thirty-eight
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Excellent photo dredd, thanks for posting it. Lots to be learned there.
Gun Show Reloads? 44 Mag advice needed.
- Thread starter dredd
- Start date
Mark_Mark
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WOW!!! this is called a catch 22! WOW
GeoDudeFlorida
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And that’s why there’s bonded bullets.
Hugger-4641
Member
When you get your collet puller, put a few rounds in the freezer overnight, then let them sit out for about 5min before you try to pull them. See if that helps them pull easier than rounds that you didn’t put in the freezer.
Mark_Mark
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do bonded bullets heat the 2 metals together, or they use glue?
Hugger-4641
Member
If all of them are like the one in the picture, there's no room to seat them deeper and still be able to use a collet puller. OP stated these were gun show reloads, so its doubtful there's any sealer on them.
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OP
OP
dredd
Member
That is worth a try, even if I have to use the kinetic puller.
I have heard of competitive shooters loading long and then final seating right before a match to break the "bond" that can supposedly form over time.
These have been sitting around a looooooong time!
AND..... To answer other questions....
Out of ten pulled so far, I have had two different powders. Small Flake and Ball. I have not bothered weighing them.
Call me a sissy, nuts or just plain crazy, but my gut tells me to pull them and move on.
I have over 1,000 factory rounds to entertain myself with while I tinker with these.
Once again, Thanks for all of the comments!
GeoDudeFlorida
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Yeah, that’s going to be an ongoing project, no doubt about it. But, given the price of components and factoring in the “fun factor” very worthwhile. You can put the separated cores and jackets back together and shoot them safely, just run them hot like the old Speer half-jackets.
jmorris
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Close your eyes and make a wish? Unless shooting unknown’s makes you warm and fuzzy, there is no way because you have absolutely no idea who put them together or the circumstances.
They could have even been a known problem batch and someone just never pulled them down to recover the components, then you wind up with them down the road.
Easiest way I could, would be to pull them down, make sure a few primers actually function then recharge the rest with a known powder/weight and reseat the bullet.
The best reloading advice I could give for any caliber is to be safe.
How much did the 44mag cost?
What’s the ammo worth?
How much would you pay to ensure it wouldn’t harm you or the firearm?
Now remember not shooting it, is free. That’s how you wound up with them. If they are so valuable, why did the last guy just give them to you?
Only one name I could call someone that comes to a decision like that. Smart.
Now, if your smart enough to pay attention to your gut.
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GeoDudeFlorida
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Kinda amazing how bravo people are rolling the dice on someone else’s stakes.
lightman
Member
I doubt that a collet puller will work on those. But its worth a try. Personally I would use my press and a pair of Linemans pliers. Some reloaders have used a pair of wire strippers in lieu of the Linemans pliers. This pretty much ruins the bullet but I remelt them anyway so its not a factor to me.
I've tried to ID powder in the past and was never successful enough to trust it unless they were my loads with the data listed on the box. I even have a couple of shallow lab dishes (Petry Dish ?) and a magnifying glass to use in side by side comparisons with a known powder.
Anyway, if it was me the powder would go th next years light show at Deer Camp and the bullets would get remelted in my next batch of scrap lead.
I've tried to ID powder in the past and was never successful enough to trust it unless they were my loads with the data listed on the box. I even have a couple of shallow lab dishes (Petry Dish ?) and a magnifying glass to use in side by side comparisons with a known powder.
Anyway, if it was me the powder would go th next years light show at Deer Camp and the bullets would get remelted in my next batch of scrap lead.
Mark_Mark
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lightman
Member
Yes, exactly like that. If the bullet won't reach through the top of the press you can put a PVC coupling over the press ram and do the same thing.
MauriceSam
Member
After reading most of the comments I have two thoughts on this. First, a nice label doesn’t mean anything. I’m very meticulous in my reloading and I use both printed labels and hand written labels on my reloads. The label on the box matches the slip of paper I put inside the box as well. It has date loaded, brass brand, primer brand, bullet info (manf, bullet # and weight), powder and grains, coal, lot #, gun loaded for, etc. this info matches the paperwork in the three ring binder that includes more information about the gun and the loading information. Each of my guns has it’s own book with all info about all loads along with test targets, etc. if someone provided me this much information I might try them out. But shooting unknown rounds from a nice bag/box with a plain label and no other info than what I see in the photo, I would have a hard time using. Doesn’t mean I have never done that, but only from folks I knew and whose reloading skills I trusted. Have plenty of friends who load that I wouldn’t feel comfortable shooting their reloads. Looking back at my skills when I first started loading 30 plus years ago, don’t know that today with what I know that I would have shot my loads from back then. Thinking I’ve said enough, don’t need a second thought.
