Ammo/reloading ignorant... are these dangerous as/is?

[sota]

I picked up a bulk lot of ammo from a forum member, and need to know, a couple things about these "damaged" rounds:
I know they're not viable to shoot, but are they dangerous as they sit?
Can they be "salvaged" by pulling the bullets enough to be at the correct OAL?
If they're lost causes for use how can I grab the bullets to pull them without damaging them? Or are those bullets to be considered lost causes as well?
What "you don't know what don't know" things should I be concerned about with these rounds?

I haven't gotten into reloading yet, but the possibility exists as not only did I receive these rounds, but 249 other viable/undamaged rounds, 280 bullets of unknown origin, 25 unfired cases, and 20 Hornaday 750gr A-MAX bullets.

Thanks in advance.

 

[WestKentucky]

No they are not dangerous just sitting around, but yes they would be dangerous to shoot. They should be disassembled. The bullet being pushed back into the case reduces case capacity which will subsequently increase pressures. The bullet, case, and primer can likely be reused. The cases may be junk though because neck tension should have prevented the condition you are seeing.

As far as pulling the bullets forward without damaging them, you use an inertia type puller. You essentially insert the cartridge and whack in like a hammer and the inertia in the moving bullet mixed with the sudden stop of the case which is stopped when the “hammer” stops causes the bullet to move forward in the case.

 

[sota]

I mean are they dangerous just sitting in the ammo can shown until I can figure out how to deal with them? I wouldn't even consider letting them near the rifle.

 

[k4swb]

I mean are they dangerous just sitting in the ammo can shown until I can figure out how to deal with them? I wouldn't even consider letting them near the rifle.

No. They are not dangerous just hanging out.

 

[Walkalong]

No, they are not.

 

[Allen One1]

Sota you have a mess there. They are not really dangerous just sitting like they are. But. Those rounds need to be completely disassembled and completely rebuilt, cases resized, new powder charges, etc. Do not try to "adjust" them. After seeing these I would be very concerned about the 249 rounds that you are calling viable. Don't mess around with rounds of this size from unknown sources. IMHO.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

To put you more at ease I will add another no, they are not dangerous sitting in the box.

The cases will probably need to be annealed to restore the neck tension.

 

[7mmsavage]

Sota you have a mess there. They are not really dangerous just sitting like they are. But. Those rounds need to be completely disassembled and completely rebuilt, cases resized, new powder charges, etc. Do not try to "adjust" them. After seeing these I would be very concerned about the 249 rounds that you are calling viable. Don't mess around with rounds of this size from unknown sources. IMHO.

Allen One1 beat me to it.

There’s no way I’d fire any rounds associated with these reloads (or whatever they are), no matter how perfect they look. Hang on to them until you start to reload yourself. They’re perfectly harmless sitting in the box. Then you can reuse the bullet and case, and since you don’t know what the powder is, use it as fertilizer.

By the way, just out of curiosity what caliber are they?

 

[Shimitup]

I think everybody's got you covered, I'd add one more thing be sure to check the case dimensions in every regard AND the case wall for thinning in front of the web with a paper clip. If there's thinning or corrosion the only salvageable Item may be the bullets.

 

[243winxb]

Hornaday 750gr A-MAX bullets.

Well, there is some 50 bmg old surplus IMR 5010 powder that has been know to self combust sitting in a can. By now, all gone??

Seems to need to be a 8 lb or larger container.

The op ammo may be 50bmg with that bullet?

 

[sota]

the other 249 round are packaged in vacuum sealed bags (for the 773gr rounds), and loose on their sides in the ammo can they were shipped in from Talon Ammo. None of them appear to have suffered the damage the ones I originally posted. based on how I received the damaged rounds (in a cardboard box, with cardboard separators between them, bullets pointed up) I surmise that at some point something was dropped on that box, damaging those rounds as shown.

Understood on not trying to save those rounds and just breaking them down and starting over. I kind of figured it was a long LONG shot, but worth at least asking. I'll get a hold of a local who reloads and at the very least tear those down and dispose of the powder.

 

[243winxb]

http://www.akfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234749

WARNING: IMR 5010 surplus powders...
I recently saw somewhere on the net about surplus IMR 5010 powders breaking down and after I poked around today I found that there were a number of houses that burned down because of the breakdown and self combustion of this powder.

If you bought any of this powder back in the 2000s from TALON, Hi tech, GI Brass or else ware check it immediately. If you smell a strong ammonia or acidic smell ditch it immediately.

I found three jugs that were bad. I checked and the ball powders like WC 820, 860, 872 do not seem to be affected.

 

[sota]

so are you thinking I should pull one of the talon rounds apart and see if it stinks?
Their production date is 05/05... and based on some reading I did they might not even be reman'ed.

 

[243winxb]

No reason to pull one.. Rounds are not going to blow up or catch fire. May Corrode the brass.

The 8 lb jugs were the problem, when powder could generate more heat.

Whats the headstamp on them? At one time there was military surplus ammo at $1 each, years ago.

Military surplus or reloads? Did Talon sell remanufactured ammo?

 

[243winxb]

https://www.ar15.com/forums/armory/Talon_Mfg___50_BMG/3-366538/

Interesting on Talon.

 

[Walkalong]

so are you thinking I should pull one of the talon rounds apart and see if it stinks?

I would if I were you. If it is starting to break down you need to salvage components as soon as possible. Brass may be fine if the powder has just started to go bad. Bullets may be salvaged if not corroded much. Won't hurt to break down on of the rounds that have had the bullets shoved down in the case. How is the neck tension on the rounds that are "OK"?

Here is what you might find.

 

[243winxb]

Enlarged op brass photo. Not looking great on the outside.

 

[bobinoregon]

If I bought those the first thing I would do is pull every one down. They are valuable as components but there is no way I'd risk my rifle or body parts on anything in the lot.

 

[lightman]

If I bought those the first thing I would do is pull every one down. They are valuable as components but there is no way I'd risk my rifle or body parts on anything in the lot.

This is what I would do.

 

[Texas10mm]

No they are not dangerous just sitting around, but yes they would be dangerous to shoot. They should be disassembled. The bullet being pushed back into the case reduces case capacity which will subsequently increase pressures. The bullet, case, and primer can likely be reused. The cases may be junk though because neck tension should have prevented the condition you are seeing.

As far as pulling the bullets forward without damaging them, you use an inertia type puller. You essentially insert the cartridge and whack in like a hammer and the inertia in the moving bullet mixed with the sudden stop of the case which is stopped when the “hammer” stops causes the bullet to move forward in the case.

I don't think that .50 BMG will fit in inertial puller.

 

[sota]

Here's the Talon stuff:



only 2 head stamps
68x DM 43
82x 43 TW
I don't see any signs of corrosion, they all appear to be the same length, and the crimp knurl ring is visible on all rounds.
Some of the bullets have small dents on the sides.

ETA:
note... the ammo in the OP isn't the same stuff that's in the Talon can. Those appear, to me at least, to have been prior owner reloads. the head stamps are also different.

 

[Walkalong]

appear, to me at least, to have been prior owner reloads. the head stamps are also different.

Pull them down.

 

[someguy2800]

Being that they are 50 BMG it’s a tougher proposition to pull the bullets. You may have to raise them up in a press and grab the bullets with a cable cutter and lower the ram to pull them out. It will ruin the bullets but the cases will be usable.

I agree with the above that I would not shoot the other reloads personally.

 

[sota]

Pull them down.

Those are definitely going to get taken apart and hopefully salvaged.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Try this. If you have a collet puller with a .20 collet try to grab the points of the recessed bullets by the tip and pull them into the case mouth. Then change collets to whatever the bullet dia is and finish pulling them. Throw the powder away. The bullets are worth a lot more than the cases and the powder is unusable. If you are thinking about getting geared up to reload you will want a collet puller anyway. Might as well buy one now and get some help pulling those. If you want to salvage the cases you can drive the primers out with a universal decapper like this one. I decap live primers with mine and never had one ignite. Even if it does it's no big deal.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011183740/lee-universal-depriming-and-decapping-die

I caught some guy at the range the other day who was throwing away a bunch of 308 that he had been given because of FTF's in his AR10. Got some really nice bullets and usable brass out of the salvage operation.