OK to re-use pulled bullets?

[dacaur]

I ask because I messed up about 20 rounds a while ago and pulled the bullets using a kinetic puller (RCBS Pow'r Pull) and just recently reloaded them. I took them out and shot them last weekend and they grouped horribly.... The problem is I was doing load development and I am wondering if there is a chance that loading, pulling, then loading again could have somehow messed them up and maybe it was the bullets that were the problem not the powder charge? It just so happened that the last weight I tried before I got to the pulled bullets was 43.8grains which grouped great at 1.1" 5 shot group, and then the next two weights I tried, 44.1 and 44.5 using the pulled bullets grouped at 3+ and 2.5"... If it matters, these are hornady 165g SST and the powder is varget, all remington cases and CCI 200 primers.

I guess what I am asking is, has anyone ever had pulled bullets cause problems in a known good load?

[Trent]

Did you reuse the same cases that you pulled the bullets from? If so, that could be your culprit. The neck tension on a case is loose once you pull a bullet. You can easily feel this when you seat a bullet into the case... it will seat really easy.

Other than that, the only thing you can do to a bullet to damage it with a kinetic puller is maybe deform the tip, but you would have had to damage it pretty bad in order to cause "horrible" groups.

[dacaur]

no not the same cases, I actualy re-used those cases some time ago, but I did re-size them first....

Thanks, thats kinda what I thought.... I guess it was just happenstance that it was the pulled bullets that my rifle didnt like...

[Slowpoke Slim]

I've shot bullets that I've pulled many times. Both with a kenetic puller, and a collet puller. It's not normally an issue at all. It could be brass related if you didn't resize the brass after you pulled the bullets. Or, it could just be that that combination of bullet, powder, primer is "finicky" in your rifle. I've seen groups open up like crazy with a .5 gr powder charge change. Is it also possible that the seating depth has varied? That too, will cause big changes in group size.

You may just have a load combo that isn't going to work any better in your rifle.

Still, a "1.1" 5 shot group is good for big game hunting. What cartridge is this, and what are you trying to use the rifle for? Hunting, competition, or ?

[82boy]

I have shot a lot of bullets I have pulled with a kinetic puller, and have never seen a diference. The main things to look for it to make sure that when you seated the bullets that you did not scrap them on the case, or nick the heal.

[dacaur]

I've shot bullets that I've pulled many times. Both with a kenetic puller, and a collet puller. It's not normally an issue at all. It could be brass related if you didn't resize the brass after you pulled the bullets. Or, it could just be that that combination of bullet, powder, primer is "finicky" in your rifle. I've seen groups open up like crazy with a .5 gr powder charge change. Is it also possible that the seating depth has varied? That too, will cause big changes in group size.

You may just have a load combo that isn't going to work any better in your rifle.

Still, a "1.1" 5 shot group is good for big game hunting. What cartridge is this, and what are you trying to use the rifle for? Hunting, competition, or ?


Yea, I had figured, well, hoped, that my gun just didnt like those particular charges, and they they just happend to be the ones I had loaded the pulled bullets in... good to have confimation.

.308 winchester
Its for deer hunting... that 1.1" is actualy (imo) better than it sounds...the first 4 shots were all touching at .689", with the 5th opening it up to 1.137".... If I had stopped at a 3 shot group, it would have been under 1/2 MOA ;D No gun vise or sandbags either, this was just the gun resting on my range bag, with my hand under the butt to controll elevation ;D Im actualy curious now what it would do on a gun vice... hehe

http://www.dacaur.com/guns/targets/edge/43.8-2.jpg

[heavybarrel]

Depending on the bullets your pulling........I found (many years ago) that The tip of the bullet (sometimes) would be deformed when it pulled out of the case and hit the nose of the bullet puller. (I don't believe it would make much difference in the group) but I fixed this by putting a little piece of soft foam down in the nose of the bullet puller. I have never had a deformed bullet nose since........................Don in SC

[dacaur]

Luckily the RCBS puller has foam down there already... the hornady SST bullets also have plastic tips so I dont think deforming would be an issue...

[Slowpoke Slim]

Strictly speaking about accuracy, that group is outstanding from a bag. If you had a solid front rest and rear bag set up, that one flyer might not be there. I'd say you were done, just looking at the accuracy.

At 43.8 grs, you're right in the center of the load range. You're velocity is probably right around 2600 fps. A 168 gr bullet at 2600 fps equals a dead deer, no problem. However, if your shooting distance is say 300 yards or over, your bullet drop will be more pronounced. I have no idea what your hunting situation is like, or where you'll be hunting. If you stay with that load, shoot that at 100, 200, and 300 yards, and write down what your actual drop is with that load. Then you can decide what range to zero your scope at, and compensate for hold over out to your range limit.

That is good shooting right there. I'd save that target.

[dacaur]

Strictly speaking about accuracy, that group is outstanding from a bag. If you had a solid front rest and rear bag set up, that one flyer might not be there. I'd say you were done, just looking at the accuracy.

At 43.8 grs, you're right in the center of the load range. You're velocity is probably right around 2600 fps. A 168 gr bullet at 2600 fps equals a dead deer, no problem. However, if your shooting distance is say 300 yards or over, your bullet drop will be more pronounced. I have no idea what your hunting situation is like, or where you'll be hunting. If you stay with that load, shoot that at 100, 200, and 300 yards, and write down what your actual drop is with that load. Then you can decide what range to zero your scope at, and compensate for hold over out to your range limit.

That is good shooting right there. I'd save that target.


Thank you.
I definitely dont plan on shooting over 300 yards, but had hoped that I could go out at least that far I'f I had too... the manual I am using is one of those "one book, one caliber" deals and its a little contradictory... On the hornady page it says max load is 44 grains, but on the hogdon powder page it says max load is 46 grains... The thing is, the 44.5g load I shot was compressed, no room at all for more powder, I dont know how it would be possible to fit 46 grains in....

I will take it out this weekend and shoot at 200 yards, and hopefully rent a chronograph so I can check the velocity.... will try to shoot it at 300 yards too.... I have been told to zero for 200 yards, what do you think of that?

[kkeene]

I use a foam ear plug in the bottom of the bullet puller to protect the bullet. Keith

[Slowpoke Slim]

Well, I would guess-timate that your good with a 200 yard zero, which should put you 2+" high at 100, and right at 9" low at 300.

It would still be best to verify that with you're own shooting tests.

[handirifle]

That looks like it's just over an inch above center, to me anyway, and the load is very close to what I just hunted with. Mine was with a 150gr Nosler Etip, and at 2600fps and a 1.5" above center at 100, it is dead on at 175, according to my ballistics program (point blank).

I can vouch on the accuracy for that loads ballistics, in my rifle, since the deer I shot was right at 175-180, and the hit was dead on. That puts it down about 12.5" low at 300.