Deconstructing Load Ammo

[jstanton]

So I stumbled across some ammo I loaded up about a year ago. It got boxed up during a move and I forgot all about it. They were stored inside the house. These were load development rounds with varying charges.

It's 50 rounds of 6.5 Creedmoor with H4350 and ELDX bullets and 50 rounds of 7mm Rem Mag with H1000 and Berger VLD bullets. The problem is they are both with Hornady brass. Since the time I loaded them I switched to Lapua brass for the Creedmoor and Norma brass for the 7mag and have loads developed now with them.

With the powder and bullet availability right now I'm considering deconstructing these, but here's my questions.

Is the powder still good to reuse?

Whats the best way to break down each round?

What to do with the primed brass left over?

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[REDGUN]

Is the powder still good to reuse?

Should be fine, as long as ammo was stored properly.

What is the best way to break down each round?

To save/re-use the bullets = a bullet puller. The kenetic pullers are fairly cheap & easy to use.

What to do with the primed brass left over?

You can pull the depriming rod and run brass through the resizing die (should only resize the neck area) or just run it through the resizer, just like a fired case (and knock the primers out).

FTR: I never try to use primers, that have been knocked out of loaded brass. I just don't trust that they will be "right"......

[Artos]

I would likely shoot them as is & make a scope adjustment if needed...

[jstanton]

Should be fine, as long as ammo was stored properly.







To save/re-use the bullets = a bullet puller. The kenetic pullers are fairly cheap & easy to use.







You can pull the depriming rod and run brass through the resizing die (should only resize the neck area) or just run it through the resizer, just like a fired case (and knock the primers out).



FTR: I never try to use primers, that have been knocked out of loaded brass. I just don't trust that they will be "right"......

I wouldn't reuse the primers. Just wasn't sure if I could safely deprime a live primer. Figured I would end up just selling the primed cases.

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[SmTx]

I've deprimed primed brass.

Just be smooth and deliberate in your stroke

[jstanton]

I would likely shoot them as is & make a scope adjustment if needed...

I would if they were not varying charge weights. These rounds were ones I loaded up when first working up the loads for each gun and before I started adjusting seating depth.

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[DFWPI]

Pig/Yote rounds

[Drycreek3189]

I've deprimed primed brass.

Just be smooth and deliberate in your stroke

I wrap a towel around the press, but I’ve never punched out more than five live ones, 100 rounds might get tedious.

[Rswan13]

I’ve deconstructed rounds several times and wouldn’t hesitate to again. Get a press mounted bullet puller and it keeps the powder from going everywhere like the hammer style does. Then I use a decapping die really slow to pop out the live primer. Not too bad if you take your time.

[Hotrodd]

I’ve deconstructed rounds several times and wouldn’t hesitate to again. Get a press mounted bullet puller and it keeps the powder from going everywhere like the hammer style does. Then I use a decapping die really slow to pop out the live primer. Not too bad if you take your time.

^^This^^

[muzzlebrake]

55 gal steel barrel and start a good fire with plenty of wood. Once you get a nice bed of coals in the bottom drop all them in there and run like hell.
Or, you can just shoot em at pig critters.

[Bucknaked]

Quality boolits
If you want to save the projectiles I would personally use a Kinetic of good quality, place some ethyl foam in the bottom and you’ll still have pristine boolits- there may be a press mounted puller out there that won’t Mar them but I haven’t found one. You can still save the powder in a hammer but it is more tedious. If you only want the powder then use the press.

[dclifton]

Stuff a cotton ball or piece of foam in kinetic puller or it will deform the tips.

[jstanton]

I found out a buddy has a Hornady cam lock bullet puller and the collet for the 6.5. I'm going to try a few and see how it works. If it turns out good I will buy the collet for the 7mag.

I was reading in my Berger manual last night and Bryan Litz says to never decap a primed case. Instead fire it in the rifle without powder or bullet. I think this may be the route I go since I'm not interested in saving the primers.

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[canny]

I’ve deconstructed rounds several times and wouldn’t hesitate to again. Get a press mounted bullet puller and it keeps the powder from going everywhere like the hammer style does. Then I use a decapping die really slow to pop out the live primer. Not too bad if you take your time.

This