Pull and reload newbie question

[tduncan53]

I inherited a couple hundred rounds of a rather stout load (6.1 Univ 230gr RN plated) that chronos about 950 out of my RIA FS 1911.

As best I can tell max velocities I'm seeing in the manuals are about 900 for the 230 gr bullets

Unless someone with a lot of experience says I'm probably ok just shoot them up I figure I should play it safe and pull em apart.

If I do pull them do I need to resize them on my Dillon 650 (with the deprimer pin pulled from station 1) before reloading?

Or do I just skip station 1, recharge, reseat and recrimp?

Thanks Tim

[Fa2]

Do they show any pressure signs?
Do you trust your life/limbs to the person who reloaded them?

[Nick A]

For 230 FMJ, the stiffest load I can find is 6.0 in the Sierra book.
All the others max out at 5.7 or so.

6.1 with a plated bullet probably won't blow anything up,
but hefty loads over max charge tend to wear-n-tear the gun.



If you decide to pull and reassemble:
Taking the decap pin out of the seating die is easy.
You might try charging and seating without resizing,
see if the bullet stays in place with no setback.
But taking the decapping pin out is so easy.

[Rifter]

Originally Posted by tduncan53

I inherited a couple hundred rounds of a rather stout load (6.1 Univ 230gr RN plated) that chronos about 950 out of my RIA FS 1911.

As best I can tell max velocities I'm seeing in the manuals are about 900 for the 230 gr bullets

Unless someone with a lot of experience says I'm probably ok just shoot them up I figure I should play it safe and pull em apart.

If I do pull them do I need to resize them on my Dillon 650 (with the deprimer pin pulled from station 1) before reloading?

Or do I just skip station 1, recharge, reseat and recrimp?

Thanks Tim

950 fps for a 230 gr. is certainly a +P load, but not excessive if using the right powder to get there. You should be using something in the medium slow range for that kind of load, NOT the super fast target type powders like 231, Bullseye, etc.

My standard load in my RIA Tactical is a 230 gr. Hornady FP over 8.8 gr. of Blue Dot, for 930-950 fps. It is +P, but also very accurate. Recoil is stiffer than regular ball, but I have a Firedragon system in the gun, so it doesn't hurt it any. I would change the stock recoil spring for one at 18# if you plan on a steady diet of +P.

As for the rounds you inheritated, I would pull the bullets, dump the powder and reload to a level around 800 fps. Why? Because those plated bullets are not meant to be pushed that hard. They're basically just a swaged lead core with a copper wash. If you're going to shoot up in the +P range then use a regular jacketed bullet. If you run the cases through the sizer again, make sure you use either a carbide sizer, or a lube that won't hurt the primer.

[BYJO4]

Assuming the cases were properly sized when loaded, there is no reason to resize.

[Old Grumpy]

I pulled several 100 rounds and reloaded about 100 of them without resizing, the pullets would push into the case with only slight pressure. If you are going to the trouble of pulling the bullets, pull your decapping pin, and run them through the resizer. It will not take that long and you eliminate all sorts of potential problems. After all, you don't want to have to pull them a second time do you?

[Nick A]

Like Grumpy says... best to resize them and be sure.

Especially since the OP has a 650. It's a progressive.
You're going to run the shellplate around all stations anyway.
Same number of pulls on the handle.

Either you remove the sizing die completely,
or you just remove its decapping pin.
Either way, same number of pulls on the handle.



Like Rifter says... dump the old powder. It's an unknown.
Even though you THINK you know what it is, it's an unknown and not worth it.

[tduncan53]

Never started a loading session with a live primer seated already and a case that hadn't been fired.

Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

While I probably could get away with firing off the rounds why put the extra wear and tear on the gun.

Thanks again for all the sage advice.

[noylj]

6.0 gn of Unique and a 230gn bullet has been a good load for many for about 80+ years. It is heavier than I like, but it isn't a dangerous load.
Unless you have more 1000 rounds and don't like the load, I would shoot them.
If you pull, you should resize the case (no need to deprime). The cases have been stretched seating the bullet and re-seating a bullet will give you less bullet grip by the case.
With .45s, 5.0gn and 6.0gn of Unique works great with 185-230gn bullets. The same loads ofter work great for 9x19 loads with 105-124gn bullets.

[Nick A]

noylj, the rounds he inherited have 6.1 grains Universal in them. Not Unique.

[totaldla]

I'd say shoot them. Doesn't hurt to learn how to handle a 1911 with zippy loads. You can pick up a 20lb recoil spring if you want - will stop the empties from heading into the next county.

I think it is better to shoot than reload.

[gamma72]

Hodgdon recommends 5.4 g of universal for that type bullet. I read somewhere that non-FMJ bullets tends to distort at higher pressures and according to the reference you are well about max safe levels.

[UrbanSI]

I have a hard time shooting anything that I don't load other then factory ammo - which is limited to 22LR/7.62X39/7.62X54R

If you are already loading your own ammo I see no reason to shoot other people's home brewed mystery loads.

I would pull them and scrap the powder, after all that its still going to be very cheap "free-ish" ammo

[tduncan53]

Anyone know how well a collet type bullet puller will work on handgun cartridges?

[Nick A]

Lead bullet, not the best choice of tool.

Jacketed bullet, I've pulled many. More than I want to admit.

Be aware: If the bullet is extremely tight,
the collet occasionally damages the bullet before it pulls.

[mike merkler]

Collet type bullet puller works great in a single stage press. have had to pull some.
very nice and quick to set up and use.
Mike