This could have been bad

[Mr.Snerdly]

i don't quite understand why he did it but a guy on another form that has nothing to do with shooting, rifles or reloading (although we do talk about anything and everything, sometimes even rifles) sent me what has to be $400 worth of bullets and brass. He sent it under a fictitious name and address and told me not to try to send him any money. Anyway, I loaded up about 30 rounds with what I thought was 80 grain Sierra Match King bullets and 37.7 grains of Varget. I also have just received a box of 70 grain Sierra Match Kings and was going to load them and see what shot the best. I thought there seemed to be a tremendous difference in the length considering there was only 10 grains of weight difference. Come to find out, I weighed them and they are 107 grain. I don't know if they are Sierra or not. I was going to ask if it would be safe to shoot but after looking at the Hodgdon reloading tables it would be downright dangerous. Max listed for Varget is 33 grains. 4.7 grains over would definitely get you in trouble. I guess I will have to buy a bullet puller now and start over.

I am going to weigh every different bullet he sent me after this. Some were in sealed packages and some were not.

[J.Baker]

Years ago a guy on this site was cleaning out his reloading room and offered to send me a bunch of stuff he no longer needed/wanted for free. I was just getting into reloading at the time so I accepted. The contents of the box I received was an assortment of obscurities unlike any you could imagine. There were several one pound powder cans with multiple layers of masking tape on them with different powder types written on each layer. There were numerous boxes of assorted bullets - some sorted by caliber, others not. There was even an old single-stage press that was so rusty and crusty that it was totally locked up and you couldn't even make out the maker's name on it.

Suffice to say the several pounds of questionable powder became lawn fertilizer and all the bullets in mixed/assorted boxes as well as the press were scrapped.

[Mr.Snerdly]

No doubt it was an honest mistake but a guy truly can't be too careful. At the very least I am sure I would have damaged the gun. I never used a Sierra bullet before but I thought it look awfully long for the weight. A good thing I had just received the 70 grain Sierra the day before or I might have shot it.

[azguy]

Couple years ago I paid $100.00 at an estate sale from a widow of a guy that reloaded and sold at the gun show. It took me months to sort out everything. The purchase over flowed a pickup bed . I ended up with hundred of pounds of very good stuff, even after scraping the primers and powder ( I did not know how old and how they were stored.) Traded items that I did not want, much for bullet casting lead. What a haul.

[charlie b]

I have never understood why people trust used stuff that is sold in opened boxes. Over half the time the box does not match what is inside. Bullet molds used to be a big issue that way at gun shows.

And, yes, I have seen a vendor intentionally 'repackage' stuff to make more money, ie, cheaper bullets in Sierra Match King boxes.

And, no, I won't use surplus powder for the same reason. No idea what it really is unless you can verify it came sealed from a factory.

Yep, I will spend full price for stuff most of the time. Not worth the few pennies saved to mess with the used components.