Can you reuse a pulled projectile?

[6.5 forever]

My hammer type puller messes up some of the tips. I use pulled bullets for foulers. I may try the cotton ball method mentioned above.

Using the powder should be fine.

I frequently change the cotton balls. Also I use SMK pointed bullets and I haven't visually seen a problem.

 

[jackieschmidt]

To answer the OP’s question, never in a competitive situation. Or while doing any testing to ascertain the capability of the Rifle.

That leaves fire forming and fouling shots.

 

[Mr Wick]

Interesting. A cotton ball makes sense.

 

[Dgd6mm]

A foam earplug in the kinetic puller does the trick also.

 

[Ringostar]

In one of your other threads, you’re talking about starting over with Lapua brass. And shooting steel at 500 yds. Why not just leave the loads alone, and just shoot as is? If you start disassembling, just to load into other brass. Are you really gaining anything, when there’s a chance of damaging the bullets?

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

I use an inertia puller. I put a short length (approx 1-1.5 inches) of fuel line in the bottom of the puller. It is a loose fit. Bullet points go in the inside of the tubeing and never touch the bottom . Also keeps them from bouncing back up putting the little smiley cut on the bottom. Also have a section with soft hot glue in the bottom half for smaller calibers

Frank.

 

[USMCDOC]

Well a very famous Wisconsin Gun Smith and Palma Team Shooter once pulled Bullets.
He reloaded them for a different Rifle .
He went to a Match a won it .

He used Pulled Bullets ?
I do all the time.

Mexican Match

 

[JimSC]

Do you think the puller messes the bullet up more than the rifling does ?

Rifling Impressions - FirearmsID.com

Forensic Firearms Identification is a discipline of Forensic Science that has as a primary concern to identify fired ammunition components as having been fired from a specific firearm.

www.firearmsid.com

 

[sw282]

I shot 3 different 50gr bullets in my 223Rem Cooper 21 Varmint this week. Pulled Ballistic Tips avg group was 1.30''. Blem VMAX avg @.446''. Blem 50gr Varmigeddens went .461''. Same brass/powder/primers on all 3 loads. 3 shot groups@100yds
Sadly, l dont have any unpulled 50gr NBTs to compare

 

[Mr Wick]

I shot all of the rounds today without an incident.

They performed just fine from 300 yards to 700 yards.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Webster]

I have 100 rounds of Federal Brass with Sierra Matchking Projectiles seated in them.

If I use a Lyman Bullet Puller can I reseat the Projectiles in the Lapua Brass?

Thanks.

I pulled a few 58 gr Hornady bullets a few years ago with a RCBS collet puller. The rifle normally shoots .4-.5" groups or less. 4 unpulled bullets in the group 1 pulled. The pulled bullet was .5" out of the group. The real problem with very short bullets is there is only about 0.090" behind the ogive exposed to grip. I had to use extreme force to grip the bullet so the puller wouldn't slip. Long bullets might have less damage. Shoot a few and see how it works out. May be fine for hunting but not for trying to shoot small groups.

 

[Laurie]

I use a kinetic bullet puller with cotton balls stuffed in the end for cushion. My cases are annealed after each firing and I use a mandrel .001 under bullet size. 99%of the time my bullet drops out with two taps.

I think that's a key point, especially if the round the bullet is ejected from employs light neck tension. I've used such recovered bullets many times without incurring problems and as far as I can tell no deterioration in precision. I use squares of a dense packing foam forced into the 'hammer' body and modern 'tipped' bullets see no damage. Use of a kinetic puller without this or cotton wool or other soft landing facilities will damage, often break off tips.

Now, using a collet type puller on bullets held in by heavy neck tension and/or sealants (as with much military spec ammo) is a very different matter.