mini mystery

[softcock]

Anyone seen this before ?

180 grain Nosler Accubonds .
150 Rounds ( handloads ) of 300WSM , were capped-off 'almost year ago' . Loaded then placed in ( 3 ) 50 Round new plastic ammo box's .
Just opened up one of the 50-Round plastic storage ammo box's, ( in one box - 33 of 50-Rounds ) . Look to have some funky corrosion accumulating/growing and coming off around the bottom of the plastic insert tip .
All 150 Rounds were loaded same time with the same Seating Die . all bullets were pulled from new sealed factory Nosler box's .
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[XLR308]

Never seen that on any of my bullets or reloads but if I had to guess it is from a solvent that was inadvertantly left in the seater die stem after you had cleaned it that is attacking the jacket material.
Just a guess though.

 

[Howland]

I've got Nosler Ballistic Tips that have been loaded since 1996 that look brand new.

Yeah, that's the thing about reloaders. First you find yourself going shooting to get more brass, the next thing you know, you're loading up twenty-five years worth of hunting ammo.

It's a disease. Families should learn to recognize this and practice intervention.

In all seriousness, until seeing this, I've never wondered how that tip is affixed and whether they use any type of epoxy. I wouldn't rule out any substance on the seating stem, but I wouldn't assume it either.

 

[Jake the dog]

What does the copper look like after you remove the corrosion? Does it come off easy or do you have to work at it?

 

[Sean the Nailer]

The second thing I'm thinking about, is simply some sort of 'solvent' or other substance leeching from the plastic, to begin with. I'm sure it's innocuous.

The first thing I'm thinking about, is "are you worried of possibly contaminating your intended hunting prey with some sort of bacteria delivered by the bullet and are worried that over time, said prey may need antibiotics due to the infection in the wound canal"?

 

[MtnCreek]

Never seen that on any of my bullets or reloads but if I had to guess it is from a solvent that was inadvertantly left in the seater die stem after you had cleaned it that is attacking the jacket material.
Just a guess though.

I agree it looks like solvent has gotten in there. Liquid can get between the bullet and tip. I dealt with that when I used to moly coat. Prior to coating bullets had to be degreased / washed. The bullets had to be heated afterwards to evaporate water from under the tip.

Did you clean the bullets with something after pulling?

 

[softcock]

I don't remember ever cleaning the Seating Die . Seater does not get dirty, all it does is push clean bullets .
All Rounds were wiped off with a dry clean 'off the roll' Paper Towel individually, and put in plastic box's for storage .
( if ) Paper towels were contaminated . You would think I would transfer to all 150 Rounds I wiped off . but only 33 had it growing on them .

Fucking Weird .. it is Hard Corrosion . and won't just easy clean and wipe off .
Just pisses me off that I don't have an answer fo this and probabley never will . Have loaded a lot of Rounds over the years, and never seen this ever before .

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[AIAW]

My guess (and that's purely what it is) would be that pH of lube or whatever they use to insert/secure the tip at the factory was off.

It could also be some sort of galvanic reaction between the tip and the copper due to static buildup on the surface of the plastic tip, but that's doubtful.

On the bright side it's not on the bearing surface so now you have some "screw around" ammunition.