Set-back bullet.. how safe to fire it?

[Imbel45]

Hello there,

I have a couple of bullets that over the years of putting them back in the magazine and rack the slide, got their bullets set-back about 3mm in the case. When you compare those bullets against a brand new one, you can clearly see the difference in length
My question is....how safe is to fire those bullets? I have never attempted to do so, but was just wondering...........

[DirtyRod]

Don't fire them. Those three are not worth the risk to you or your gun.

[Al Booth]

+1.
Don't do it - you have great potential for an over-pressure round.

[Jim Watson]

3mm = .118", nearly 1/8"
Way too much to shoot.

[Imbel45]

Thank you both, you have answered what I have been suspecting.....overpressure!!....

[bikefreakjon]

Don't , really don't if they were +P to begin with.

Sounds like you need to shoot off your carry/defensive ammo more often.

If you have a bullet puller you could re-use the primed case and bullet.

3mm is about .075 of an inch. If I had a load that was hot (like a self defense load) and it started at 1.250" , .075" of setback would make it 1.175" That is shorter than ANY .45 ACP over all length by the books.
Pressure WILL be way to high. Pull em.



Jon

[bikefreakjon]

I thought I was going to be the "first responder". Need to type faster, need more coffee.


Jon

[MTSCMike]

If this is your carry ammo, rotate it more often.

When I load/unload my carry gun I always rotate the chambered round back into the box in a marked spot and chamber a fresh round the next time I load. I keep at least 2 or 3 boxes of carry ammo at all times. When I have rotated a whole box I check to see if any have experienced a set-back that is more than just a small amount. Those get discarded and the rest go to the range the next time I go to be fired and replaced with a fresh box.

Some ammo remains pristine unless rechambered several times so they may get rotated 2 or 3 times before they get fired.

I don't load/unlod my carry gun all that often so a few boxes last me about a year. This also guarantees that your carry ammo is always fairly fresh.

For my range and competition ammo, I always use the round that came out of the gun during unload/show clear as the top round in the next magazine so it is the first shot fired on the next stage. That way I never have a round that has been chambered more than twice.

[Jim Watson]

I just don't cycle ammunition in and out of the gun very much.
When it's loaded, it's loaded.
It only gets unloaded to clean out the dust bunnies, or to practice with cheaper ammo.
At which time I treat it like Mike, set the one out of the chamber aside and inspect it, reload with fresh.

[Imbel45]

Thank you all for your answers........indeed I need to rotate more often my carry ammo. I use to be more methodical on it some years ago...but you are all right, I normally shoot my carry ammo every 3 months.

Lately, my wife's godson & goddaughter have been visiting us a lot more often than before forcing me to unload all my guns given that those kids a very curious about their Uncle -in law firearms ( yes I have a safe and I only lock it night). My 1911 is always at easy access hence the loading and unloading (at least twice a month)...........But hey!!! I will defuse the bullets and use the cases...

[shovelstrokeed]

I have about 8 rounds like that off in a special box waiting on my bullet puller.
I had a problem with my Commander sized guns when using 8 round mags and loading them into the gun with the slide closed. Nose dive of bullet #1 into the feed ramp. I slingshot my slide so the poor thing would get the full benefit of a healthy recoil spring and bury the bullet. I have one set back nearly to the ogive as a result.

Needles to say, no shootee short rounds.

[meanc]

Had a feeding issue with a few older mags that caused the bullet to nose dive into the ramp. Had maybe 30-40 bullets that were set back over the course of a few months.

I just set them aside then put them all in my bullet puller. Tapped lightly till they were seated a tad further out than factory, then ran them through my seating die to the proper length with a light taper.

They all fired perfectly and the velocity and SD was just as the factory rounds.

So, if you have a bullet puller and reloading setup, there isn't any reason for you to have to pull the bullet completely.

[Imbel45]

Originally Posted by meanc

Had a feeding issue with a few older mags that caused the bullet to nose dive into the ramp. Had maybe 30-40 bullets that were set back over the course of a few months.

I just set them aside then put them all in my bullet puller. Tapped lightly till they were seated a tad further out than factory, then ran them through my seating die to the proper length with a light taper.

They all fired perfectly and the velocity and SD was just as the factory rounds.

So, if you have a bullet puller and reloading setup, there isn't any reason for you to have to pull the bullet completely.

That will be a solution, unfortunately I do not have reolading equipment so getting them back to spec is beyond my reach......nevertheless, a bullet puller I have access to so I can re-use the casings for the guiy who does the reloading in my area........keep in mind in my country you need a special license to do so...........

[HungrySeagull]

Originally Posted by bikefreakjon

I thought I was going to be the "first responder". Need to type faster, need more coffee.


Jon

Less sleeping while waiting eh?

Don't shoot the damn things!!!! Pull em.

[subscriber]

Originally Posted by bikefreakjon

3mm is about .075 of an inch.

Closer to 0.12".....

[Imbel45]

Originally Posted by subscriber

Closer to 0.12".....

We use the metrical system millimeters, meters, kilometers.......Thata is why I was not sure about the meassure in inches...

[submoax]

Having worked for two different major ammo manufacturer's in my life, testing has shown there are other factors to consider when "cycling" the same round over and over again. Testing showed that repeated shock and impact that a round gets when chambered can break down the primer pellet and cause it to fracture. This can cause voids between the primer cup and anvil, causing a failure to fire. Something to consider.

[Imbel45]

Originally Posted by submoax

Having worked for two different major ammo manufacturer's in my life, testing has shown there are other factors to consider when "cycling" the same round over and over again. Testing showed that repeated shock and impact that a round gets when chambered can break down the primer pellet and cause it to fracture. This can cause voids between the primer cup and anvil, causing a failure to fire. Something to consider.

What about primer leakage? What causes it? how to avoit it? is it also part of a bullet thata has been chambered several times and also sufferes from bullet set back?

Is there a solution at the manufactuirng level to avoid bullet set-backs?

[michaelgee]

Just dump your questionable ammo, ALWAYS!
Ammo has no value to me when they are set back.

[M4finny]

Originally Posted by michaelgee

Just dump your questionable ammo, ALWAYS!
Ammo has no value to me when they are set back.

Send it to me. I'll use the bullet puller and make it all better (for me) . Bullet setback if it is witnessed and monitored by the owner is not "questionable" IMO. The OP needs to invest in a bullet puller and fire away.

YMMV,

Fin

[Imbel45]

Originally Posted by M4finny

Send it to me. I'll use the bullet puller and make it all better (for me) . Bullet setback if it is witnessed and monitored by the owner is not "questionable" IMO. The OP needs to invest in a bullet puller and fire away.

YMMV,

Fin

I already have!

[Mushinto]

Get rid of any colapso ammo stat.

Google "Los Alamos Glock Kaboom" for one glaring example.

ML