Range Report: Terrible results from recovered/salvaged 223 components

[Land_Owner]

I fired various 0.10 grain powder charges under Nosler Partition 60 grain 223 bullets from a Handi-rifle Bull Barrel and found that 15.2 grains of powder provided nearly touching results for a 3-shot group.  All other groups were 1.5" or wider.

I unloaded a batch of over-annealed and soft primer pocket 223 cases with an impact bullet puller, saved the pulled bullets, saved the powder, extracted the unspent primers, and reloaded these recovered/salvaged components into proper cases over exactly 15.2 grains of powder, setting the lead each 3-round bullet seating a little longer.

There were few, if any, of the bulelts that impacted the target, which target was centered on a 24" x 36" sheet of drafting paper at 100 yards.  The results of reloading recovered/salvaged components was awful.

[mechanic]

I've had that problem when I tried to re-use some primers I pushed out.  They looked ok, but apparently were not.  Just as an experiment, I pulled (again) the bullets, pushed the primer and put in a new, then loaded the old powder and bullet...shot fine.
Sometimes I'm so tight my shoes squeak, and I waste a lot of time trying to save a few cents....
 
Ben

[Old Syko]

A few years ago on this very forum someone started a discussion on the value of salvaged primers.  I was berated by the majority of posters for stating that if you were too cheap and worse yet, too  inexperienced at reloading to spring for new primers you deserved the result you would receive.  Now it sounds like at least a couple of you guys have discovered what I did many years ago.  Even with primers being stupid in price you can't afford to scrimp on them.  JMHO born from experience.

[drdougrx]

That's interesting.  I pull and reload bullets all the time (collet die and not impact).  I save the powder but do NOT reuse the primers.  I always thought about saving primers but I then think about the "just my luck" scenerio....extract primers and one goes off.  I'll eat the 4 cents........ 

[LaOtto222]

That's interesting.  I pull and reload bullets all the time (collet die and not impact).  I save the powder but do NOT reuse the primers.  I always thought about saving primers but I then think about the "just my luck" scenerio....extract primers and one goes off.  I'll eat the 4 cents........ 

+1 I have never tried to save a primer, but have saved countless bullets and powder. The primers looked deformed to me after pushing them out, so I never considered using them. I use pulled bullets for load development and case forming, I like new bullets for serious work.

Good Shooting and Good Luck

[Larry L]

As we discussed in your previous thread, IMR4227 is not a good powder for the 223 and especially not with the heavier bullets. You're getting pressure spikes and that's the reason for the errant groups. While you may get decent accuracy one day, the next day may leave the rifle in pieces. There are no safe loads in this combination. You're flirting with a kaboom which is why you couldn't find loading data on it except in an old DuPont handout. Unless you damaged the primers there's no reason not to use them. A primer either works or it doesn't. Your issue is the powder and powder positioning in the case, not the primers.

[SHOOTALL]

I have punched out primers over the years and never had one go bang. What I do see is the anvil coming lose and falling out or showing damage. That said you may want to check salvaged primers for damage. I agree un damaged primers should be fine but don't know if damaged ones would.

[twoshooter]

+1 on the skip the salvaged primer. The rest is no problem but the primers just need to mark up as cost of business....

[theratdog]

this the first i have herd of using salvaged primers.

[bilmac]

Land Owner. What's the story on the cases?

 At LE refresher one year our outfit had bought a batch of "remanufactured" 223 to use in mini 14s. I have never seen such pitiful ammunition. Anything that bad ammo could do this stuff did in spades. The worst was lots of case seperations leaving the front of the case stuck in the chamber. It was so bad we had to forgo qualifying with rifles that year.

[Land_Owner]

bilmac...story about cases is here:  http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,279657.0.html

I over-annealed the first round of cases trying to reload then too darn fast.  They worked GREAT for exactly 15.2 grains of IMR 4227 in my 223 caliber, 1 in 9 twist, bull barrel Handi-rifle.
 
LarryL is the Voice of Conscience and reminds me of those that have gone this way before.  No doubt about that and the standard barrel Handi-, with the 1 in 12 twist, HATED those over-annealed cases, spit spent primers out of their soft pockets, showed excessive pressure in crushed primers, and were Trouble with a capital "T".  SO I QUIT WITH THAT!!!!

Then, I took the "bad" components apart, reloaded those same components into good cases, and reshot the Handi-bull barrel with 1 in 9 twist that LIKED that load.  The results were terrible.

Strike Two with IMR 4227.  Better now to leave well enough alone and survive, with ears, eyes, hands, and fingers intact, to shoot another day with "standard" components.