.30 Cal AP Bullets - Resize?

[Douglas-001]

I picked up 100 of these at Camp Perry last month. Got around to a closer look and using calipers found they are nowhere near the .308 bullets I run in the 700P. More like .311 up to .315. He said they were pulled from a 30-06 so I figured they were OK. I'm suspect about "re-sizing" these due to the core. I have no such equipment (dies) to do such a thing nor do I have a rifle to safely shoot them. Could members give some advice on this matter? Thank you.

Doug

 

[rgky1]

I prefer to resize them. Some do tend to be out of round from the pulling process. An inexpensive way to resize is to use Lee's bullet sizing die meant to size cast lead bullets. While they won't make them exactly .308" they will make them closer to size and safe to shoot. The steel core doesn't cause a problem. Most of the sizing is just ironing down the marks where the puller grips them. Only $19 for the Lee bullet sizing die which works by pushing the bullet up from the bottom and out the top with a punch that fits in the shellholder. I use a little case lube on the bullets before running thru the die. Use firm pressure from start until it exits the sizer and don't start and stop. Some say let the barrel size them but I feel better sizing pulled bullets. I resize 22 caliber, 308, and 50 caliber surplus pulled bullets.
Lee Bullet Lube Size Kit 308 Diameter

 

[biffj]

I think CH4D makes bullet sizing dies for .308. I have one of theirs for .50 BMG bullets and use it to make the pulled .510 bullets round again. Yes you can run AP bullets through a sizing die as the outer jacket is mild steel and formable. It also has a thin lead sheath around the hardened core so there is some give. You probably don't need to go from .323 to .308 so its not like you need to make a huge change. A proper die to resize will likely be .3075 or so.

Good luck
Frank

 

[jagged77]

I've shot some pretty bad pulled tracer rounds in the past with no issues other than having to jam them into the chamber! The latest batch I have have light pull marks and work just fine.on the previous bad ones I rigged up an old 308 Lee collet die to round them out, worked well.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Any bullets that came out of a 30-06 that aren't grossly out of round, will be much less than .311-.315" This should mean that at some point as you turn the bullet they are less than .308". If they are .311" or more all around you likely bought some 7.62x54R bullets. Did you give at least 50 cents each for them? If you didn't they ain't likely the real McCoy 164gr 30caliber AP from an '06 round. If they have a mild steel jacket they may not size very well. Also I wouldn't shoot a steel jacket in a barrel I was very fond of. I have yet to even work up the nerve to shoot any of my AP bullets in my match rifle and they are definitely copper jacket, steel core. That is another way to tell if they are bona fide. Cut through the jacket to the core and examine the makeup. M2 ball is 152gr mild steel jacket, NOT true AP. AP from '06 is generally around 164gr,copper jacket, steel core. Easy to tell. Hope you didn't get took.

 

[Douglas-001]

Thank you for all the advice members. An even closer inspection, like just now reveals that measurement at the very base is indeed .308 looks like some sort of black sealant is still there. I had measured towards the middle at the cannalure, if you want to call it that, actually deep grove around the whole thing. They do weigh 164 grns. But the tracer round that slipped in there (!) weighs 145. OAL anywhwere from 1.365 to 1.390. The pulls marks are deep and aggressive. Not pretty. I suppose I could clean them up and run them through this "re-sizing" gizmo. Looks like a copper jacket, put a little solvent on it and we'll see what color it turns ....I bought these just tohelp round out my portfolio. I have no intention of shooting gobs of them all day. Maybe punch some steel and see just how well they perform. Any considerations for load data as a result of the core? Thanks again to all! Good luck and good shooting!

Doug

P.S. yep, copper jacket!

 

[biffj]

If all you have is 100 bullets than its probably not worth buying a sizing die to round them out.

Frank

 

[FLIGHT762]

I used to shoot a lot of the old WWll M2 AP ammo in the 1970's. You can use 165 grain loading data. One caveat, DO NOT shoot these bullets at steel targets any closer than a couple of hundred yards. These steel cores have a nasty habit of bouncing straight back at a terminal velocity if shot into steel thicker than it can penetrate through. Many G I's were wounded firing into Tanks at close range.