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After collecting the remaining bits I need to start loading my own (Thats Ovenpaa and Christel!!) I spent a very enjoyable hour or so in my man-cave yesterday evening cleaning off some brass and priming it. After I'd primed 50 cases, I thought I'd better see what difference there was between the new SMK2156s that I'd got from Ovenpaa & Christel and the 168 grn SMKs that I got with the rifle. I also thought, quite idly, whether they would be easier to get into the case.

That's when I noticed that they slipped straight into the neck of the case.

That's when I also realised that I'd cocked up quite badly.

After a couple of mails to Ovenpaa and a lot of reading on the web/looking at Youtube I have realised that I had not set the collet die to provide the right amount of neck tension, a mistake easily remedied _now_, but which still leaves me with 50 primed cases that won't hold a bullet. And so to the important question...

Is it possible to reliably de-prime a live, primed case without losing fingers/annoying neighbours, or should I just get the rifle out of the cabinet, wrap the barrel in an old towel and shoot them all off? If the former is possible, is it possible to safely re-use the primers or best just to sink them in water for a few days?

And yes, tonight I will mostly be setting the press up properly. And checking it twice.

I''d take the decapping pin out and run them through a sizing die , then load them as normal personally.

As above just remove the decapper pin and neck size with the collet die.

Not a good idea to remove the decap pin from the collet mandrel as I've found once removed the never go back with the same tightness and there is always the risk of damaging the pin as you try and get it free.

I did think about that, but I think the mandrel in the collet die is a single piece design. I did briefly consider taking a hacksaw to it and ordering a second mandrel, but caution stayed my hand on that one, at least until I can find out how much one costs and whether I can get one!

Do as tackb suggests and use your full length sizing die sans decap pin, you might just get away with enough of the neck sized without having to lube and FL.

Did that with 100 44mag cases

Luckily being straight walled pistol cases no lube needed so it was easy to remove the de-capper pin and FLS them all.

If you choose to dispose of them by firing, can I suggest you do it on a range? It avoids any intrusive questions, and if you cock up and put a live round in (it's been done) it doesn't really matter, unlike doing it in the garden shed.

Ian, good idea. Luckily there are no live rounds stored in the cave, I make sure they are kept under lock and key somewhere else, but safety first...

I'll have a look at my dies this evening and see if I can modify the full length sizing die for the task. I've also made enquiries about a second mandrel for the collet die. Just in case.

User702, you are welcome to bring your dies and some cases over and we can look at it together, just let me know when is good for you.