Why so many pulled bullets?

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

Probably an obvious answer but why are there so many pulled bullets available? What is the reason for pulling huge lots of bullets? Does military ammo expire and then can't be re-sold as complete ammo?

Just curious.

 

[cav.scout]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

Sometimes in the contract they state that overrun can't be sold to the public, so they deconstruct the ammo and sell the components. Sometimes it's just old ammo that's been torn apart for components. It's easier to sell components than ammo from 1972.

 

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

That makes sense, although I would think with the current ammo prices that you could still get a decent price for 1972 .308 ammo as long as it was in reasonable condition.

 

[MrOneEyedBoh]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

Well I think what he is stating is that even though its '72 ammo, based in the contract they cannot sell the ammo to the public. Thus the tearing down of each cartridge. Seems counterproductive, in terms of spending more money to tear the cartridge down. Versus just adding to the contract that ammo "x" amount of years old can then be sold to the public.

 

[George63]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

when you are making millions of rounds it is easy for a machine at one step to go out of adjustment - that batch does not meet the spec so sell the pulldown components - even 2-3 % can be a lot

 

[rodnocker1`]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

I have wondered the same thing about not only bullets but brass and powder also. I've been seeing ads selling new crimped primer brass and several sites have pull down powder for sale.

 

[1lnbrdg]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

I read somewhere else that some ammo has been de-milled due to being exposed to high temps in a desert enviroment for too long.

Not sure what that does to the powder that is being sold as pull-down though.

 

[dlklamfo]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

I personally wouldn't shoot a 1972 completed round no matter what anyone says and no matter how cheap. Powder does break down overtime.

That being said I would shoot a pulled bullet that I loaded myself.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

I love the pulled bullets for big volume range time plinking fun, the good stuff is reserved for matches.

 

[1MoreAR]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

I think nothing wrong with those pulled bullets. I used them for plinking,load development for 308 and 300 blk. I would not use the pulled powder for sure.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

been running pulled powder since it was $34 for an 8lb keg, burned tons of it since 2001, lately it is a bit more expensive but still just as good.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

phearknot...some years ago when the CMA was making a bunch of M1 Garands available, it was necessary to requalify on a range to be able to purchase one. In my case, the rifle, the shooter (me) and the ammo were all well over 45 years old. Everything worked just fine. As some authority pointed out years ago...when the powder begins to go bad...it DECREASES in power, rather than the other way round. That has been my experience.

 

[lachoneus]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: former naval person</div><div class="ubbcode-body">phearknot...some years ago when the CMA was making a bunch of M1 Garands available, it was necessary to requalify on a range to be able to purchase one. In my case, the rifle, the shooter (me) and the ammo were all well over 45 years old. Everything worked just fine. As some authority pointed out years ago...when the powder begins to go bad...it DECREASES in power, rather than the other way round. That has been my experience. </div></div>

Agreed. For many years, our local club provided ammo for M1 clinics that was loaded in the late 40's and early 50's. I shot it without problem, and never saw or heard of anyone at the clinics experiencing any issues with it.

 

[lachoneus]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

Pulled bullets are great for practice. Sometime ago, I bought a bunch of pulled bullets advertised as pulled 178 gr. military match bullets at a favorable price, loaded them, shot them and found they seemed to be about as accurate as commercial match bullets, at least in my rifles. Probably would not use them where scores count, but they sure make practice less expensive.

 

[JeffinTX]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

US surplus ammo cannot be sold directly to the US public, thanks to a law Clinton signed when he was president. But it can be torn down and sold as separate components i.e. pulldown bullets, brass, and powder. There was even a company here several years ago that bought these components and "reassembled" M2 ball and M80 ball. Of course, that same law banned importation of Chinese ammo, but not Russian, and there is no problem buying imported surplus ammo from overseas. Go figure why that makes sense.

 

[tiNdvenTFHwMdqKW]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 7x57</div><div class="ubbcode-body">US surplus ammo cannot be sold directly to the US public, thanks to a law Clinton signed when he was president. But it can be torn down and sold as separate components i.e. pulldown bullets, brass, and powder. There was even a company here several years ago that bought these components and "reassembled" M2 ball and M80 ball. Of course, that same law banned importation of Chinese ammo, but not Russian, and there is no problem buying imported surplus ammo from overseas. Go figure why that makes sense. </div></div>

That stupid law needs to be repealed. What a waste of time and money. Just let american companies make stuff and sell it.

 

[1Sg (ret)]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

As for old ammo.We were in kuwait in 05.Our loadout .50 ammo to move north with was LC 43 APIT.We eventually fired every round.We had no problems what so ever.Our company had 5 NM m14s.We went to the range in kuwait to zero.They had vietnam era LC 60 in 5 rd clip an bandoleers.It looked like new money and performed the same way.

 

[tactserv]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

In the case of 556, the bullets are pulled to get the primed/crimped cases. A primed/crimped case lets the load be much hotter without the risk of blowing primers. As the .22 match bullets (77gr and up) get more accurate as the velocity goes up, the problem of blowing primers limits the practical speed they can be driven. Hence the availability of surplus powder and pulled bullets.

Mike

 

[dlklamfo]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tactserv</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In the case of 556, the bullets are pulled to get the primed/crimped cases. A primed/crimped case lets the load be much hotter without the risk of blowing primers. As the .22 match bullets (77gr and up) get more accurate as the velocity goes up, the problem of blowing primers limits the practical speed they can be driven. Hence the availability of surplus powder and pulled bullets.

Mike </div></div>

Remind me never to shoot rounds you've loaded!! Crimps allow you to shoot hotter loads without blowing primers? If you're blowing primers out regularly your overloading it and way too hot!!

 

[tactserv]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

Thanks for that info. I'll pass it on to the folks who developed that method.

I never said I reload this way, but was told by a member of a service team that is how they reloaded 5.56 to get the speed they wanted. Never saw them do it, but I have no reason to doubt him.

Feel free to critique my reloading anytime.

Mike

 

[5R Milspec]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

why because they didn't have the time or the C4 to blow it up.

 

[Cacciatore]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: phearkno1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I personally wouldn't shoot a 1972 completed round no matter what anyone says and no matter how cheap. Powder does break down overtime.

That being said I would shoot a pulled bullet that I loaded myself. </div></div>

I would shoot it as long as I wasn't shooting it in my own gun.

 

[Sudden Impact]

Re: Why so many pulled bullets?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 7x57</div><div class="ubbcode-body">US surplus ammo cannot be sold directly to the US public, thanks to a law Clinton signed when he was president. But it can be torn down and sold as separate components i.e. pulldown bullets, brass, and powder. There was even a company here several years ago that bought these components and "reassembled" M2 ball and M80 ball. Of course, that same law banned importation of Chinese ammo, but not Russian, and there is no problem buying imported surplus ammo from overseas. Go figure why that makes sense. </div></div>

I'm surprised so many people didn't know this. Many here might want to spend a little more time watching our politicians! Thats important to our sport too. Besides its our job as citizens.