Pulling Reloads

[Earle]

I bought 80pcs of 458WM reloads that were advertised as 480gr. When i received them, they didn't look quite right. I managed to pull one of the bullets and it turns out they are 405gr. The seller argued the point, but after some pointed emails, allowed that he may have been mistaken. I am leery of reloads from strangers to begin with, and doubly so when they are unsure of what they actually reloaded. Obviously i won't shoot these, but my question is two part. First, they are crimped and almost impossible to pull with an inertia type puller. Is there an easier way? Second, once i pull the bullets and dump whatever the powder is, do the cases need to be de-capped and resized? I ask because i am unsure how the crimp affects the case mouth. Hope my questions make sense. Thanks

 

[Newboomer]

I bought 80pcs of 458WM reloads that were advertised as 480gr. When i received them, they didn't look quite right. I managed to pull one of the bullets and it turns out they are 405gr. The seller argued the point, but after some pointed emails, allowed that he may have been mistaken. I am leery of reloads from strangers to begin with, and doubly so when they are unsure of what they actually reloaded. Obviously i won't shoot these, but my question is two part. First, they are crimped and almost impossible to pull with an inertia type puller. Is there an easier way? Second, once i pull the bullets and dump whatever the powder is, do the cases need to be de-capped and resized? I ask because i am unsure how the crimp affects the case mouth. Hope my questions make sense. Thanks

I wouldn't reuse the powder not knowing what it is. The brass should be fine unless you want to determine if it will fit your chamber. Measure some against your own loads oal. Try just neck sizing. You may have to open the neck if they have a hard crimp.

 

[Hunter4752001]

Absolutely pull all of the rounds. Should be a standard practice with any reloads done by someone else but especially for 458 WM which can suffer from over compressed powder charges.

For the sake of peace of mind I'd also de-cap and resize. You just don't know how the original owner did his reloading, note he didn't even know the right bullet weight. Trim to length whilst you're at it.

I've always just used an inertia puller. However if that is proving difficult due to crimp it may pay to get something like the Hornady Cam-Lock bullet puller and the collet for 458 and let your press do the work. https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/lock-n-load-accessories/bullet-pullers-bullet-collets/#!/

 

[Earle]

Thanks for the prompt reply. A little paranoia when dealing with unknown reloads is a good thing. Thanks for the Hornady Cam-Lock tip.

 

[sestoppelman]

Normally heavy bullets pull quite handily with an intertia puller, its the light bullets that cause so much grief.
I recently destroyed an RCBS puller on light bullets.

Agree on starting over, so you know what the primer is etc and that sizing is correct.

 

[Daggaboy375]

I pulled quite a few stubborn Brazilian crimped 7.62x51. My inertia bullet puller would not do it.

A RCBS Collett bullet puller did the trick.

If it was me, I would make sure the powder was the same in all rounds.
Determine the average charge in the pulled rounds.
Resize brass and load em back up.

That's just me.

DB

 

[Hogpatrol]

Another vote for the RCBS collet type puller and yes, absolutely do not shoot another's reloads unless you were there while he was doing it and double checking them.

 

[sestoppelman]

A little hint on pulling bulles, seat them just a tad deeper to pop them loose, then they pull easier.

 

[Daggaboy375]

^^^^^
This. Laquered/tarred bullets especially.

DB

 

[Joker12]

I have done that operation many times. Good call on pulling the bullets and being careful. I always then partially resize the case after removing the recapping pin. Unless this is to be safari ammo I see no need to deprime the cases. I would toss the powder unless you are absolutely sure what it is. I think that with bullets that heavy a kinetic puller will work fine.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I agree with Joker12 in all but the means of pulling the bullets.
The OP wrote of the ammunition having a heavy crimp.
Buy a RCBS collet type puller and the collets for the calibers you reload. The cost allocated over a few years will make that one of your best purchases ever!

With my RCBS puller set up on my 47 year old RCBS Rockchucker press, I load batches of ammo. If I don't like the results on targets, I quickly pull the bullets, salvage the powder, and load the expensive bullets again. The collet doesn't damage the bullets, at least not for hunting accuracy.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

"With my RCBS puller set up on my 47 year old RCBS Rockchucker press, I load batches of ammo."

I should have written that I load batches of ammo on a Redding T-7 turret press with my faithful Rockchucker and collet puller set up nearby.

 

[Joker12]

"With my RCBS puller set up on my 47 year old RCBS Rockchucker press, I load batches of ammo."

I should have written that I load batches of ammo on a Redding T-7 turret press with my faithful Rockchucker and collet puller set up nearby.

Mark I have never used a collet puller but with the price of bullets today (when you can even find them) I will look for one. On bullet prices, A few weeks ago I took a 338wm out to sight it in after changing the scope. My hand loads were using 250gr nosler partitions. When I got home I checked availability (not available) and price on those bullets. They were listed for over 85 bucks for 50. Yikes, I will shoot no more of those at paper!

 

[Nevada Mike]

I use the RCBS collet style puller. I always decap and resize the brass and measure for specs, same as if I was using once fired brass from any source.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Mark I have never used a collet puller but with the price of bullets today (when you can even find them) I will look for one. On bullet prices, A few weeks ago I took a 338wm out to sight it in after changing the scope. My hand loads were using 250gr nosler partitions. When I got home I checked availability (not available) and price on those bullets. They were listed for over 85 bucks for 50. Yikes, I will shoot no more of those at paper!

@Joker12
That's how to get a good dose of wallet shock.
Nowdays always be seated when looking at projectiles prices. Less distance to fall off your chair
Bob

 

[425SCHADE]

100% disassemble those cartridges. The loader clearly didn't keep accurate records of what they were doing. Dump the powder, pop out the primers and keep the rest of the hardware.
Personally only ever had to pull one batch of ammo (to recover components as I'd sold the rifle) and I knocked up a tool on the spot, a copy of the Grip-N-Pull. Check it out.

 

[fourfive8]

405 gr sounds like bullets for 45-70. Likely common, thin jacketed, cup and core. Pull them and use them for practice. Inertia puller used correctly should work- but if not just get a collet type. Pull all of that ammo as has been posted by others- discard the powder by spreading it on the grass, pop the primers out and safely discard them by soaking in a solvent like Hoppes, run brass through sizer, trim to correct and consistent length. Lesson learned about buying someone else's reloads.

 

[Beretta391]

100% disassemble those cartridges. The loader clearly didn't keep accurate records of what they were doing. Dump the powder, pop out the primers and keep the rest of the hardware.
Personally only ever had to pull one batch of ammo (to recover components as I'd sold the rifle) and I knocked up a tool on the spot, a copy of the Grip-N-Pull. Check it out.

+1 on the Grip-N-Pull

 

[KoadaKane]

+2 on the Grip-N-Pull; I have all three...for any size bullets.

FWIW......when using inertia pullers, those aluminum case holder tends to strip some aluminum and gets mixed with the powder. Use the appropriate sized shell holder in its place and bang away...

 

[NorthernHunter]

The Grip-N-Pull is my favorite bullet puller. I've also got all of them and have used them for a variety of calibers and heavily crimped loads.