, A hand load that has proven safe in one firearm shouldn't be considered safe to use in another.
Even if your loads are on the mild side, there's a chance that the reloads may jam the projectile against the lands and cause excessive pressure.

While I have seen live rounds run through resizing and projectiles bumped back, I'd never do it, way too many concerns for my liking.

Personally I'd be removing the projectiles, re-resizing if necessary, annealing the brass and working up a new load specifically for your new firearm. Id only start with new brass if I was suss on the old stuff.
If your old Parker & Hale is still around and good to go, smash the old reloads through that.

It should not be possible to re-size the neck of a loaded round as it shouldn't fit into the die, if you forced it you would swage the bullet under-size. Whether that would measurably affect the accuracy though I can't say without trying it myself.

Not the case with a body die , the neck area is not touched . You don't need to size the neck that is not the potential oversize area . Generally the problem will be the head clearance length from shoulder to base and or the case diameter .

[JohnV]

If it were me, I'd pull the pills, full length resize the primed cases (with the de-capper pin removed from the die, of course) and reload them with a starting load. This will fire-form them to your new gun's chamber and give you a useful starting point for load development. Oh, and measure the cases and trim if necessary after re-sizing just in case they've stretched.

If the primers stay in you really don't want to be putting the case into any case trimmer or doing any extra case prep .
Most chambers have a lot of neck length clearance from the factory case length specs anyway , so if the bolt closes ok , do any extra case prep after firing .

[Paul]

Thanks for all the info folks.

I'll sit on it for a little while then decide. Leaning to wards breaking down the loads and FL resize, then start from scratch. Esp given this will be the default 22-250 as opposed o the old Parker Hale, so prob not much point in wasting them there just for the sake of getting rid of them.

Hopefully I can find a easy way to remove the projectiles without dong any damage or scuffing.

Many thanks,

Paul

[Oldbloke]

There are a few ways to pull bullets but most wise to be at least some minor damage to the projectile. I use damaged bullets for fowler's or squib loads.

You can simply use an old case push the neck over the projectile and bend it backwards and forwards until the bullet can be pulled out obviously this will damage the case neck but with resizing it should still be ok in most instances. Will probably shorten case life a bit too.

There is this way using old drill chuck see the topic about halfway down the page
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13453

Or you can do same as above but using a pair of pliers or multi grips. Again some bullet damage.

I now use a rcbs bullet puller.

https://www.nioa.com.au/products/rcbs-b ... out-collet

There are others

[Skinna]

Righto...not going to take peoples feelings into account here...

I Havent ever used an old Parker Hale action, but from my limited experience of 22-250 chambers from that era, chances are those cases/rounds wont fit a 22-250 chamber reamed in the modern Sako/Tikka factory.
Present day Sako/Tikka 22-250 chambers are 2 to 5 thou tighter than every old 22-250 chamber ive tried, so id doubt you'd get the opportunity to close the bolt. (infact i have a few hundred once fired 22-250 cases from a chamber of that era that are 7-ish thou longer than modern Sako/Tikka factory standard that are already showing the ring where case seperation seems imminent in the next firing or so--must've been chambered with Pinocchio's nose...!!)

But even IF you can close the bolt, there's still not really anything to sit on & mull over...if you chamber them & let rip in a new rifle, despite them most likely being "ok" in a modern action built for the pressures generated by modern factory loads, you'd still be considered an idiot,...period...!!

Here's what you do...
Disassemble the bolt & remove the firing pin... very simple task...
Test chamber 3 of the rounds...if you cant close the bolt on them, pull ALL of the cartridges apart & progressively bump them back with a FL sizing or body die until you get 5 of them which the bolt closes on...them lock the die & size them all the same...dont give a hoot about the primers...!!

If the 3 rounds chamber, then progressively chamber all of them to make sure they ALL fit...
If any dont fit, either dispose of them or follow the steps above...

I guess this exercise could be called "saving face"...!!...

There...thats it...ive just coined a new term in the shooting sports...

And dont worry about damaging the bullets...a scrape here, dented or bent tip there...push the ogive out a couple thou longer...doesnt matter...as long as the neck seals consistant & you dont completely obliterate them, they'll still hit a bunny in the head at 150 yds & most certainly pull MOA as long as you can avoid yanking the trigger like you dump the clutch on a super-charged Massey Fergusson in a tractor pull.

[JohnV]

Be careful about bumping back with a FLS die . The shoulder to base ( head clearance ) length may be fine and it's the diameter that's actually tight . Go just enough to get them in with the bolt feeling some slight resistance on closing then turn the die down 1/16 of a turn more and that should be a easy minimum fit . Sizing with the primers in , needs precautions , not fear and certainly not dismissal . I have seen a whole tube of primers go off inside the loading tube of an automatic loading press and no one could explain why .