Once fired 45acp jackets, can these be reused somehow??

[victor3ranger]

Picked up some old bullets from a closed shooting range, melted the lead out of the bullets and was left with the jackets.
Is there a way to reuse these or are they junk??

[Reload3006]

i suppose anything is possible but IMO good for scrap copper prices. If you could get them clean enough you could draw them to a smaller size and re-stuff them

[victor3ranger]

That is what I was thinking, but I just don't know enough about this stuff to know for sure.

[runfiverun]

I have tried swaging fired boolits I have recovered intact.
the results are pretty ummm varied.
if you could pick out the 45's that weren't too beat up you could most likely swage them back into shape.
the equipment you used would dictate how easy it was and the results.
the diameter of the fired bullets might need to be changed before the final forming.

[victor3ranger]

runfiverun, where would a person find the dies to do such a thing??

If it could be done I would like to give that a try.

[ReloaderFred]

I've also done it, but with my equipment I can't totally erase the rifling impressions from the previous firing. They make functional, but ugly, bullets. I also worry about debris that may be imbedded in the jackets that I haven't been able to get out when tumbling them, since "stuff" gets imbedded upon impact.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[victor3ranger]

Fred, What exactly do you use to accomplish this?? Have any pics? Maybe links to dies and such??

[Lizard333]

I would tumble the jackets in SS media for a couple hours to remove the crud. IMO, too much work. Sell the jackets, and use the coin.

[ReloaderFred]

I use CH4D swaging dies in a Corbin CSP-1 swaging press. I put a lot of pressure on the bullet, but the rifling marks just wouldn't come out all the way. I prefer to used .40 S&W brass to make .45 bullets. Less mess and I know the jackets are clean when I'm done.

The last time I took old bullet jackets to the recycler from smelting, I got $3.05 a pound for #2 copper. It was a couple hundred dollars worth, and put a lot of diesel in my truck.........

Hope this helps.

Fred