Use a primer to start a barrel slug?

[oldcanadice]

My intent here is only for use with rifles and is clearly out of the question to try with a necked case, but maybe for a 44 mag or other straight wall?
I'd especially like comments from those with long experience slugging bores.

The idea: Suppose you take a fired case and reprime it. Then take a fat bullet, lube it good with imperial sizing wax (or other suitable lube), slide the bullet into the fired case (it has to fit in, maybe pretty loose), and then fire the cartridge and let the bullet get stuck in the barrel. Eject and push the bullet the rest of the way through. Why wouldn't that work easier and more safely in unskilled hands than trying to drive the slug in manually?

It would seem to be an easier way to start the process, providing there isn't some big disadvantage I'm not seeing.

[kreuzlover]

If the bullet only goes into the barrel, say an inch, how do you propose to drive it the rest of the way through the barrel? I'm having trouble seeing how that is possible, what with the limited room you have when the cylinder is swung out.

[Texas by God]

Your method won't allow starting with an oversize pure lead slug; which is preferable. On a clean, lightly oiled barrel, start the slug in from the muzzle with a brass or plastic hammer until it is flush with the muzzle. Pick away the excess lead ring, then tap it farther in with a brass or plastic or aluminum rod. Then tap it all the way to exit the breech end, making sure the slug lands on a shop rag ( something soft). Never use a rod that is harder than the barrel and it'll be ok. This method works on all types of cartridge rifles and handguns.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[JoeJames]

I fired some 32S&W Longs loaded with cast boolits a couple of weeks ago. It seems I had not charged one with powder. My cousin was watching when it went blip! I thought oh my, and checked the bore to make sure it was not still in there, of course. The target was about 15 yards away; my cousin said he'd seen it bounce off the cardboard backing after I fired it. Just saying ... sometimes they do make it on out of the barrel.

[GregLaROCHE]

Most people start slugging from the muzzle end. Also it is best to start with a slightly larger diameter slug, to be sure you get the maximum groove depth recorded on the slug.

[John Boy]

Use a pure round ball for good results, a 2 or 3 thousands over groove diameter

[405grain]

I always check the powder level in my charged cases before seating any bullets, so I don't know how this one got away from me but no one's perfect. I had loaded up a batch of 38 special with a mild load of Unique and 158 grain cast SWC's. I was at the range when, about the second cylinder full a round made a pathetic little pop instead of a bang. I'd forgotten to charge that case and failed to catch it during the reloading. I opened the cylinder to see if there was a barrel obstruction and found out that the bullet was still in the cartridge. The primer didn't even have enough pressure to move the bullet at all. Naturally I took the rest of the cartridges home and pulled the bullets, but that was the only round where I'd left out the powder. I would highly recommend NOT trying to slug a barrel by using a primer. It could shoot the bullet all the way through the barrel, not even move the bullet, or even just push the bullet part way out of the case and jam up the action. Doing a traditional pound cast or chamber casting is much safer and better.

[44magLeo]

Sometimes on revolvers what happens is the primer only has enough power to just start the boolit into the barrel. This leaves part of the boolit in the chamber. You can't open the cylinder.
I unintentionally tested this procedure once. i was charging cases with powder by holding a full blopck of cases under the measure and filling the cases. Some hopw I missed one row of five.
When shooting I noticed one shot didn't sound or feel right. On inspection I found I couldn't open the cylinder. Lookig c,oser I realized the boolit was jamming the cylinder. I had to ask around to find some one with smething I could p[ush the boolit back intothe case so I could open it.
I packed upmy stuff and went home to pull those boolits. Then is when I found the row of powderless cases.
I no longer chagre cases that way.
One block on one side of p[ress with empty cases neck down, One block on the othe side to recieve the charged case neck up.
This happened early in my loading career.
Leo

[charlie b]

The pound slugs I have used won't fit in a cartridge case. The purpose of a pound cast for cast bullets is to measure the throat area, specifically how much freebore and what the dia between the grooves and lands are at the breech (which will be slightly different than the muzzle on a used rifle).

And, yes, once you pound the slug into the throat you then use a rod from the muzzle to tap it back out.

[waksupi]

Since it's winter, just go out and use a low powered load to shoot into a snow bank. I've recovered many bullets that way.

[onelight]

I have tried it before , out of curiosity. Mine did exactly what 44magleo said and the base of the bullet was still in the cylinder had to drive it Back into the cylinder to get it out :(
Surely I am not the only lazy dog here that has tried that :)

[oley55]

My intent here is only for use with rifles...

It seems a couple responders missed this part^^^^. Other reponders have more than adequately addressed the likelihood of your slug being undersized coming out of a case. If I were going to try your proposed method, I'd use an unsized case and jamb the largest pure lead bullet into the case that would fit and still allow the round to chamber, but know I may or may not have gotten an accurate measurement.

I can see some benefit in doing this if you are merely trying to determine if the breach end of the rifling is larger or smaller than the muzzle. Obviously muzzle choked is preferred. If a barrel is significantly breach-end choked the barrel will likely be prone to leading even though you are using a perfectly sized bullet. Slugging from the muzzle does make it more difficult to get measurements from both ends, but there are methods to accomplish this while working from the muzzle where the slug is pushed down the barrel until just in front of the throat and then upsetting the slug and then pushing it out through the breach. There is another technique where two slugs are used. One for a full pass through the barrel and the second where the slug is pulled back through the muzzle. Techniques depend on type of weapon; lever-gun, bolt, etc...

If at all possible I recommend getting your hands on a copy of Marshall Stanton's book:
Beartooth Bullets
Technical Guide
A Comprehensive Guide For Attaining Unsurpassed Performance Using Cast Bullets

Also the: Neco Pressure (Fire) Lapping Manual (I found the upsetting the bullet method I mentioned above).

Marshall Stanton's book explains withdrawing/pulling the slug back from the muzzle.

I found both books invaluable for diagnosing thread chokes, roll-mark constrictions and when/if Fire Lapping is appropriate. I have a 24" Rossi 92 in 357 that I can drive 187gr GC'd cast through at any velocity without leading. Case head and primer distortions being the limiting factor. With proper slugging I was able to identify revolvers which needed a lot of fire lapping and those which could never be acceptable cast bullet shooters.

In my opinion a thorough reading of both these books are essential for we dummies.

Edit added:
I don't know if Marshall Stanton's book is still available or not. On Amazon is says currently unavailable. The BTB site is still up and shows it available but I believe Marshall has had some personal legal problems and depending on what you read his business may or may not be in operation. Others may be able to clarify his status.

There is one available on fleabay for a buy it now price of $30, twice the original price I paid, but if unavailable elsewhere it is still a bargain. IMO.

[mdi]

It seems a couple responders missed this part^^^^. Other reponders have more than adequately addressed the likelihood of your slug being undersized coming out of a case. If I were going to try your proposed method, I'd use an unsized case and jamb the largest pure lead bullet into the case that would fit and still allow the round to chamber, but know I may or may not have gotten an accurate measurement.

I can see some benefit in doing this if you are merely trying to determine if the breach end of the rifling is larger or smaller than the muzzle. Obviously muzzle choked is preferred. If a barrel is significantly breach-end choked the barrel will likely be prone to leading even though you are using a perfectly sized bullet. Slugging from the muzzle does make it more difficult to get measurements from both ends, but there are methods to accomplish this while working from the muzzle where the slug is pushed down the barrel until just in front of the throat and then upsetting the slug and then pushing it out through the breach. There is another technique where two slugs are used. One for a full pass through the barrel and the second where the slug is pulled back through the muzzle. Techniques depend on type of weapon; lever-gun, bolt, etc...

If at all possible I recommend getting your hands on a copy of Marshall Stanton's book:
Beartooth Bullets
Technical Guide
A Comprehensive Guide For Attaining Unsurpassed Performance Using Cast Bullets

Also the: Neco Pressure (Fire) Lapping Manual (I found the upsetting the bullet method I mentioned above).

Marshall Stanton's book explains withdrawing/pulling the slug back from the muzzle.

I found both books invaluable for diagnosing thread chokes, roll-mark constrictions and when/if Fire Lapping is appropriate. I have a 24" Rossi 92 in 357 that I can drive 187gr GC'd cast through at any velocity without leading. Case head and primer distortions being the limiting factor. With proper slugging I was able to identify revolvers which needed a lot of fire lapping and those which could never be acceptable cast bullet shooters.

In my opinion a thorough reading of both these books are essential for we dummies.

Edit added:
I don't know if Marshall Stanton's book is still available or not. On Amazon is says currently unavailable. The BTB site is still up and shows it available but I believe Marshall has had some personal legal problems and depending on what you read his business may or may not be in operation. Others may be able to clarify his status.

There is one available on fleabay for a buy it now price of $30, twice the original price I paid, but if unavailable elsewhere it is still a bargain. IMO.

Reread the first sentence. Sorta confusing, "clearly out of the question to try with a necked case". Anyway, slugging with an oversize slug from the muzzle is so easy/simple, no need to try for a "controlled squib". I have slugged all my guns and a 22 lr rifle..

[ascast]

I have done what your suggesting; once by accident in a 44 mag with unknown "shoot it up" ammo; and once in a 30-06 with some "something went wrong in loading ammo" rounds. It is not very likly to hurt anything, but you will have to pound something out of some anyway. I use Cerosafe. When the worst that can happen does, I hold it under hot water and it all melts out. Simple.

[porthos]

slug all you want; but, nothing is better than a pound cast.

[GregLaROCHE]

“I don't know if Marshall Stanton's book is still available or not“

https://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm?main=book.htm

[Green Frog]

Slightly different but related... when setting up schuetzen rifles for breech seating, I was taught to seat a bullet in the throat of the barrel then follow it with a primed (only) case which was then “fired” to see whether the bullet was seated properly. If the bullet was of the right size and seated properly, the case would pop out smartly (from the trapped compressed gas) when the action was opened, but the bullet would not have moved forward significantly. I sincerely doubt that the OP’s proposal would move a bullet large enough to give a good reading of the barrel’s groove diameter far enough through the barrel to be worth the effort of setting it up as described. JMHO based on personal experience, but of course YMMV.

Froggie

[earlmck]

When I do that I'll add a couple grains (or a bit more if a large case) Red Dot so the boolit will go on through. Catch the ejected boolit in a pile of rags and don't have to mess with the pounding-through stuff. You of course want to start with a boolit that is larger than the bore or it is meaningless. Yeah, if you guess too light on the Red Dot (or other handy powder) you might have to pound it on out.

[woody1]

Me too. But not in revolvers.