Reloading Tula ammo

[General Tso]

So I saw on another forum that some guys were talking about new Tula 223 and 45acp using boxer primers and that it is reloadable. They claimed that you can reload it at least once or twice before the polymer coating comes off. This would drastically cut reloading costs if true. Can someone please elaborate on this? I was not aware that you could reload polymer coated steel cased ammo.

 

[Sport45]

I heard of people reloading steel, but .45acp and .223 brass is easy enough to find that I've never tried it.

If you do, I suggest lubing well on a lube pad or with wax (Imperial or Kiwi Mink oil polish, no spray lubes) and be sure to check neck tension. I wouldn't even attempt to apply a crimp.

 

[NuJudge]

It can be reloaded

Back when the only 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R was corrosive, steel cased, Berdan primed, and hard to find, I reloaded steel cased Berdan, the biggest problem being finding the Berdan primers.

If Boxer primed, steel case can be reloaded easily. Years ago, I never noticed 7.62x39 cases failing more quickly than brass. I typically lost them before they got neck cracks or head separations.

I've reloaded a little steel case pistol, and no steel case .223.

 

[LiveLife]

For reloading steel rifle cases, do the cases expand/lengthen like brass cases?

I imagine it would be harder on the case cutter and chamfering tools to trim/chamfer the steel cases.

 

[jcwit]

I reloaded sreel cased years ago as an experiment. I went as far as 5 reloadings with 45 acp with moderate charges with no problems. There is an extensive thread regarding this, use the search function to find it.

With the above being said, as easily found the two calibers mentioned, my question is , Why? Why supject your dies to steel cases ect, ect, but then it is your equipment and guns.

 

[x_wrench]

i have reloaded steel boxer cases on a limited basis. i guess more to just see if it could be done sucessfully or not. it can, but i am sure it would substancially shorten the life of regular steel rifle dies. the 45acp cases i have loaded, i have loaded 3 times with no problems. you can feel there is more resistance when sizing them. i have not really checked neck tension on the 223 rifle rounds i loaded. i shoot them though a single shot, so as long as the bullets dont move in my pocket, they are good enough for me. the rifle cases, i only loaded once. as for the polymer coating, i do not know. i tumbled these with the rest of the brass. it may have been gone before i ever loaded it the first time.

 

[10 Spot Terminator]

STEEL CASES HUH ???

Sounds like a candidte for neck sizing only and would most likely use a good bullet swaging lube on the necks inside and outside and clean em real good afterwards. Maybe too after this give em a quick spin in the tumbler with some corn cob media laced with Nu Finish 2000. Might do this for an old bolt gun but not an auto loader and then only if I couldnt afford boxer primed brass.

 

[NuJudge]

If you reload steel cases, they need trimming, just like brass cases.

CDD

 

[General Tso]

Even if you got 1 or 2 reloads then pitched them, it wouldn't take long to justify a $15 Lee FL sizing die.

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[jcwit]

How many cases are you talking about? 10 or 1,000

Then again, try to wear out dies with brass cases!

 

[General Tso]

If u figure tula is $5 for 20 at walmart, if u get 2 reloads from it, that's 60 for less than $10. I don't see why it isn't done. I'm going to try it.

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[jcwit]

I just sold a few hundred .223 brass cases for $ .12 each, deprimed and polished. Got another deal sold and will deliver tomorrow, same price. All accuired at no cost, range pick-ups.

Thats 100 pcs for $12.00. And one gets alot more than 2 reloads out of each case.

45 acp is even more plentiful.

 

[kingmt]

If it is range pick up then it is free & when you are done with it sell it for 12 cents a pound. Win one way then win the other.

 

[kingmt]

If u figure tula is $5 for 20 at walmart, if u get 2 reloads from it, that's 60 for less than $10. I don't see why it isn't done. I'm going to try it.

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I wish it was that cheap here. Wally sells it for $12 + tax here. Unless the price has dropped recently. I have never bought a piece of factory for my .223.

 

[Navy_Guns]

I got some Tula .45 ACP this weekend and I'm going to save the steel cases to reload for my bolt action .45 ACP rifle. I've sent 185 grain Gold Dots downrange at over 1,800 fps with brass cases, but I figure the steel ones have to be good for even higher pressures. When the primers fall out, I'll know I've gone as far as I can.

 

[rsrocket1]

I wish it was that cheap here. Wally sells it for $12 + tax here. Unless the price has dropped recently. I have never bought a piece of factory for my .223.

$12 for 20 Tula .223?!!
I don't know what Wally World you live near, but keep me the heck away from that one!

They started carrying Russian ammo at Walmarts around here and the prices were quite good, but since I started reloading, I have no interest in anything other than their .22LR and 7.62x39. Unfortunately, I don't think Wally has any intentions of feeding my Mosin Nagant with any cheap corrosive surplus 7.62x54R any time soon.

Scrounged and reloaded Tula .223 is great field ammo. You aren't spending a whole lot of time backtracking looking for ejected brass .

 

[kingmt]

I was buying the Federal cheep stuff for 9mm @ $9.97 until they got the Tula then the Federal went to $12 something & the Tula is $10 something.

I spend more time looking for brass these days then I do shooting. It's a new hobby in its self.

 

[EMC45]

I have loaded both 9MM and 45ACP steel cases with no ill effects. Used RCBS carbides sizing dies for both calibers. I found a bunch at the range once and figured "what the heck". They do fine, and I don't get too bent if I can't find them after shooting!

 

[NuJudge]

For everyone reading this, if there is one central flash hole from the primer pocket to the inside of the case, the case is Boxer primed, and normal sizing dies will work to decap the fired case during sizing, and normal Boxer primers will fit the case.

If there are two little flash holes, it is a Berdan primed case. Normal dies will not decap the fired case, and normal primers do not fit.

Running a Berdan primed case into a size die meant for Boxer cases may well break your decap pin or bend the spindle.

 

[kingmt]

I just found a bunch of the Tula .223 at the range & looked the cases over. This stuff seems pretty good. The older Tula that I used to scrap all the time was much thicker. If it was fired through your bolt & you are only neck sizing no problem but if FL then take out the expander & do it in another step with the neck sizer & tumble long enough to make sure they are clean before sizing.

 

[LiveLife]

If u figure tula is $5 for 20 at walmart, if u get 2 reloads from it, that's 60 for less than $10. I don't see why it isn't done. I'm going to try it.

I wish it was that cheap here. Wally sells it for $12 + tax here. Unless the price has dropped recently. I have never bought a piece of factory for my .223.

Graf & Sons has Tula rifle ammo for less than $4:

55 gr .223 for $3.79/box of 20. They are steel case and boxer primed.
75 gr .223 for $3.99/box of 20 but these are Berdan primed.
60 gr 5.45x39 for $3.99/box of 20, also Berdan primed.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7083186#post7083186

 

[kingmt]

It's still cheaper to load.