How quickly do bullets "weld" to the neck?

[miningshawn]

Just like the title asks, in your opinion how soon do bullets weld to necks? In my example: I loaded a batch of .308 Starline cases that had been once fired, tumbled in walnut, loaded with 185 Juggernauts, then set in a climate controlled room for over a year. They exhibited zero velocity shift.

I am curious how long I can load in advance before experiencing issues. FWIW I live in Montana - lower humidity and high DA. I'm sure a lowland reloader has different circumstances.

 

[ronemus]

It depends - I have heard of squeaky-clean brass and bullets in high humidity cold welding in weeks. On the other hand, I've loaded moly-coated bullets in brass that has some oxidation and had no signs of cold welding years later. YMMV!!!

 

[DShortt]

I don't think there's any way to know for certain, too many variables.

I have heard enough people talk about it that I now believe it does happen. Might explain some of my past problems too.

Can't account for something you're unaware of.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I’m guessing about as soon as a falling star hits one of us on the head while on a afternoon walk.

 

[bozo699]

I’m guessing about as soon as a falling star hits one of us on the head while on an afternoon walk.

It does happen,….. I’ve had it happen in wayyyyy less than a year
Wayne

 

[Kracken McGraw]

It does happen,….. I’ve had it happen in wayyyyy less than a year
Wayne

Well I’m pretty good at eating crow, but it’s not going to be on my list of things to worry about.

 

[searcher]

I haven't done any testing to see change within a matter of days - but all my bare varmint loads shoot a little faster after 6 months and I live in a fairly dry climate with low humidity. I'd guess it would really accelerate if humidity were high. I loaded some 7 MM Rem Mag with just enough tension to keep them from moving on recoil (not crimped). After a few years, I decided to pull the bullets as I was switching to another bullet. Those suckers did not want to come out. I was pretty amazed.

 

[Big_Daddy]

This falls under the category of "the least of my concerns"...
A few weeks ago, I shot some 22-250 handloads from April, 1992.

They showed no abnormal velocity variations and shot sub MOA at 500 yards.

 

[JB10]

For the guys who have ran into this i would ask where were they stored? All my loades are stored indoors. A/C during summer and heater during winter. Nothing is outside or in garage. My garage can be over 130 in summer months. Would be curious on similar conditions that may cause this

 

[RegionRat]

Listen to the noise made when they seated their ammo.
The ammo was made shortly before shipping to the UK three months ahead of the matches.

You don't have to watch the whole thing, just forward to 08:03 and the segment is a few seconds long.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Friend of mine loaded some "hotish" 222 ammo just before he went overseas for a year, we used that ammo before he left to cull allot of animals without any problem. After a year he came back we were popping primers from shot one, I have a video on my phone how we had to hit that bolt open to get the brass out, after seating the bullets a little deeper to break the "weld" all was fine again.

On the other side I load allot of ammo for my dad in bulk where he shoots it over multiple years without any problems. I guess you need sort of a perfect storm for it to happen but I have seen how that "welding" affects ammo so ill keep loading mine fresh before comps and/or hunts

Ammo was stored in a cupboard in the house

 

[hpasquet]

Bullets loaded dry weld. Case necks with dry lube graphite do not weld. No metal to metal contact. I have won 1000 yard matches with loads that were years old.

 

[Andy Work]

Bullets loaded dry weld. Case necks with dry lube graphite do not weld. No metal to metal contact. I have won 1000 yard matches with loads that were years old.

I was going to ask if this only happens with squeaky clean brass and if graphite would help.

 

[Orr89rocz]

My dad had a box of 30-06 remington ammo he only used to fire 2-3 times a yr for hunting only. Sometimes only 1 shot to check zero. Bet that box was 10-12 yrs old and it always shot true

I loaded up a couple 28 nosler for a seating depth test and didnt shoot some of them. Couple days later i reseated them shorter but you could hear an audible snap as it broke loose to reseat.

I have some 257 rob ammo i loaded probably 2 yrs ago and still shoots the same, and i seated those bullets with some oneshot lube on the bullets.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Maybe it only happens to cases that aren’t annealed? This would be a good one for about February.

 

[DiffEQ]

Assume they will weld.
Use a prophylactic - graphite, beeswax, hBN.
Problem solved, next!
Or don't.
I have seen the corrosion bonding on pulled rounds, and it's still not something on my worry list.

 

[jpx2rk]

I've got some 223 ammo I loaded for a pdog shoot back in '18 that has been stored inside the house with HVAC, been on 2 cross country trips that still shoots like it did when I loaded. Even works/shoots in 2 other 223's that the load was not developed for. It actually shoots better at 100yds in one of the other guns than in the R700 I worked the load up for. LOL

 

[SeabeeKen]

For the guys who have ran into this i would ask where were they stored? All my loades are stored indoors. A/C during summer and heater during winter. Nothing is outside or in garage. My garage can be over 130 in summer months. Would be curious on similar conditions that may cause this

Mine were kept indoors in A/C and heated home. I don't know when they actually welded but I found them welded about a year later and it was bad. I wanted to pull the bullets and none would release. I ended up seating them deeper to break the weld like in the above video and the pop when the weld broke was very loud. Once the weld broke, they pulled fine. Ever since, I use Lee case lube in the necks and never have I had cold weld again. For those that dont care about it, well thats fine. I'd sure like to know the pressure spike when the weld breaks on firing. As a side note, Lee case lube made a huge difference in my ES.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Ten+ year old 17 rem reloads(several firings), cracked necks on a few when shot. Could not inertia pull bullets. Had to seat 0.005 deeper(easy heard pop) was able to pull or shoot without neck cracks. I annealed and reloaded to same load, shot fine so I managed to save the rest of the brass.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I had to miss a monthly match which I had already loaded for, I used that ammo to shoot the next match and shot poorly. So now I have an excuse “ my bullets must have been “welded” in the brass “