Can I reuse unfired 8mm Mauser bullets?

[bclassics]

I bought 220 rounds of new 8x57 JS Mauser ammo online and the steel casing is too long and does not fit all the way in the barrel of my WWI and WWII Mauser (compared to my brass casings the neck is just a hair different). I took one apart and still unable to push the casing all the way forward with my bolt.

Total description is 170 grain FMJ ball, lacquered steel case, berdan primed, non corrosive. Made in Romania. I bought this at sportsmansguide.com

Would it be wise to break these casings apart and reuse the bullet and the powder combo and put it into my brass casings? I measured the powder and there is 45.2 grains in each one. Are there different pressures I need to think about between steel and brass casings? I just started reloading this week so Im not sure what is wisest.

[Bezoar]

something doesnt sound right.

1. the headstamp on the "bad" steel ammo is actually the caliber its supposed to be?

2. Is the chamber of your rifle in proper specifications?
3. Your bolt in proper specifications?

If the bullets actually measure to the correct bullet diameter for your rifle you can still use them.

But you cant really reuse that powder.

[howlnmad]

Yes to the bullet question.

Fertilize the flowerbed with the powder.

Scrap the rest.

[F. Guffey]

I purchases surplus 8mm57 cases for $4.70 for 70 rounds. I pulled enough apart to wear out a Hornady cam lock bullet puller 3 times, for my effort the bullets were crimped and has a waist around the bullet. The powder was good stuff.

I did not want the corrosive primers, after pulling the bullets and saving the powder I saved the 8mm cases in 30 cal. ammo cans.

I did fire 70 rounds. The cases had body splits along with splits in the necks and shoulders. I formed cases from everything 30/06, no neck splits and no body splits.

F. Guffey

[Jimro]

I bought 220 rounds of new 8x57 JS Mauser ammo online and the steel casing is too long and does not fit all the way in the barrel of my WWI and WWII Mauser (compared to my brass casings the neck is just a hair different). I took one apart and still unable to push the casing all the way forward with my bolt.

Just to ask the obvious question, you slid the extractor rim into the extractor and used it to "hold the bullet" in place instead of simply putting the round on top of the magazine and trying to cycle it forward?

Because if you don't feed from the magazine, or slide the cartridge head under the extractor, your extractor will NOT snap over the rim of the cartridge and it will seem like your round is too long and won't chamber.

Jimro

[F. Guffey]

I took one apart and still unable to push the casing all the way forward with my bolt.

bclassics. The Mauser is a control feed type receiver, some assume the extractor will jump the case head groove, some designs will, some will not.

The other design is push feed, just simply lay the round in front of the bolt and then close. I will assume you have had success at feeding brass cases and you are feeding the steel cases with the same method you have been feeding the brass cases.

F. Guffey