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Thread: Pulling Bullets

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub snipecg21's Avatar
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    Pulling Bullets

    Gentlemen
    My nephew, who works at a local gun store and range brought me most of a box of .44 mag cartridges. He told me that a shooter at the range had destroyed his gun with them. I have pulled the bullets ( older looking half jackets ) and the powder has been disposed of . My question is should I proceed to reload the with the current primers or would I be smarter to deprime them and start from the beginning
    ( tumble, size, prime, etc. )Powder was unknown although it was very fine and burned very slowly. Cases are Wincester super x and are rather dirty ( leastways not up to my standards )
    Your input is greatly appreciated.

    Snipecg21

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy

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    You could put a couple in your pistol and fire. For practice/ recreation shooting, I would gamble on just loading them considering the price of primers GW

  3. #3
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    I'd load them up. With primers at 12 cents a piece, if you can find them, there is no reason not too. I am sure that it was not the primers that caused the KA-BOOM.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    I would load them up as per your usual method. If you want pretty cases then just use some Brasso type cleaner on the few you have. Then once shot run them as regular brass. Primers should be fine and you will know immediately If they are regular or magnum primers. Load six and test. I dump unknown powder on my tomatoes.

  5. #5
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    I'd load them as if they were magnum primers and shoot 'em.

    The powder is the culprit for the loads being over max, the primers are innocent.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy alfadan's Avatar
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    Did you measure the charge weights of them before tossing it? Just out of curiosity.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Sasquatch-1's Avatar
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    Load low level 44 spl. charges and shoot them.
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  8. #8
    Boolit Bub
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    Hello:
    Its also possible too heavy of a slug was loaded over say proper chg but i agree with above sugestions.
    Id pull slugs weigh slug maybe consider reusing slug if not damaged from pulling apart but load with known safe chg and after fired then polish cases for reuse.
    Just my thought.
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  9. #9
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    I'd go ahead and load them with the current primers using a moderate load.
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  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Polymath View Post
    ….If you want pretty cases then just use some Brasso type cleaner on the few you have….
    Think I’ve read that Brasso has an adverse effect on case metallurgy.
    I’d just load them and you can clean them up after shooting.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by alfadan View Post
    Did you measure the charge weights of them before tossing it? Just out of curiosity.
    I had the same question.

  12. #12
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    JonB_in_Glencoe's Avatar
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    I'd say, load 'em for target fodder.
    If you want hunt'n ammo or self-defense ammo, then remove the unknown primers.
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  13. #13
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    You might neck size just to insure proper bullet tension after pulling the bullets.

  14. #14
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    Target ammo! Load them up and shoot them. If they don’t fire . You really haven’t lost anything, well except your time.
    Keep your powder dry and watch your six !!

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    I would load them up as low level target loads, probably with my own cast bullets. Save the half jackets some more “fun” higher velocity loads.
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  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    I'd use them but would try to identify the primers. Winchester primers compounds have different colors.

  17. #17
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    Load and use for practice.
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  18. #18
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
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    Check the bullet diameters.
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  19. #19
    Boolit Man
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    The exploding firearm could be caused by an overcharge of powder, to heavy of bullet, Oversized diameter of bullet, or a weak or defective firearm. With the primers rare and expensive, I would reload the cases using the existing primer, charge with a medium load of powder and use a lead bullet. They would make great range ammo.

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master

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    After pulling the boolits , re-size the cases ... but do not deprime them .
    You will now have sized and primed cases to load .
    In these hard times , don't want to waste good usable primers .
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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