Awww Crud!

kkb · January 27, 2005, 01:00 PM

A run of 500 rounds done wrong

(Bullet caliber whoops, don't ask.)

*sigh*

So spent a few hours of quality time with an impact bullet puller, wore out its collet and reduced my "banging board" to kindling, to recover primed cases powder and bullets.

The cases are obviously reusable, just remove the decapping pin from the press, but what about the cast bullets and powder?

The powder may have been contaminated with bullet lube (I don't know) - Do I try loading it again, or should I just fertilize the yard with it or something?

The bullets aren't a caliber I shoot, I don't cast my own, are contaminated with powder, and slightly deformed between being pressed and pulled - what do I do with 'em? Put them on a shelf "just in case" I do get into casting, take them to the club and see if anybody wants 8+ lbs of preformed lead (what's the value?), or just say phuckit and toss 'em?

Leftoverdj · January 27, 2005, 03:38 PM

Shoulda asked before you pulled. From your numbers, I would guess that you loaded 9mms into .38 Special cases or the other way around. If you had the right charge for the bullet weight, you coulda just shot them. Make an accuracy difference, but not a safety difference.

I'd reuse the powder and save the lead, but that's just me. If you know a caster, give him the lead.

Rodger Peterson · January 27, 2005, 09:54 PM

I feel for you, I have put my bullet puller to use as well. I would load up 10 of them with the powder and see how they behave. If you have no problems with 10 in a row, I'd say the powder is reuseable and reliable. If you donate the lead to a fellow shooter, one day a favor may come your way.

kkb · January 28, 2005, 12:28 AM

leftoverdj: 2 points to you! 38 spl in 9mm cases. Tried giving them a go but the extra thousanths diam. was getting shaved off in the chamber and lead to seating problems after a while. In addition to that, being conical flatpoints, the angle of the cone wasn't sharp enough and they would sometimes nick the chamber above the feed ramp also causing a jam or stovepipe.

OK all. I'll give the powder a second try and find a nice home for the lead.

January 27, 2005, 01:00 PM	#1
kkb Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2004 Location: Western Slope, Colorado Posts: 403	Awww Crud! A run of 500 rounds done wrong (Bullet caliber whoops, don't ask.) sigh So spent a few hours of quality time with an impact bullet puller, wore out its collet and reduced my "banging board" to kindling, to recover primed cases powder and bullets. The cases are obviously reusable, just remove the decapping pin from the press, but what about the cast bullets and powder? The powder may have been contaminated with bullet lube (I don't know) - Do I try loading it again, or should I just fertilize the yard with it or something? The bullets aren't a caliber I shoot, I don't cast my own, are contaminated with powder, and slightly deformed between being pressed and pulled - what do I do with 'em? Put them on a shelf "just in case" I do get into casting, take them to the club and see if anybody wants 8+ lbs of preformed lead (what's the value?), or just say phuckit and toss 'em?

January 27, 2005, 03:38 PM	#2
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	Shoulda asked before you pulled. From your numbers, I would guess that you loaded 9mms into .38 Special cases or the other way around. If you had the right charge for the bullet weight, you coulda just shot them. Make an accuracy difference, but not a safety difference. I'd reuse the powder and save the lead, but that's just me. If you know a caster, give him the lead.

January 27, 2005, 09:54 PM	#3
Rodger Peterson Member Join Date: December 18, 2004 Location: Nevada Posts: 93	I feel for you, I have put my bullet puller to use as well. I would load up 10 of them with the powder and see how they behave. If you have no problems with 10 in a row, I'd say the powder is reuseable and reliable. If you donate the lead to a fellow shooter, one day a favor may come your way.

January 28, 2005, 12:28 AM	#4
kkb Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2004 Location: Western Slope, Colorado Posts: 403	leftoverdj: 2 points to you! 38 spl in 9mm cases. Tried giving them a go but the extra thousanths diam. was getting shaved off in the chamber and lead to seating problems after a while. In addition to that, being conical flatpoints, the angle of the cone wasn't sharp enough and they would sometimes nick the chamber above the feed ramp also causing a jam or stovepipe. OK all. I'll give the powder a second try and find a nice home for the lead.