Old reloads

[fatelk]

I think I know what to do with these, can't think of anything else.

I have a cigar box full of old cast bullet 30-06 reloads that I bought for the brass. I was told they were from an estate, and they look so nice I thought I'd try a few, figuring it would be a plinking load.

They are 170gr round nose gas-check boolits, with 27gr of powder (looks like 4895). Out of my very accurate Rem 700 they pattern about 3" at 50 yards (no leading though).

The boolits look good, nicely cast, sized and lubed. Then I measured one: .3075". Why would someone size boolits to .3075"? I hate to scrap nice-looking boolits, but I think I'll pull them all and throw them in the melting pot. Then I can use the very clean (looks 1x) LC 61 Match brass in my M1.

[HeavyMetal]

Most likely he bought a .308 sizing die and never checked the sized boolit diameter.

Ya got alloy and good brass how could you lose?

I hope you pulled a few down before you decided to shoot them! My fear is "reloaders" that have no clue leaving unfired ammo for the unsuspecting to shoot.

I make it a practise to never shoot ammo found on the range, in a yard or estate sale and never from a grab bag of loose junk at a gunshop!

[fatelk]

I make it a practise to never shoot ammo found on the range, in a yard or estate sale and never from a grab bag of loose junk at a gunshop!
You're absolutely right. I have shot questionable ammo in the past, but am becoming more careful as I get older. Back in the day I would even shoot junky looking old grab-bag reloads from who-knows-where.:veryconfu Not anymore, for sure. Not everyone who reloads is competent or careful.

These looked so nice and carefully done I figured it was safe to take a chance. I pulled a couple down and checked the powder. It looks very much like 4895, either way a light load. There's always a risk with unknowns like this, but in this case I figured very minimal.

The good match brass is worth more than I paid, so the two or three pounds of lead is an extra. Since the GCs are .3075 also, I wonder if I can re-use them?

[mooman76]

Alot of new casters, myself included at one time don't know the importance of lead bullets being sized over the bore size. You shoot 308 jacketed so lead would be the same, right? Or he may have had a tight bore rifle. I'm with HM though. I don't trust others reloads. I would dump them and use the brass and primers.

[fatelk]

I yanked all the boolits, and I feel dumb. I should have pulled more than a couple before shooting some of them. I understand now why some of them shot fairly well while some flew wild.

On about half of them, the gas checks had fallen off and were rattling around with the powder. I checked my bore, and can see no sign of any damage (I don't know if a gc rattling down the bore could cause damage or not). So much for the previous reloader knowing what he was doing!

Anyhow, problem solved. The bullets are scrap waiting to be melted. The powder is dumped, and the primed brass is awaiting some new 4895 and 150gr FMJs.

Those gas checks are a pain to get out of the cases!

[Shiloh]

Were the gas checks in the cases?? Then the boolits were set to deep. Were the gas checks swaged on, or just snapped on and never crimped??

Shiloh

[qajaq59]

I think it is always wiser to pull them. I'd hate to get hurt because someone else got distracted for a few seconds while loading them.

[largom]

I would NEVER shoot reloads from an unknown source!

Larry

[Wayne Smith]

Probably old Lyman gas checks, never crimped on.

[casterofboolits]

I have one rule concerning mystery reloads.....Never shoot them! Pull the boolits and salvage the brass and recycle the lead.

I have a bag (200 to 250 rds) of 45 colt waiting for the bullet puller right now. :groner:

[fatelk]

Probably old Lyman gas checks, never crimped on.
Bingo!

Then the boolits were set to deep.
We have another winner!


I would NEVER shoot reloads from an unknown source!
Please don't beat me up too bad, guys. I won't do it again. I promise.

[qajaq59]

Please don't beat me up too bad, guys. I won't do it again. I promise.As my Dad would have said. OK, we'll let it slip by this time. But next time it's the wood shed young man..... LOL

[HangFireW8]

The boolits look good, nicely cast, sized and lubed. Then I measured one: .3075". Why would someone size boolits to .3075"? I hate to scrap nice-looking boolits, but I think I'll pull them all and throw them in the melting pot. Then I can use the very clean (looks 1x) LC 61 Match brass in my M1.

OK, so the question of whether to use the reloads as is has been answered, but I'd like to make a point about sizing, leading & accuracy...

Following advice here, I always size boolits for .0005" to .001" over, so I sized my first 30-06 cast boolits to .309" (miked right at .3090"). I shot a few groups and some loads were OK and some were poor, but that rifle never grouped really great, so it was a good start. The best part was that their was NO leading at all, rifle cleaned up quick and fast.

Here's the kicker- later I finally got around to slugging the bore. It was very consistant- .3100" at leade, muzzle, and through the bore with 3 different slugs. FYI It is an FN military Mauser, receiver looks just like an old FN Safari.

Here's another kicker- I was driving them at 2400FPS for the listed load (probably a little less due to the short barrel on this thing, but all the pressure is still there.)

So, I totally broke the rule about sizing over, I also broke the 2200fps speed limit at the same time, which goes to show you-

Rules are made to be broken, and
Don't knock it till you've tried it.

My point for this thread is, yeah, don't trust his handloads, but if the boolits survived pulling without getting trashed, and they worked once before, why not give them a try in your own handloads? Especially if all you are after is plinkers.

On the other hand, if they don't fit in with your plans, go ahead and just recycle them.

-HF

[fatelk]

Very interesting. The bore on my rifle was spotless shiny, not a trace of leading. I kind of wondered about that, especially after I measured the bullets.

The bullets are long gone, though. I used vice grips on them.

This rifle is a good shooter. On a good day I can do 1" groups at 200 yards. I've never seriously tried cast in it. It shoots great with 155gr Noslers.