Bullet puller use

seanc · March 6, 2024, 02:13 PM

Question: Is it OK to re-seat factory loaded ammo?

After dry fire practice, when I reload, I have some rounds that have been compressed after multiple re-chamberings. I'm in the habit of using my inertia bullet puller to tease the bullet out a little and then I re-seat the bullet to the correct OAL and put the round back in my mag. If the bullet gets yanked all the way out, I just reload it with my powder and it gets shot at the next range trip.

Is this re-seating OK?

I've tested some by rechambering and they show no compression, at least for a couple subsequent re-chamberings.

Shadow9mm · March 6, 2024, 03:56 PM

I would ask why you are repeatedly re-chambering the same cartridge. If you are frequently unloading your weapon I would recommend alternating the round in the magazine so you are not chambering the same round repeatedly.

I would think using an inertial puller to tease the bullet out a little, then re-seating would be safe. But personally I would not keep carrying that round.

If you are having problems with bullet set back you could try adding a little taper crimp. but that kind of defeats the ideology of factory ammo for carry use.

Also you generally want to replace your carry ammo on a somewhat regular basis. My agency replaces all our duty ammo every other year. I do the same with my personally carry ammo.

Ricklin · March 6, 2024, 04:02 PM

Good advice from Shadow above. Might also try a Lee factory crimp die as it does sound like you reload.
Throw the ammo used in a range only box, only carry good stuff.

tangolima · March 6, 2024, 04:57 PM

Dry firing with live rounds? It may not be dry when you pull the trigger.

Reseating is fine.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Nathan · March 6, 2024, 05:47 PM

Change the bullet you reseat. Measure the other and put it back in your mag, if ok.

Ricklin · March 6, 2024, 06:52 PM

Most everywhere sells the 9 mm A-zoom brand snap caps. They simulate a loaded round safely. They should work fine through the magazine and chamber as well.

Nathan · March 6, 2024, 07:51 PM

He is unloading, then dry firing, then reloading.

After reloading several times, he sees that the oal is shortening and wants to bump it out.

BTW, it will need recrimped, imo.

Nick_C_S · March 7, 2024, 01:05 AM

Quote:

I would think using an inertial puller to tease the bullet out a little, then re-seating would be safe. But personally I would not keep carrying that round.

Right! Me too. That round is range fodder now.

If I tried to tap out the bullet and it came all the way out. I wouldn't "rebuild" the round - I'd keep the bullet though - put it in my collection of oddballs n misfits.

**44 AMP** · March 7, 2024, 01:45 AM

I doubt it will be a popular opinion, but I think if you are getting bullets set back from a few chamberings, you need better made ammunition.

Nathan · March 7, 2024, 06:06 AM

How many is a few? If you reload a round 10 times, I suspect many/most will start to move a couple thousandths.

Ten times is likely 10 days worth of loading….hmm

seanc · March 7, 2024, 08:59 AM

My .45ACP Hornady 3-die set has a bullet seater/taper crimp, so when I re-seat the bullet, it's getting crimped too.

Speer Gold Dot 45ACP is good factory ammo.

I dry fire my carry pistol several times a week. After dry fire exercises, I chamber a round from an inserted magazine instead of risking breaking my extractor by plunk rechambering. After a month or so, I check the top couple rounds for setback and fix if necessary.

When I 1st started reloading 45acp, I tested the taper crimp, since I had more confidence in the 4-die factory crimp like my 9mm die set has. I found that I could rechamber about 10 times before there was any setback, about the same I found with the factory crimp dies in 9mm.

Dry fire with loaded rounds?!? You may have read the OP a little too fast...

**44 AMP** · March 7, 2024, 02:49 PM

IF you are getting bullet movement after only 10 chamberings, then the ammo maker did not do the best job they could.

I don't know for certain if anyone is currently making ammo the best it could be, regarding bullet setback during feeding, but I know that some once did.

My standard for "best it could be" is zero bullet movement, no matter how many times the round gets chambered. It is not an unachievable goal. It seems that many ammo makers today aren't bothering to try to achieve it.

I know from personal experience that at least some of them used to.

March 6, 2024, 02:13 PM	#1
seanc Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 1998 Posts: 590	Bullet puller use Question: Is it OK to re-seat factory loaded ammo? After dry fire practice, when I reload, I have some rounds that have been compressed after multiple re-chamberings. I'm in the habit of using my inertia bullet puller to tease the bullet out a little and then I re-seat the bullet to the correct OAL and put the round back in my mag. If the bullet gets yanked all the way out, I just reload it with my powder and it gets shot at the next range trip. Is this re-seating OK? I've tested some by rechambering and they show no compression, at least for a couple subsequent re-chamberings.

March 6, 2024, 03:56 PM	#2
Shadow9mm Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 3,977	I would ask why you are repeatedly re-chambering the same cartridge. If you are frequently unloading your weapon I would recommend alternating the round in the magazine so you are not chambering the same round repeatedly. I would think using an inertial puller to tease the bullet out a little, then re-seating would be safe. But personally I would not keep carrying that round. If you are having problems with bullet set back you could try adding a little taper crimp. but that kind of defeats the ideology of factory ammo for carry use. Also you generally want to replace your carry ammo on a somewhat regular basis. My agency replaces all our duty ammo every other year. I do the same with my personally carry ammo. __________________ I don't believe in "range fodder" that is why I reload.

March 6, 2024, 04:02 PM	#3
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,016	Good advice from Shadow above. Might also try a Lee factory crimp die as it does sound like you reload. Throw the ammo used in a range only box, only carry good stuff. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

March 6, 2024, 06:52 PM	#6
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,016	Most everywhere sells the 9 mm A-zoom brand snap caps. They simulate a loaded round safely. They should work fine through the magazine and chamber as well. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

March 7, 2024, 01:45 AM	#9
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,860	I doubt it will be a popular opinion, but I think if you are getting bullets set back from a few chamberings, you need better made ammunition. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

March 6, 2024, 04:57 PM	#4
tangolima Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2013 Posts: 3,829	Dry firing with live rounds? It may not be dry when you pull the trigger. Reseating is fine. -TL Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

March 6, 2024, 05:47 PM	#5
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,334	Change the bullet you reseat. Measure the other and put it back in your mag, if ok.

March 6, 2024, 07:51 PM	#7
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,334	He is unloading, then dry firing, then reloading. After reloading several times, he sees that the oal is shortening and wants to bump it out. BTW, it will need recrimped, imo.

March 7, 2024, 06:06 AM	#10
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,334	How many is a few? If you reload a round 10 times, I suspect many/most will start to move a couple thousandths. Ten times is likely 10 days worth of loading….hmm

March 7, 2024, 08:59 AM	#11
seanc Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 1998 Posts: 590	My .45ACP Hornady 3-die set has a bullet seater/taper crimp, so when I re-seat the bullet, it's getting crimped too. Speer Gold Dot 45ACP is good factory ammo. I dry fire my carry pistol several times a week. After dry fire exercises, I chamber a round from an inserted magazine instead of risking breaking my extractor by plunk rechambering. After a month or so, I check the top couple rounds for setback and fix if necessary. When I 1st started reloading 45acp, I tested the taper crimp, since I had more confidence in the 4-die factory crimp like my 9mm die set has. I found that I could rechamber about 10 times before there was any setback, about the same I found with the factory crimp dies in 9mm. Dry fire with loaded rounds?!? You may have read the OP a little too fast...

March 7, 2024, 02:49 PM	#12
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,860	IF you are getting bullet movement after only 10 chamberings, then the ammo maker did not do the best job they could. I don't know for certain if anyone is currently making ammo the best it could be, regarding bullet setback during feeding, but I know that some once did. My standard for "best it could be" is zero bullet movement, no matter how many times the round gets chambered. It is not an unachievable goal. It seems that many ammo makers today aren't bothering to try to achieve it. I know from personal experience that at least some of them used to. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.