Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
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Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
Not sure if anyone else has had this "Issue" but I've got some Factory ammo that jammed when being chambered and bent the case neck over. Does anyone know a way to straighten the loaded ammo out or is this a "Break it down into Components and Reloaded it" situation? If the latter, does anyone know of an Impact/hammer type puller that can be used or will it require getting a press mounted with the proper small collet?
Thanks for any help or advice. This might have been better off posted in the Reloading section.
Thanks for any help or advice. This might have been better off posted in the Reloading section.
- Rapier1772
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
I've had them jam & the bullet would get "bent" on occasion; I'd just put them off to the side for pull down later. IMO though, if the case neck itself is bent, it isn't worth trying to straighten. Just pull it down with the hammer & use the bullet in a new round, toss the brass into your recycling container.
The bullet puller & collet may not work if it's too bent. Most bullet puller hammers come with 2 or 3 collars for the various ammunition size.
The bullet puller & collet may not work if it's too bent. Most bullet puller hammers come with 2 or 3 collars for the various ammunition size.
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- panzermk2
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
So tell me you were shooting American Eagle ammunition without telling me.
Let me guess, looked like this?





Let me guess, looked like this?





Jay Wolf
Pr. Elite Ammunition
Pr. Elite Ammunition
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Be'ein Tachbulot Yipol Am Veteshua Berov Yoetz

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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
That ammo is shit don't waste you time with it.
Jay Wolf
Pr. Elite Ammunition
Pr. Elite Ammunition
"Engineers, the oompa-loompas of science!"
Be'ein Tachbulot Yipol Am Veteshua Berov Yoetz

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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
Some of the rounds, I have to spin in between my fingers to check for wobble, others are very noticable. My hammer's case collet won't go down small enough to fit the 5.7 case. Any recommendation on one that will work?Rapier1772 wrote: ↑07 Nov 2024, 02:56I've had them jam & the bullet would get "bent" on occasion; I'd just put them off to the side for pull down later. IMO though, if the case neck itself is bent, it isn't worth trying to straighten. Just pull it down with the hammer & use the bullet in a new round, toss the brass into your recycling container.
The bullet puller & collet may not work if it's too bent. Most bullet puller hammers come with 2 or 3 collars for the various ammunition size.
FWIW, I reload for about 20 other calibers but not the 5.7. I used to be an FFL 01 w/SOT and a Friend of mine who was an 07 wanted me to get into reloading the 5.7 round to run in his PS90, so I bought the dies but never reloaded any (this was back around 2010). My Son now has a PSA Rock and he was saying I should reload ammo for his Rock, IF I could find any brass. I told him I've got a Medium Flat Rate box full of once fired brass and plenty of primers, I just don't have the Projectiles and Powder, LOL!
- Rapier1772
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
I have an RCBS hammer, one of those worked for my 5.7.
I bought that years ago, things may have changed since then?
But normally, I use the bullet puller die these days.
I bought that years ago, things may have changed since then?
But normally, I use the bullet puller die these days.
How to post pics & videos: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6363
Contrary to popular belief, you CAN fix stupid - it's just illegal.
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
rodnocker1 wrote: ↑15 Nov 2024, 11:42Some of the rounds, I have to spin in between my fingers to check for wobble, others are very noticable. My hammer's case collet won't go down small enough to fit the 5.7 case. Any recommendation on one that will work?Rapier1772 wrote: ↑07 Nov 2024, 02:56I've had them jam & the bullet would get "bent" on occasion; I'd just put them off to the side for pull down later. IMO though, if the case neck itself is bent, it isn't worth trying to straighten. Just pull it down with the hammer & use the bullet in a new round, toss the brass into your recycling container.
The bullet puller & collet may not work if it's too bent. Most bullet puller hammers come with 2 or 3 collars for the various ammunition size.
FWIW, I reload for about 20 other calibers but not the 5.7. I used to be an FFL 01 w/SOT and a Friend of mine who was an 07 wanted me to get into reloading the 5.7 round to run in his PS90, so I bought the dies but never reloaded any (this was back around 2010). My Son now has a PSA Rock and he was saying I should reload ammo for his Rock, IF I could find any brass. I told him I've got a Medium Flat Rate box full of once fired brass and plenty of primers, I just don't have the Projectiles and Powder, LOL!
Check this video out.
5.7x28mm Can't Be Reloaded, BULLSH*T Yes It Can!
https://youtu.be/tWMmngceDiY?si=nj ...
Jay Wolf
Pr. Elite Ammunition
Pr. Elite Ammunition
"Engineers, the oompa-loompas of science!"
Be'ein Tachbulot Yipol Am Veteshua Berov Yoetz

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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
Jay, I already had an RCBS Collet Bullet Puller and finally got around to ordering the .22 Cal Collet. Went out today and started pulling the different bullets and found the amount of effort required to pull them ranged from run the ram up and clamp on bullet, then pull down on handle with little effort all the way to running the Ram up and clamping on bullet, dropping ram and bullet still in case, run ram back up and clamp on bullet some more, then drop ram and bullet still in case, run ram back up and....after 5 or 6 times, the bullet would finally come out but where the collet had tightened down, the bullet was very badly marked (compressed). It depended on which bullet was being pulled and was apparent by the color of the polymer tip which was the worst (red tipped bullets were the worst).
Also, I have a set of Lyman dies and shellholder. When I started trying to resize the brass (actually black nickel plated), I was extremely liberal with the sizing lube (I use almost straight lanolin) but running the brass into the dies, it took a massive amount of force and then the brass was stuck and pulled the rim off. I tried this on 3 pieces, all with the same result and then stopped using that brass, switching over to actual Brass. I resized a Piece of Hornady and it ran almost perfectly, but then tried a couple of others and it was more difficult and had case head damage.
Not meaning to downplay anyone else's advice or experience, I figure with you being President of an ammo Company that makes this stuff you might have just a little more experience with "Issues" like mine and could tell me what's going on.
FWIW, The brass I'm trying to use is Range Pickup.
Also, I have a set of Lyman dies and shellholder. When I started trying to resize the brass (actually black nickel plated), I was extremely liberal with the sizing lube (I use almost straight lanolin) but running the brass into the dies, it took a massive amount of force and then the brass was stuck and pulled the rim off. I tried this on 3 pieces, all with the same result and then stopped using that brass, switching over to actual Brass. I resized a Piece of Hornady and it ran almost perfectly, but then tried a couple of others and it was more difficult and had case head damage.
Not meaning to downplay anyone else's advice or experience, I figure with you being President of an ammo Company that makes this stuff you might have just a little more experience with "Issues" like mine and could tell me what's going on.
FWIW, The brass I'm trying to use is Range Pickup.
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
Well it's been almost 20 years since I loaded 1X 5.7 brass.
So lube, for the 5.7 I always went light. I made my own mix that I still use for other brass. It's a blend of lanolin and secret sauce. With the 5.7 less is more. One shot is a light lube.
Re sizing dies, never a fan of the RCBS 5.7 dies, NOT their other caliber dies, Lee is shit.
Hornady and CH4D make the best re sizers.
The black brass is not the best of quality. There might issues with how brittle it is. You said black nickel and not a black molly based coating? Both though should almost self lube, both nickel and molly. So it might have been a case of to much lube. Hard to say since I wasn't there pulling the handle. Sounds silly but just pulling the handle and feeling it tells me about all I need to diagnose.
Range pick up, make sure you sort based on shoulder movement also.
Pullers. Well for one you're seeing all the issues with how the bullets are held in. From day one I designed my own crimp die that I still use. Yes we use virgin FNH brass and I invented my own bullet pulling system.
So lube, for the 5.7 I always went light. I made my own mix that I still use for other brass. It's a blend of lanolin and secret sauce. With the 5.7 less is more. One shot is a light lube.
Re sizing dies, never a fan of the RCBS 5.7 dies, NOT their other caliber dies, Lee is shit.
Hornady and CH4D make the best re sizers.
The black brass is not the best of quality. There might issues with how brittle it is. You said black nickel and not a black molly based coating? Both though should almost self lube, both nickel and molly. So it might have been a case of to much lube. Hard to say since I wasn't there pulling the handle. Sounds silly but just pulling the handle and feeling it tells me about all I need to diagnose.
Range pick up, make sure you sort based on shoulder movement also.
Pullers. Well for one you're seeing all the issues with how the bullets are held in. From day one I designed my own crimp die that I still use. Yes we use virgin FNH brass and I invented my own bullet pulling system.
Jay Wolf
Pr. Elite Ammunition
Pr. Elite Ammunition
"Engineers, the oompa-loompas of science!"
Be'ein Tachbulot Yipol Am Veteshua Berov Yoetz

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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
Red tips are just Hornady V-max and they have a very jacket and soft core. So pulling them ruins the bullet most times. In the past we have sold pulled SS197 bullets but again they were pulled with our system that didn't destroy them .
Jay Wolf
Pr. Elite Ammunition
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
Jay, I wasn't sure about the lube. I'd read about not wanting to destroy the Polymer coating so naturally figured I wasn't using enough when the 1st case stuck in the die and ripped the rim off of the Black case (I think those are AAC). So I put a little more on the next one and it looked like the die was actually peeling the coating off. This was what I questioned happening when I was told do NOT run them through the Tumbler or it will take the coating off, I asked "What's it gonna do going through a resizing die?!?". As I said, the dies I have are Lyman and I got those because it was one of the sets of dies Recommended in the "Reloading 5.7" section, definitely not because they were the cheapest.
I'm seriously thinking that IF it's gonna tear up all of the brass I have, I may just go ahead and use the brass I have to swage .30 cal Bullets out of.....it's not like I have any 40 grain projectiles to load into the brass, even if it were all to resize perfectly. I've got 2 USPS Regional Rate Box A's stuffed full of 5.7 Range pickup brass, so that's an awful lot of bullets, LOL!
Anyway, thanks for your reply and advice. As I said way back when I 1st joined the site, I don't have a 5.7 chambered firearm, I was just gonna try to help out my Son. I'm starting to think he better get ready to buy his own ammo, LOL!
I'm seriously thinking that IF it's gonna tear up all of the brass I have, I may just go ahead and use the brass I have to swage .30 cal Bullets out of.....it's not like I have any 40 grain projectiles to load into the brass, even if it were all to resize perfectly. I've got 2 USPS Regional Rate Box A's stuffed full of 5.7 Range pickup brass, so that's an awful lot of bullets, LOL!
Anyway, thanks for your reply and advice. As I said way back when I 1st joined the site, I don't have a 5.7 chambered firearm, I was just gonna try to help out my Son. I'm starting to think he better get ready to buy his own ammo, LOL!
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Re: Straightening jammed ammo with bent case necks
I also forgot to mention too polish your sizer die body with Mothers polish on a cleaning patch.
Also try partially sizing , drop down and then go again. So staged sizing.
Also even un tumbles range brass you never know just how PRE compromised the coating was. Years ago I got a bunch of range pick up from a Fed range. The seller didn't tell me this was an outdoor range and that some of the brass had sat on the ground for years. The coating was shit, the sun, weather, had ruined the coating. Don't forget I sell a coating now, you would NOT strip off the old coating, just apply the new stuff on top. The solvent will soften the pre existing coating and in most cases the old and new coating blend together. MOST of the time.
Also try partially sizing , drop down and then go again. So staged sizing.
Also even un tumbles range brass you never know just how PRE compromised the coating was. Years ago I got a bunch of range pick up from a Fed range. The seller didn't tell me this was an outdoor range and that some of the brass had sat on the ground for years. The coating was shit, the sun, weather, had ruined the coating. Don't forget I sell a coating now, you would NOT strip off the old coating, just apply the new stuff on top. The solvent will soften the pre existing coating and in most cases the old and new coating blend together. MOST of the time.
Jay Wolf
Pr. Elite Ammunition
Pr. Elite Ammunition
"Engineers, the oompa-loompas of science!"
Be'ein Tachbulot Yipol Am Veteshua Berov Yoetz

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