Mystery Load Game... Worth pulling and reloading?

[Mysguidednlv]

My damn dogs... I love the beasts but they sure do make life "interesting" at times.

In a nutshell, I had a test batch of 40 subs (8 different loads of 5) primed, charged, pressed, light crimp, and appropriately sorted in a MTM Ammo box ready for testing. I affixed printed labels with charge weight and COAL for each batch affixed to the front of the case for reference. As I was packing up with my chrono and ammo box in hand, my dogs thought it would be funny to take me out... I swear I heard the smaller one say to the big one (145lbs big) "sweep the leg... no mercy".

The end result was me on my arse holding the chrono up like an open beer (years of practice)... and 40 rounds of painstakingly pressed ammo scattered across the floor. Needless to say, there's no way to accurately sort out what each load is at this point other than by COAL. There is enough variance in brass and bullet weight to make overall weight effectively useless for sorting.

I've since repressed a duplicate test batch and run them through the chrono.. all function properly and vary by ~250fps from top to bottom.

If I were to pull all 40 bullets with an impact bullet puller and reload as plinkers, will the effects of having to pull and reseat after crimping negate the possibility of keeping these loads within 250fps of variance assuming all are loaded using the same powder weight and CBTO?

My gut is telling me to just shoot-em and call it a day, but if I can salvage the bullets and powder and still get some consistency of of them, I don't mind the time and effort.

[2manyToys]

Bummer, but you saved the chrono!

I would pull them and try again. You shouldn't run into problems if the bullets are jacketed, prepped the brass correctly and didn't over crimp.

[Sithlord]

I use paint markers on the primers to indicate the load combination. Doesn't affect the primer and allows you to collect the brass later to check for flattened primers, etc.

But yeah, pull 'em, or just shoot them as is.. If they are going to be for plinkers anyways...

[Mysguidednlv]

I like the idea of the paint markers on the primers... thank you. I'm definitely going to add that to the process. Would save me from having to scramble for brass after each batch.

Bullets are jacketed (208GR ELD-M)... brass is once-fired cut down LC 223 that I ran through a Lee full-length sizing die. Pulling bullets is some good stress relief, so maybe I'll just do it and see how they turn out. Only other step I may add is to go back and re-weigh the projectiles as there was a slight amount of shaving of the jacket on a few of them during the initial pressing. These will never be precision loads, but doesn't hurt to still batch them.

[golfindia]

I just write the details on each separate round with a sharpie and put them all in a ziplock bag. I put them in ladder shooting order when I get to the range. The sharpie is legible after firing so you can identify them in a brass pile.

[plant.one]

write on the side of each case with a sharpie. i mark all mine like that before loading and stack them into the brass tray for filling. i organize them into the ammo box as i load them up, so they're easy to deal with at the range too.

it comes off in the tumbler and doesnt effect anything.


hth

[2manyToys]

write on the side of each case with a sharpie. i mark all mine like that before loading and stack them into the brass tray for filling. i organize them into the ammo box as i load them up, so they're easy to deal with at the range too.

it comes off in the tumbler and doesnt effect anything.


hth

I do that too, however be sure to use the Sharpie that does not have the red lettering on the side (industrial ) as the black ink will endure SS pin tumbling.

[Hogshooter]

Get you a collet style puller. Much faster and easier than banging the crap out of those rounds with that impact puller.

[certifiable]

I once found myself in same situation and ever since then I write the bullet, powder and charge on each case of all my test batches with a fine tip sharpie

[Smurky]

Dogs can be something else, did i they take cover after it happened.

I use a black sharpie on the side of the brass too, with enough details that I know what each round is. With jacketed bullets when I shoot a ladder I also color the bullet with different color sharpies. Enter the code in my load book and when I shoot them into a white or light background it colors the hole so I know exactly where each round went. I don’t have to make a detailed map of the bullet holes while I shooting. I’ve seen folks in competition color their bullets to ensure ownership can be determined.

I don’t have a lot of luck with an impact puller saving the bullets, they always seem to get bunged up. Although if I’ve seated a bullet too deep I’ll use the impact to move it out, but not completely, reseat to the proper depth and recrimp.

I have had good luck pulling with a collet bullet pulller and not damaging bullet or brass and wouldn’t be without it.