What would you do with these reloads if you were me?

FirstFreedom · May 16, 2005, 11:42 AM

My buddy gave me 100 rounds of .45 acp which he reloaded. When I shot the first 18 of them, I noticed from just cycling a few through a semi-auto without shooting them, that the bullets are set quite a ways back in (more than 1/10th"), just from normal cycling (not a hard jam, mind you). Apparently he put no crimp on them. The powder charge is apparently fine, as the ones I shot were fine, sounded normal and all that. But how bad could this setback hurt me? Multiple choice...For the other 82, should I:

1. Just put them in the reloader and crimp them myself
2. Pull all the bullets & re-seat & crimp
3. Assume that if he failed to crimp, he is likely to have screwed something else up - in this case, just dis-assemble all of them, discard powder, re-use other components.
4. Just shoot 'em; they should be fine... given the low pressure of .45 acp, even a significant setback is not likely to do any harm.

?? Thanks.

cobra81 · May 16, 2005, 12:17 PM

Trust no one......not that your buddy isn't a good guy, but hey, it's not like you have any of your own money invested here, and even if you did, what's your life and limb worth? If it were me, I'd definitely go with Option #3. A little extra time, free components, and the peace of mind of knowing for sure what you're shooting.

Jim Watson · May 16, 2005, 12:25 PM

You cannot crimp a loose bullet tight, there is something else wrong here. Probably insufficient resizing or excess expanding/flaring.
You can set back a .45 ACP bullet enough to increase pressures to the danger point.

Pull them down and salvage the brass. You can use the primers if you take the decapping pin out of the die, but you should run them all the way back through the process. Ditch the powder. I don't reuse pulled cast bullets but jacketed might be ok. I dunno about plated bullets, I don't use them any more.

Tim R · May 16, 2005, 05:00 PM

Bullet set back is often times caused by worn out brass, not the lack of a crimp. If the rounds chamber I would have to say there is a crimp as I can't seem to get mine to chamber without taking the bell out.

If it where me I would pull them down and maybe reuse the bullets if I was hard up.

Bullet set back is a big deal as pressure goes up without control. As already, stated I will not shoot someone else reloads (factory OK) in my guns. I will shoot someone elses reloads in their guns.

Peter M. Eick · May 16, 2005, 05:14 PM

If it were me, I would pull the bullet, toss the powder on the lawn, pull my deprime punch out of the die and then reload them properly!

G56 · May 16, 2005, 06:20 PM

Your buddy sucks at reloading, go for option #3.

Quote:

3. Assume that if he failed to crimp, he is likely to have screwed something else up - in this case, just dis-assemble all of them, discard powder, re-use other components.

DO NOT SHOOT cartridges that the bullets are set back in the cases!!!!!!!

Poygan · May 16, 2005, 07:29 PM

May I suggest an option 5: share with your buddy your concerns about these rounds. If in fact he did something wrong with these, he's probably doing something wrong with other reloads. Perhaps you can pull them down together and analyze what the problem is. If he's your buddy, he should appreciate your efforts. If he gets upset, he's probably not a buddy.

michiglock · June 4, 2005, 11:13 AM

The crimp DOES NOT hold the bullet, it allows the round to feed. Don''t shoot them, disassemble them.

Kamicosmos · June 4, 2005, 12:54 PM

Let your friend know, and redo them, perhaps together. He needs to know what he might have done wrong.

You don't mention what type of powder or the charge either. That would be good to know. Some powders are very sensitive to bullet setback and the pressures can go up expontentionally very quickly.

**Mal H** · June 4, 2005, 01:18 PM

#3

Russ5924 · June 4, 2005, 05:38 PM

My vote is #3 I'm to the point I hate shooting someones reloads it's a nice jester but one that can have very bad results

Jeeper · June 4, 2005, 07:25 PM

Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback
Crimp doesnt prevent setback

They are over expanded or not correctly sized. Chuck them!

Bert223 · June 4, 2005, 08:48 PM

Disassemble all of them don't shoot them anymore, its not worth the risk. Make sure you tell your buddy what is happening to them as well, if hes really your buddy he'll understand. No need for him to risk anything either.

Ruger4570 · June 4, 2005, 09:11 PM

personally, I am always very leary of anyone's reloads. I wouls either salvage them or dump them.

May 16, 2005, 11:42 AM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	What would you do with these reloads if you were me? My buddy gave me 100 rounds of .45 acp which he reloaded. When I shot the first 18 of them, I noticed from just cycling a few through a semi-auto without shooting them, that the bullets are set quite a ways back in (more than 1/10th"), just from normal cycling (not a hard jam, mind you). Apparently he put no crimp on them. The powder charge is apparently fine, as the ones I shot were fine, sounded normal and all that. But how bad could this setback hurt me? Multiple choice...For the other 82, should I: 1. Just put them in the reloader and crimp them myself 2. Pull all the bullets & re-seat & crimp 3. Assume that if he failed to crimp, he is likely to have screwed something else up - in this case, just dis-assemble all of them, discard powder, re-use other components. 4. Just shoot 'em; they should be fine... given the low pressure of .45 acp, even a significant setback is not likely to do any harm. ?? Thanks.

May 16, 2005, 05:00 PM	#4
Tim R Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2004 Location: God's side of Washington State Posts: 1,601	Bullet set back is often times caused by worn out brass, not the lack of a crimp. If the rounds chamber I would have to say there is a crimp as I can't seem to get mine to chamber without taking the bell out. If it where me I would pull them down and maybe reuse the bullets if I was hard up. Bullet set back is a big deal as pressure goes up without control. As already, stated I will not shoot someone else reloads (factory OK) in my guns. I will shoot someone elses reloads in their guns. __________________ God Bless our Troops especially our Snipers.

May 16, 2005, 05:14 PM	#5
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	If it were me, I would pull the bullet, toss the powder on the lawn, pull my deprime punch out of the die and then reload them properly! __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

June 4, 2005, 12:54 PM	#9
Kamicosmos Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2002 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Posts: 193	Let your friend know, and redo them, perhaps together. He needs to know what he might have done wrong. You don't mention what type of powder or the charge either. That would be good to know. Some powders are very sensitive to bullet setback and the pressures can go up expontentionally very quickly. __________________ "Dreams only have meaning because we struggle in the waking world." -- Major Motoko Kusanagi GitS:SAC Member of NRA and Western Missouri Shooters Alliance

June 4, 2005, 05:38 PM	#11
Russ5924 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Posts: 1,874	My vote is #3 I'm to the point I hate shooting someones reloads it's a nice jester but one that can have very bad results __________________ Russ5924

May 16, 2005, 12:17 PM	#2
cobra81 Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2005 Location: Land of Lincoln Posts: 336	Trust no one......not that your buddy isn't a good guy, but hey, it's not like you have any of your own money invested here, and even if you did, what's your life and limb worth? If it were me, I'd definitely go with Option #3. A little extra time, free components, and the peace of mind of knowing for sure what you're shooting.

May 16, 2005, 12:25 PM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,541	You cannot crimp a loose bullet tight, there is something else wrong here. Probably insufficient resizing or excess expanding/flaring. You can set back a .45 ACP bullet enough to increase pressures to the danger point. Pull them down and salvage the brass. You can use the primers if you take the decapping pin out of the die, but you should run them all the way back through the process. Ditch the powder. I don't reuse pulled cast bullets but jacketed might be ok. I dunno about plated bullets, I don't use them any more.

May 16, 2005, 07:29 PM	#7
Poygan Senior Member Join Date: August 28, 2004 Posts: 125	May I suggest an option 5: share with your buddy your concerns about these rounds. If in fact he did something wrong with these, he's probably doing something wrong with other reloads. Perhaps you can pull them down together and analyze what the problem is. If he's your buddy, he should appreciate your efforts. If he gets upset, he's probably not a buddy.

June 4, 2005, 11:13 AM	#8
michiglock Member Join Date: March 28, 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 38	The crimp DOES NOT hold the bullet, it allows the round to feed. Don''t shoot them, disassemble them.

June 4, 2005, 01:18 PM	#10
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	#3

June 4, 2005, 07:25 PM	#12
Jeeper Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2001 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 776	Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback Crimp doesnt prevent setback They are over expanded or not correctly sized. Chuck them! __________________ Gun control theory - A woman raped and strangled is morally superior to a woman with a smoking gun and a dead rapist at her feet.

June 4, 2005, 08:48 PM	#13
Bert223 Member Join Date: May 23, 2005 Posts: 77	Disassemble all of them don't shoot them anymore, its not worth the risk. Make sure you tell your buddy what is happening to them as well, if hes really your buddy he'll understand. No need for him to risk anything either.

June 4, 2005, 09:11 PM	#14
Ruger4570 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 2,136	personally, I am always very leary of anyone's reloads. I wouls either salvage them or dump them.