Old Handloads Problem?

[JerryM]

In the early 60s I was stationed in Alaska. When I returned to the states I had a fair amount of handloads for several cartridges. In 1978 I got an elk permit, and decided to use my 300 Wby. I had some Alaska handloads loaded with 180-grain bullets ahead of 81 grains of H 4831. Most were not new cases but cases which had been fired and resized. In those days I did not have a good way to clean cases and so they were pretty dirty.

When I went to the range to check the rifle, I experienced high pressures and in one case a leaking primer. I was confused, as the temperature was not that much higher.
I tried to pull the bullet and check the load, and found that the bullet puller collet slipped off the bullet. Then I decided to take the seater and move the bullet. When I did that there was a definite pop which indicated that there had been a chemical reaction between the bullet and the residue inside the case neck. When I tried to seat the rest just enough deeper to move the bullet they all popped. Once I had done this I had no more high-pressure problems, and I did get a 6x6 bull.

I believe that the problem is that the residue from the fired powder and the jacket material react to "weld" the two together slightly, but enough that if the round is loaded hot the pressure will be too high.

Since then, if I have ammunition which has been reloaded with fired cases for several years I tighten down my seating die just enough to move the bullet, and without exception they always pop. I haven't found this to be the case with new cases.

While I was typing this, a friend who had loaded some ammunition for Africa in 1996, and had many rounds left over, went through this drill with some ammunition which was loaded with new cases and some with previously fired cases. The fired cases popped and the new ones did not.

I was curious if anyone else had experienced this. It certainly would change the ballistics of the round due to the higher pressure.

Jerry

[Art Eatman]

Interesting. I can see how it can happen, although I've not experienced it.

Somewhere in the late 1980s I shot up some .243 reloads that were around 20 years old. They grouped just fine, but an inch or so lower than newer reloads.

I have some '06 stuff of my father's; must be around 30 years old. I'll have to check it out. ("Round Tuits" apply, of course. )

Art

[JerryM]

Hi Art,
I got a reply on GT, and learned that Major George Nonte had addressed that problem years ago. It is caused by inadequate cleaning of the inside case necks. I thought as much.

I don't shoot that much, and don't have many rounds left over. I thought it was of interest to reloaders who load 40 rounds, go hunting, shoot one or two rounds, and put the rest up until another year. If the ammunition is reloads it is advantageous to check to see if the problem exists.

I don't know whether one year is enought to experience that problem or not.

Jerry