Bullet puller marks

[rrflyer]

Does anybody happen to have a picture of what a damaged bullet pulled by a collet puller looks like?

I picked up some pulled bullets that i was told had "slight marks" from pulling but they seem to have a gauge that goes about half way around the case....

Was hoping to use these from closer in practice but dunno if they'd be consistent enough or not.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Unless the jacket is really deformed. Flat spots, dents, etc. The bullet will be okay for practice ammo. If the bullet is out of round it may be an issue but just having pull marks isn't an issue. Acceptable marks are scuffs or not visibly deformed but might catch a finger nail going over it.

I'm guessing closer in practice is 100 to 200 yards. Over the week end I shot a practice match at 100 yards with a batch of bullets (52 SMK)that I shaved off part of the edge in front boat tail with the case neck (bad chamfer) and they shot great, 185 out of 200 Off Hand. At short range bullet defects can be fairly forgiving.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: Bullet puller marks

yah, these have some slightly dented jackets, I'd almost call them gouges in the bullet. But they are around the bullet not lengthwise on it.


I was told these were "air pulled" with some slight marks but it looks like something grabbed the bullet......

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Bullet puller marks

A collet puller grabs around the bullet just in front of the case neck. I'll take a couple pictures tomorrow and either post or email them. It sounds like the collet may have grabbed a little tight. I'm not sure what "air pulled" is. The other option for bullet damage could be heavily crimped bullets. Someone might have some better info for both of us.

 

[TAC06]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Not sure what "Air Pulled" is either unless it is using the kinetic hammer puller to work the bullet out the case and the gouging is from heavy crimping. Most of my close in shooting is at cardboard IDPA tagets at my club's 2-gun matches and the farthest targets are usually never more than 75 yards if that. At that range they can tumble and still hit the the center I would live with it but not happy with that. I think you may be talking about grouping well within 100 and 200 yards though. I guess is how bad the bullets look damage wise and maybe not quite load them real hot to prevent jacket separation in flight just in case and see what happens.

I may wait and see what others have to say about it first.

I have seen bullets tumble in flight before though. Brother had a .300 Whisper once shooting some insane heavy grain .30 caliber bullet and it was tumbling in less than 25 yards into a target to get the scope zeroed up right off. If I remember right he got the wrong twist rate in his barrel and wouldn't stabilize the bullet and he ended up trading off the barrel and gave up on owning a .300 Whisper. He now has a .221 Fireball 700 Remington Varmiter he reloads for and we was shooting out to 700 hundred yards once and it keyholed. He went back to the ballistic program and looked over the data and it showed the bullet going back under super sonic just before it reached 700 yards. When it breaks out of the sonic barrier the shock wave must disturb the bullet and causes it to tumble wildly. Kind of neat to see but dissappointing to my brother that it didn't make 700 yards. He still shoots it to 600 yards at our local long range matches.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Thanks guys...i dont think its heavily crimped bullets.

They are supposed to be 118LR pulle 175SMK's. A standard pull mark from the case neck wouldn't worry me.

These have what almost appear to be grab marks from pliers on the side...some going through the jacket to the lead core. All pulled up like the bullet was jerked down.

Just tryin to make sure i know whats goin on...

 

[Kentucky Jelly]

Re: Bullet puller marks

I just bought some pulled 175's too. They were not advertised as air pulled. M118 175 SMK pull downs. Here is what I got.

They weigh as consistent as the retail 175 smk I have. If they are not sierras they are close enough for less than half the price.

Here are some M855 pull downs from the same guy. These were advertised as air pulled with no marks. The cannelures do not even have marks, so if they were ever assembled however they are pulling them it works. (Green tips polished off)

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Bullet puller marks

The 175's look to be what I'd expect for a good pulled bullet. The barrel will do more to the case than what is on it. Deep to the core is way to much damage.

 

[ClayDirt]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Did you gentlemen buy these bullets of the equipment exchange on arfcom?

 

[Kentucky Jelly]

Re: Bullet puller marks

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ClayDirt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did you gentlemen buy these bullets of the equipment exchange on arfcom? </div></div>

Not me. I got them from another forum's classifieds, but it is a business.

edit: I see the same add on arfcom too.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

Re: Bullet puller marks

I ordered some from the same guy. You can't find FMJs for the price. Hopefully they turn out well

 

[Kentucky Jelly]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Same thought I had Newguy. I am tempted to buy more before even shooting them. I hope he still has some after this weekend. If the shoot good I will be ordering more.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: Bullet puller marks

I didn't.


What'd you guys pay for the 175's?

 

[Kentucky Jelly]

Re: Bullet puller marks

I paid 170 shipped, and it came in a 30 cal ammo can.

 

[rrflyer]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Cool I paid 150 shipped but no can.


Loaded up 30 day and shot groups at 100 and 500. Pulled bullets were maybe 25% larger groups.

I culled te ones with obvious kacket cut theoughs though.

 

[zack-s]

Re: Bullet puller marks

polygunbag and a guy on ar15.com has em. Even with the pull marks theyre still better than the new privis.

 

[XxMerlinxX]

Re: Bullet puller marks

I got the same SMKs and a Lee Size and Lube Kit as well, but the Lee kit only uniforms the jacket AFTER the pull marks, which is a bit of a disappointment. I was wondering if maybe a few rounds in my tumbler might take out the marks, but I'm worried about deforming the bullet all over if I do that.

 

[vman]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Those marks look light.

I would say unless your shooting extremely well out past 600 yards you may struggle to tell if anything is wrong with these bullets.

Like I said, the marks look very faint and considering how thin the jackets are I would say any deformation, if any, would be very small.

Shoot them and find out. Dont forget how drastic the change is when those bullets hit the lands and get swaged thru the barrel.

 

[jcallan]

Re: Bullet puller marks

I havent seen any difference in pulled bullets.

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Bullet puller marks

Stupid question. How do you "air pull" a bullet? Some special primer puller than air up the flash hole?

 

[BigMahi]

Re: Bullet puller marks

"air pulled" is based on the same principle as a kenetic puller; using the weight of the bullet to pop it out except they use an industrial slammer rather than the cheap plastic ones you find off midway.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: Bullet puller marks

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ClayDirt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did you gentlemen buy these bullets of the equipment exchange on arfcom? </div></div>

I did.

LongDayJake, I think it was from RockyMountainBullets.

Bought 1000 SS-109s that were 'air' pulled w/o green tips for $97 shipped and they're as perfect as can be. Even stick to a magnet pretty well.

I've got other SS-109s with 'significant' mechanical pull marks and use those for blasting ammo and they're fine.

Chris