The 4 Critical Stages of Reloading Bullet Corp Bullets – Don’t Skip or Combine Steps

Reloading isn't just a hobby—it's a science. And like any precision task, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. At Bullet Corp, we’ve noticed repeated issues with how customers are reloading our polymer-coated bullets. This blog post is here to hammer down the four essential stages of reloading correctly—no shortcuts, no guessing.

If you're seating and crimping in one step, not expanding cases properly, or using a factory crimp die—stop. You're likely damaging your bullets and wrecking accuracy. Here's how to do it right, step by step.

Stage 1: Case Sizing & Depriming

• Resize your brass to factory spec.

• Deprime old primers during this stage.

• Make sure the brass is clean and inspected for cracks or bulges.

Stage 2: Case Expansion (This is where most reloaders mess up)

You must expand the case mouth properly. If not, the polymer coating on the bullet will scrape off or the bullet will shave during seating. This not only kills accuracy but can also cause leading and gas cutting in your barrel.

• Use a powder-through expander die or dedicated expander die.

• Bell the case mouth just enough so the bullet sits snug before seating.

• Best option: Use the Bullet Corp Expander—it’s specifically designed for our polymer-coated bullets and gives perfect case mouth tension without overflaring.

Don’t skip this. Don’t “just wing it.” This is non-negotiable with coated bullets.

Stage 3: Bullet Seating (DO NOT CRIMP YET!)

• Seat the bullet to the correct depth using a dedicated seating die.

• Do not crimp during this stage. Crimping now can cause pressure rings and damaged bullet coatings.

Seat first. Then crimp. Combining these steps causes more harm than good.

Stage 4: Crimping – Use a Taper Crimp Die Only

Now that the bullet is seated, it’s time to crimp. But listen carefully:

• Do NOT use a factory crimp die.

• Use a taper crimp die that gently closes the case mouth.

• The goal is to remove the flare left from the expansion step—not to bite into or deform the bullet.

Why taper crimp? Because polymer-coated bullets need precision, not pressure damage. Factory crimp dies are for jacketed bullets, not ours.

Final Check:

• Test fit your rounds in your chamber or case gauge.

• Check for smooth feeding and consistent OAL.

• Pull a few bullets and inspect the coating—if it’s scratched, your die setup is wrong.

Summary: The Right Way to Reload Bullet Corp Bullets

1. Size & Deprime

2. Expand (Properly! Preferably with the Bullet Corp Expander)

3. Seat (Only seat!)

4. Crimp (Taper crimp only, in its own step)

If you're skipping or combining steps, you're not reloading—you're guessing. Follow these stages and your ammo will shoot cleaner, group tighter, and run smoother.

Need help setting up your dies? Drop us a message—we’ll walk you through it.

Stay sharp. Reload smart.
— Bullet Corp