Can I fire bullets seated too deep?

[whitfang]

Just started reloading!  Not kidding here, just did first 5 cartridges EVER!
Using a Lee hand loader, doing 45 Colt 250gr RNFP, 17gr IMR 4227, Winchester LP primers.

This loader is a little tricky to get the bullet seated to the right depth.  I was trying to go slow, but seated the first couple way too deep.  The others are right below the OACL of 1.60.

My question is, can I fire the ones that are seated too deep?  
(Using a Ruger Old Army, with Kirst conversion cylinder).

[jerkface11]

If they're seated too deep you'll be increasing pressure which won't be safe. It's possible to even seat bullets deep enough in a straight walled case to keep them from chambering. Just pull the bullets from them and start over.

[lisa1lacy2]

jerkface11 sade it pull them bullets just to be save
and welcome to the addicting world of reloading  

[whitfang]

The bullet is seated too deep to grip with pliers.  I don't have a bullet puller, and I don't know if it would work either.  When I said deep,  I mean DEEP.  Only the rounded portion is showing.

Can you use a muzzleloader 'screw' to pull the lead bullet?

[jerkface11]

Either save them till you get a bullet puller or throw them away.

[Haywire Haywood]

Save'em and buy a bullet puller.  You WILL need it again, guaranteed.  I'd hate for a hard working sanitation worker to get a surprise when he goes to crush the trash in his truck.  It's unlikely anything would happen but Murphy is alive and well I hear.

Ian

[wild willy]

any pointed screw will work A easy way is to use a screw long enough to stick out the top of your press when screwed in the bullet just grip the screw with pliers and lower the ram ruins the bullet but everything else will be O K

[rickyp]

Find your self a washer that will go over the openign for the die and a hole that will not let a drywall screw pass trough.

put the bullets in the shell holder and raise then up all the way then put the washer on top of the press take the screw and run it trough the washer and into the bullet as deep as you can,  a power serewdriver will work grreat for this then give the press arm a nice jerk you can pull the bullet out this way. but you must get he screw deep in the bullet or it will just strip out.

[whitfang]

Yeah, I was thinking that the garbagemen would not be too happy to find live rounds in the trash, even though the odds are that nothing would happen.  

I've read in some gun forums that if an unconfined cartidge does go off (as in a fire) it does not have near the muzzle velocity of a cartridge fired from a firearm, since there is nothing to contain and direct the bullet.  

How does a kinetic bullet puller work?  I assume you put the cartridge in bullet-first, then tap it to get the bullet out.  Wouldn't you need a specific adapter for each caliber?  Are these safe?

[jerkface11]

The kinetic pullers use a collet held together with an o-ring you get 2 or 3 sizes with the puller. You just stick the catridge in bullet first and smack something solid with it. As deep as you say you seated them it'll take some pretty hard hits to pull them though.

[lisa1lacy2]

the midway kenotic bullet puller has 3 dif collets for all most any cal.
and you don't just tap it you haul of and wack it hard scared the #&*^% out of me the first time I did it :eek:

[Redhawk1]

Invest in a kinetic puller. You will be happy you did. And you will use then a lot. Money well spent.  

[whitfang]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

And now that you mention it, a LOT of these reloading steps make me flinch.  I can't help but wonder what it's like to have a .45 go off in my press!

[beemanbeme]

Not to jack this thread but how can you seat a bullet so deep in a straight walled cartridge (or any cartridge for that matter) that it will not chamber??

And, for what its worth, while seating a bullet deep does indeed raise pressure,  the longer jump the bullet makes dissapates the pressure quicker.  A long bullet jump was the "secret" to Roy Weathersby's success with high intensity cartridges.

And, as a final for what its worth, if the reloader is using the little scoop that comes with the lee loader, the cartridge certainly couldn't be considered "high intensity".  I'd load 'em up and shoot 'em.

Your mileage may vary but please, no post from chicken littles.

[JBMauser]

What type of bullet we are talking about, lead or jacketed?  A jacketed bullet seated to deep can push pressures but a lead bullet seated to deep will not cause as much of a problem.  Unless you are using a very bulky powder there is generally plenty of space in the .45lc case that was designed to be stuffed with black powder.  Now if you wish to pull the bullet without destroying it or the brass this is how you do it.  lay the bullet accross the top of the press or another piece of solid iron.  With a small light hammer (brass would be best) lightly tap the side of the case around the bullet.  turn and tap, keep revolving the cartiridge and tap.  each time you tap the brass it stretches a small bit and grows.  keep it up long enough and the bullet will fall out.  you can resize the brass and start over.  A jacketed bullet will not deform and can be reloaded you may have to check your lead round.  The advice on getting a kenitic bullet puller is sound as you will at some time need to pull down loads.

[rickyp]

the midway kenotic bullet puller has 3 dif collets for all most any cal.

I have one from RCBS. I do not use the collers taht came with it. I just use the shell holder for the case I am pulling this works faster.

[jerkface11]

Not to jack this thread but how can you seat a bullet so deep in a straight walled cartridge (or any cartridge for that matter) that it will not chamber??

And, for what its worth, while seating a bullet deep does indeed raise pressure,  the longer jump the bullet makes dissapates the pressure quicker.  A long bullet jump was the "secret" to Roy Weathersby's success with high intensity cartridges.

And, as a final for what its worth, if the reloader is using the little scoop that comes with the lee loader, the cartridge certainly couldn't be considered "high intensity".  I'd load 'em up and shoot 'em.

Your mileage may vary but please, no post from chicken littles.

The inside of a straight walled case is tapered it's thicker at the bottom than it is at the top. So if you seat the bullet too deeply the case bulges and will not chamber.

[wild willy]

Some years ago I read an article where they seated 9mm bullet just a little deeper and it raised pressures dangerously high can't remember where I saw it

[JBMauser]

whitfang, just some more info for you.  you realize that the over all cartidge length has nothing to do with the performance of the round and pressure.  That is the max size you can load and have the cylinder rotate without the bullet jamming up the mess.  You can load shorter than that and be OK.   As previously posted the inside of the case is thicker as you get down near the web but that generally does not start until near midway down the case.  If you were down that far the case would bulge like a snake that ate an egg.  You would know it if you saw it.  JB

[whitfang]

Thanks for the information.

An inertial bullet puller has been ordered from Midway.

I actually did not know what OACL would affect,  so I thought I should probably get it as close to 'standard' as possible.  When the specs list an OACL,  that is the MAXIMUM OACL.

These are lead bullets, and the bad ones do chamber allright.  No 'snake-eating-an-egg' bulge in them.

Still,  I'm not sure if I should fire the 3 bad ones or not.  Maybe I'll get my brother to fire them.  He doesn't use his hands all that much anyway.

[ought6]

PLEASE, do NOT fire those rounds with the bullets seated so deep!!! :!:
Seating depth absolutely effects pressure.  In essence, by seating the bullet too far into the case, you are shrinking the size of the case, making it a smaller round.  Therefore, your powder load will more than likely be in excess.  It would be like putting a .357 type powder load in a magnum case, but seating the bullet down to .38 special size.  That will cause EXCESSIVE pressure!!!  

No, I've not done it, I have better sense because of reloading over 35 years.  It is not something you play with or guess at.  When in doubt, pull the bullets and start over.  Go by the manuals.  AND, as you said in another thread, get a good scale and use it!!

 :money:

[whitfang]

I will keep the cartridges and try out my new bullet puller on them when it arrives.

Besides, I don't think my brother is THAT stupid!

[Ron T.]

Whitfang...

I have a RCBS kinetic bullet puller that looks kinda like a hammer... and it works quite well, even "saving" the bullets for re-use.  I strongly recommend the RCBS kinetic bullet puller to you as a very safe and very reliable way to take a bullet out of a loaded round.

Mine has never failed to work well.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

[whitfang]

OK, thanks.

I ordered a hammer-type puller from Midway similar to your RCBS.  It should be here any minute now.