Making cheap bullets into Match

[Johnny223]

This may have being asked, but is it worth reloading 223 if you cant buy powder or primers?

Supposing you were going to buy cheap bullets. And then take them apart, re-measure the powder, and insert a whole new bullet- a decent bullet. Would it be worth it?

Would you be able to transform some of those cheap bullets into match quality?

 

[DCR]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

A lot of the prep for match grade is in the case. So no I wouldn't bother trying to re-powder/bullet cheap ammo. Why can't you get get powder primers? Location?

 

[sinister]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

Some individual US military international match shooters hand loaded ammo they called "Mexican Match." Individual US Team shooters found issue 7.62 match ammo wasn't up to speed if you wanted to win at the Mexico City Pan Am Games and the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympic Games.

Story has it they would pull the issue bullets from XM118, true the necks, then seat a Sierra 168 Match King. The 300-Meter International Match was shot standing, kneeling, and prone, and Match Kings helped win.

I've pulled GI 62-grain Green Tip Ball and replaced the bullets with Hornady 75s and Sierra 77s just to see how they'd work. For me they weren't worth the effort.

 

[Johnny223]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

Yep. Stupid government!

Maybe "match" was the wrong word to use. Let me re-phrase that:

Could a person take a cheap bullet, and make it into a decent bullet. Maybe not match, but a good bullet all the same.

Im thinking American Eagle 55gr FMJs. And then buy some 75 grain softpoints maybe. Then remeasure the powder. Would I see an improvement, or would it just not be worth the hassle of buying all the reloading gear.

Thanks for all the help by the way.

 

[MALLARD]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

eh , i wouldnt bother.

you would need allot of kick ass shit, allot of time. Its not that i dont think it wouldn't work, it just seems illogical. Your time has to be worth more then the money you'll save.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

Work yes, worth it no.

It gets harder with large changes in bullet weight. A charge for 55 grain bullets is too large for 75/77 grains. Since the powder isn't a "known" there's no way to say what the charge weight should be.

Pulling 55 grain ball and replacing with a good varmint bullet or a 52 SMk or equivalent would work, but I don't think you'd save any money doing it.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

" The view is not worth the climb."
Apache308

 

[Johnny223]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

Well thanks for all the replies. You lads probably just saved me from a huge waste of time (I was going to buy a Lee kit tomorrow).

Hopefully some day things will change over here and we'll be able to buy powders and primers and all that good stuff.

 

[pjparker]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

Johnny -

Give us a little more info - why can't you buy powder/primers ?

I might suggest that you just save your brass from what you do shoot so that you'll have a supply to work with when you can start reloading. As previously mentioned, "Mexican Match" was done only because they had to. What you are asking certainly can be done, but is rarely worth the effort, as others have attested to. One of the issues is that Milspec ammo is crimped and sometimes sealed. I have found that it can be a real bitch to pull bullets out of those cases in any sort of reasonable fashion without dedicated tooling.

Paul

 

[Hink]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

Johnny's use of the word 'lads' suggests he's from somewhere in the British Islands, an area of the world where only the truly dedicated firearm enthusiast can continue a safe hobby after several background investigations and the constant threat of having their personal property being 'repossessed' by the government for something as drastic as a paperwork error.

I'll second pjparker's comment about saving the once-fired brass for use in reloading once Johnny receives the blessing of the Government.

 

[ukshooter]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hink</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Johnny's use of the word 'lads' suggests he's from somewhere in the British Islands, an area of the world where only the truly dedicated firearm enthusiast can continue a safe hobby after several background investigations and the constant threat of having their personal property being 'repossessed' by the government for something as drastic as a paperwork error.

I'll second pjparker's comment about saving the once-fired brass for use in reloading once Johnny receives the blessing of the Government.

</div></div>Yep it tough being a British shooter.
Need a green card

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Making cheap bullets into Match

If you pull common bullets and simply replace them with match grade bullets you still won't have match grade cartridges.