Reloading unfired brass

[chilipeppermaniac]

Be careful to avoid "cold welding" the bullet to the case. This is where two similar metals are pressed tightly together and form a bond, even without heat. https://www.weldinghandbook.com/cold-welding/

I had this happen with brand new Starline .445 SuperMag cases and Hornady bullets. Both were perfectly clean and shiny-new. I loaded about 80 rounds and shot some soon after that worked perfectly. When I shot more from the same batch later I ran into VERY high pressures.

When I disassembled some of the remaining rounds (most I just scrapped), the case necks were so well bonded to the bullets that the 'neck portion' of the cases tore off and stayed with the bullet when I pulled them. My kinetic puller wouldn't move them, but using my press, I was able to get enough out to see what had happened.

I was able to peel some case material off the bullets with pliers, but both cases and bullets were ruined and I'm lucky I didn't blow up my gun.

I'm sorry that I don't know how to tell you to prevent it; maybe some sort of coating, maybe load and shoot your fireforming loads immediately, then reload as normal...

E.Shell, thanks for posting this life lesson.

It could save many folks from having to learn the hard way what you learned.

 

[remrug]

Just don’t forget the 3% antimony!!!

I dont thing anybody thats been on MDS for awhile will ever forget the 3%

 

[remrug]

Be careful to avoid "cold welding" the bullet to the case. This is where two similar metals are pressed tightly together and form a bond, even without heat. https://www.weldinghandbook.com/cold-welding/

I had this happen with brand new Starline .445 SuperMag cases and Hornady bullets. Both were perfectly clean and shiny-new. I loaded about 80 rounds and shot some soon after that worked perfectly. When I shot more from the same batch later I ran into VERY high pressures.

When I disassembled some of the remaining rounds (most I just scrapped), the case necks were so well bonded to the bullets that the 'neck portion' of the cases tore off and stayed with the bullet when I pulled them. My kinetic puller wouldn't move them, but using my press, I was able to get enough out to see what had happened.

I was able to peel some case material off the bullets with pliers, but both cases and bullets were ruined and I'm lucky I didn't blow up my gun.

I'm sorry that I don't know how to tell you to prevent it; maybe some sort of coating, maybe load and shoot your fireforming loads immediately, then reload as normal...


The requirement for lead-free bullets is ecologically based and has nothing to do with crime. It is a knee-jerk reaction to the plight of the California Condor that is spreading nationwide. Seems that birds of prey and scavengers are getting lead poisoning from ingesting bullets and a bullet fragments in gut piles or carcasses left in the field.

I have heard that it is possible to over clean the inside neck of fired brass. A little bit of leftover carbon can help with preventing cold welding.

 

[KingClown]

I ask everybody I debate, "Do you think the the criminals are going to just buy and use exclusively copper only projectiles in their reloads? So why should we have to give up lead core projectiles then?"

I am guessing you missed my sarcasm

 

[brianns]

I am guessing you missed my sarcasm

No. I have a good bit of experience with sarcasm. I'm pretty decent at it. I was trying to be a 'sarcasm multiplier'. The left wants to ban anything we are into(not sarcasm).

But a lot of the time they do it in the name of stuff used in crimes. Obviously the lead banning is because its a pollutant to water, etc. But I feel many lefties think erroneously that outdoorsmen(ok outdoorspeople) are nature criminals anyway so banning lead is probably the same as a conventional lefty trying to ban a gun, etc.

Non sarcasm:
Btw, do all the reloading steps like you normally do like others state way up at the beginning. Then you know it fits headspace you've already prepared for, etc. just in case the new stuff might be different than a tight chambered firearm you might already have reloaded for.
Non sarcasm off:
Re-engage sarcasm detector:

 

[Park ranger]

I load strait from the box on new brass more often than not. If I need to round the necks I use a mandrel but it’s not going to get straighter the more I run it through a die. I’ve have very good match winning luck with virgin brass. YMMV.