re-using pulled bullet cases

jimmy milnes

Well-Known Member
Went out yesterday for a play at balloons out to 400 with my 223 and normally I shoot 55g vmax in it however I decided to try moly coated 55g vmax for a ''let's see'' well I thought jeez I'm having an off day here all the time I was on the balloons so at the end I decided to give the rifle a 100 yard paper check to see if it was okay
Now I got rested on the bonnet with a good bipod set low as possible and a butt bag at the rear ''absolutely rock solid'' first 2 as good as in the same bed the 3rd 2inch to the left so long story cut to a short one moly ain't for that rifle
Next question ''and it's one that's pondered in my little brain for a while'' if I kenetic hammer out the bullets for the remainder of the batch do they have to be resized or as no ''explosion'' has happened behind them has the brass not expanded to the extent that they need it ?
Regards
Jimmy
 
Depends on how many firings you have given them, as this increases & you re size, neck tensions change,hence the need to discard or anneal, I have pulled & re seated stuff that has only once or twice fired without changes (noticeable ones), some people say re sized cases lose tension over long storage times (without having anything seated).
 
I'd resize just to ensure neck tension is consistent. You don't have to deprime, just back off the decapping rod into the die.
 
Jimmy, Did you work up a load for the moly bullets as you've changed a component? I'd expect you to have to back the powder off a bit with moly bullets. Regards JCS
 
Thanks for the help chaps
Jc in answer to your question I know that that's what I should have done but in honesty
A.. I really didn't think moly on the same bullet would have made such a difference
B.. didn't have the time and as I knew my loads not a hot one as I'm one for accuracy not speed.
Regards
Jimmy
 
Jimmy, Did you work up a load for the moly bullets as you've changed a component? I'd expect you to have to back the powder off a bit with moly bullets. Regards JCS
The load data is the same for moly within the same weight and style but..... moly bullets can give very erratic accuracy. I have a friend who ruined the accuracy of his NRA 600 yards Match Colt AR-15 by using moly bullets. People just quit buying into the fad and abandoned them, cold. The Trading Post has 1000's of them in different calibers and styles. They gather dust. ~Muir
 
I just neck size with the collet sizer or just reload and crimp

I have some dry coated copper bullets to try.....

nervous I am going to spend the next 6m trying to clean the stuff out!
 
I'd resize just to ensure neck tension is consistent. You don't have to deprime, just back off the decapping rod into the die.

This.

I've recently 'unloaded' some factory ammo with the kinetic puller and reloaded the cases (bullets and powder) without resizing and accuracy was affected. Same circumstances but resized the cases with the decapping rod/pin backed out and the result was an instant and welcome reduction in the group. I revisited some of the earlier reloaded rounds and found I could rotate the bullets in the case without much effort. YMMV of course.
 
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