Are these 147gr. .308 pulldowns even safe to shoot?

[silicosys4]

I bought these for reloading range ammo. I wasn't expecting precision projectiles but I also wasn't expecting these kind of variances. Cannelure looks OK, but the bases are all over the place. I haven't even bothered to weigh them yet, lol.

What do you think, OK for 50-100 yard range drills and plinking ammo, or does it need to be returned for safety reasons? Loads will be light to midrange so I don't expect the weight variances to be a safety issue as much as a function or accuracy issue, but I don't know.
I mean, there is still gunpowder in some of the cavities in these projectiles. Not much but enough to see

 

[Walkalong]

Run of the mill cheap FMJ.

Safe? Sure. Accurate? Doubtful.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I don’t see anything unsafe.

 

[Charlie98]

Actually... they will be fine. I got something similar from RMR... they blast just fine. Guaranteed safe and effective, when taken as prescribed...

 

[AJC1]

I'm not keen on fmj because they are the base of quality assurance.... a clearance zmax or Hornaday seconds are better. I buy and load speer because the price is sometimes less than pulled or seconds

 

[goon]

I’d check the size with calipers or a micrometer to be sure - I do with all pull downs and milsurp projectiles. I’ve seen bulk bullets from Remington look about the same though. It’s possible they’re from different manufacturers, so maybe sort them as best you can and load them by lots.

 

[MikeInOr]

No they are not safe to shoot... you could hit someone and poke an eye out!

My military projectile pulls have been good for a couple of MOA at 100 yards. Projectiles come out of all muzzles deformed. How consistent is the weight in the batch?

 

[lightman]

They should be safe to shoot. Just don't expect great accuracy from them.

 

[donki1967]

For your safety no problem, for the result you have to try!

 

[dartor]

I'd sort by weight at the very least, only way to expect anything close to "accuracy".

 

[Charlie98]

What do you think, OK for 50-100 yard range drills and plinking ammo

only way to expect anything close to "accuracy".

To be honest, you could shoot SMK's at '50-100 yds' in 'offhand range drills' and I'd bet the accuracy would be nearly the same as the pull-down bullets. Shooting those irregular bullets I got, pictured above, I couldn't tell one bit they were messed up, and that included a little benchrest time (in the M1a) at 50-100yds when compared to the Hornady 150's.

For the sake of safety, considering the different length of bullet, I would not run a max load with them, but otherwise I would... (I did...) load them up and go to work.

 

[Varminterror]

Projectiles come out of all muzzles deformed.

I’m curious - how exactly are you seeing this?

 

[FROGO207]

I’m curious - how exactly are you seeing this?

I'm taking it to mean sized to fit the bore.
I have found most milsurp FMJ wether loaded ammo or bare projectiles are at best 2 MOA in my firearms. If this is OK to you, load them and chootem!

 

[Charlie98]

Projectiles come out of all muzzles deformed.

I’m curious - how exactly are you seeing this?

I'm assuming 'deformed' is... mauled up by the rifling, or in something like a cast bullet, from base obturation.

 

[Varminterror]

I'm assuming 'deformed' is... mauled up by the rifling, or in something like a cast bullet, from base obturation.

My question wasn't to describe the deformity, but rather, again, I'd like to understand exactly how @MikeInOr was able to see this deformity as bullets exit the muzzle.

 

[Charlie98]

My question wasn't to describe the deformity, but rather, again, I'd like to understand exactly how @MikeInOr was able to see this deformity as bullets exit the muzzle.

I don't think he needs to lay eyeballs on the bullet exiting the muzzle to know it has been somehow touched by the barrel, in whatever degree.

 

[Soonerpesek]

My question wasn't to describe the deformity, but rather, again, I'd like to understand exactly how @MikeInOr was able to see this deformity as bullets exit the muzzle.

Don’t have to “see” it…
After it goes thru the rifling, it isn’t the same as before…
I would surmise to guess that since it got “squished”, it has “deformed” to be a bit longer….
…….kinda common sense….

ETA. @Charlie98 beat me to it…!

 

[Varminterror]

I don't think he needs to lay eyeballs on the bullet exiting the muzzle to know it has been somehow touched by the barrel, in whatever degree.

Ah... so your point is that his point was trivial, aka, without significance... got it...

 

[Soonerpesek]

Ah... so your point is that his point was trivial, aka, without significance... got it...

Why do you get away with being so pissy when someone answers your questions.. ?

 

[MikeInOr]

I’m curious - how exactly are you seeing this?

Have you ever slugged a barrel? The projectile is deformed when it is forced into the rifling. Even with a smooth bore the projectile bumps around when going down the barrel deforming it.

 

[MikeInOr]

I'm assuming 'deformed' is... mauled up by the rifling, or in something like a cast bullet, from base obturation.

Yes, forcing a projectile into the rifling deforms it.

I would be more concerned about the weight deviation projectile to projectile than the pull marks.

My military .308 pulls aren't awful when it comes to accuracy. 2 moa out of a 1 moa rifle isn't what I consider worthless.

 

[goon]

Generally, inconsistencies in the base of a bullet are more detrimental to accuracy than a collet pull mark at the front. So I’d sort out the ones with the jackets sort of more open at the base and shoot them first, or load a separate lot. Dial in a load and use the better bullets for more serious target shooting. But they all look safe to me.

 

[Varminterror]

Have you ever slugged a barrel? The projectile is deformed when it is forced into the rifling. Even with a smooth bore the projectile bumps around when going down the barrel deforming it.

No worries, I get it. Just a reference the trivial, unimportant distinction that "all bullets mold to barrels," with absolutely nothing to do with the variable open bases of the bullets in question. I get it.

 

[GBExpat]

What do you think, OK for 50-100 yard range drills and plinking ammo, or does it need to be returned for safety reasons?

They will be fine for your purposes.

Load'em.

Shoot'em.

Enjoy!

 

[Walkalong]

They will be fine for your purposes.

Load'em.

Shoot'em.

Enjoy!

Yep.

Asked and answered, and we’re acting like children, so…………….