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Thread: What to do with cast loads and no gun in caliber?

  1. #21
    Boolit Master


    Burnt Fingers's Avatar
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    The impact surface you use when using a kinetic bullet puller makes a BIG difference.

    The best thing I've found to use is a dead soft lead block. It will greatly increase the power of the kinetic puller.
    NRA Benefactor.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zarrinvz24 View Post
    I can understand the OP's reluctance to do all that, sounds like a very time taxing job with little reward.

    If it were me, I would try and make a trade with someone you trust, or squirrel them away for possible use in the future. If times ever got really tight, then I would go through the effort to pull them down and recycle components.
    30-40 brass is worth the effort, I also do this on all the other odd ball expensive brass I load.

    Silly to throw away rare/expensive or flat out unobtanium brass.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burnt Fingers View Post
    The impact surface you use when using a kinetic bullet puller makes a BIG difference.

    The best thing I've found to use is a dead soft lead block. It will greatly increase the power of the kinetic puller.
    Thanks for that piece of information, I have only ever used a concrete floor, but I'm gonna try this next time.

  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by clearwater View Post
    Sold my rifle and have several dozen loaded cartridges with cast bullets left. Some jacketed loads I was able to pull and reuse the projectiles, and sell the brass. The cast loads are crimped so they don't really want to come out of the case using a collet puller and I would probably destroy my plastic impact puller if I did more than a few.

    Should I just toss these? It is worth trying something else to salvage components? 30-40 Krag brass that has been fired more than once.
    You’ve gotten all sorts of good advice, and since 30-40 Krag brass and the LR primer in each case have some value, they, along with the powder and lead are worthy of salvage. I would probably set up a single stage press with the proper shell holder and no die. Then put one of the cases in place, raise the ram all the way and grab the lead bullet securely with a pair of diagonal cutters laid flat across the upper flat surface of the press. While holding the bullet securely, lower the ram. Throw bullet in pot to remelt later, dump powder into a marked container to reuse (or use for fertilizer), put primed case aside for later sale, repeat.

    If you definitely don’t care about losing most of the powder, the “whack-a-mole” method works fine if you use a hard wood, hard nylon, or steel surface, but it’s noisy and cumbersome and takes longer. Bullets are usually unharmed though, but since you’re going to remelt them anyway…

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Frog View Post

    If you definitely don’t care about losing most of the powder, the “whack-a-mole” method works fine...
    Froggie,

    Have no idea how you are losing most of the powder.

    Don
    NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
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  6. #26
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by USSR View Post
    Froggie,

    Have no idea how you are losing most of the powder.

    Don
    I lose some powder using the whack-a-mole technique, I've had it come out the back of the puller while using it, some gets stuck to the lube on cast boolits.

    It's just not as clean as simply pulling the shell out of the shell holder and dumping it into the container.\

    YMMV

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Big difference between "some" and "most".

    Don
    NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
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  8. #28
    Boolit Buddy AlHunt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Frog View Post
    ...

    If you definitely don’t care about losing most of the powder, the “whack-a-mole” method works fine if you use a hard wood, hard nylon, or steel surface, but it’s noisy and cumbersome and takes longer. Bullets are usually unharmed though, but since you’re going to remelt them anyway…

    Froggie
    End Grain of a hardwood 4x or 6x or something good sized.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlHunt View Post
    End Grain of a hardwood 4x or 6x or something good sized.
    That's what I use, AlHunt.

    Don
    NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
    NRA Life Member

  10. #30
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
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    With the impact puller, I like to tap it fairly soft but rapidly against concrete. That seems to get even really crimped boolits to fall.
    WWG1WGA

  11. #31
    Boolit Master Retumbo's Avatar
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    Same problem...looks like I'm buying a new gun

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Retumbo View Post
    Same problem...looks like I'm buying a new gun
    That’s the spirit

  13. #33
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Retumbo View Post
    Same problem...looks like I'm buying a new gun
    I think this is the proper course of action.
    WWG1WGA

  14. #34
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    I have used my impact puller hundreds of times too. As for the wood block, I have gradually torn up a couple blocks of wood. I went to a local sporting goods store and bought a hockey puck for about 3 bucks and that's what I use now. It's hard rubber but it does no damage to the puller.

  15. #35
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks all.

    I replied awhile back but my reply isn't showing.

    Once I moved my kinetic operation to the carpet covered concrete garage floor, all went well and now I have almost 200 pieces of brass, powder and boolits, not to mention primers.

  16. #36
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Retumbo View Post
    Same problem...looks like I'm buying a new gun
    Don't ever let a good excuse to buy another gun slip by you ...
    Isn't that a Rule , Commandment or Law ?
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
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    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  17. #37
    Boolit Master

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    Just throw them in the "junk" pile. I have a pretty good one building. I'll likely just list it here for one money. Half boxes of odd calibers, single dies, random grips, recoil springs, and magazines for guns I don't own.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check