I bought a few boxes of Federal’s 25-06 115gr Nosler Partition ammo, and it shot terrible out of both of my rifles which usually drive tacks. It also had terrible SD’s. So I pulled the bullets from the cases. I intend to use the same powder, bullet weight, and powder combination for the reloads. Doing the math, the total charge of powder per case should be 52.4 gr. Can anyone tell me if they’ve done with before? I figure “my” loads can be more precise than a factory’s, but I’m also hesitant to pull the trigger on any of them. It should be safe when it all comes together like they were before right?
Powder from pulled bullets
- Thread starter nhenry
- Start date
Too many different variables to say for sure. By my understanding, pressure has more to do with bearing surface from the bullet than it does bullet weight. I can’t say I’d do what you plan to, but if I did, I’d probably load one or two to start with and watch for pressure before loading the rest.
MO Betta
Well-known member
So, you’re wanting to re-use the powder from ammunition you disassembled and basically keep everything the same except a different bullet of the same weight?
If that is correct, I’d load them 5-10% less than what was measured from the pulled case and work up. Although, if this ammo was on my bench I’d be using the powder for fertilizer and use something on hand.
If that is correct, I’d load them 5-10% less than what was measured from the pulled case and work up. Although, if this ammo was on my bench I’d be using the powder for fertilizer and use something on hand.
I’d try it. Reduce by 5% and work back up if it makes you feel better. Lots of other factors go into SD [powder charge weight, neck tension, crimp tension, etc], but if the rest of your handloading procedures are sound then you should tighten up the SD and accuracy.
It is worth noting that major ammunition manufacturers like Federal oftentimes don’t use powders that are available to the general public. Federal contacts whichever manufacturer they’re using and requests a specific burn rate, then the powder manufacturer ships them hundreds or thousands of pounds of that powder. I mention this to point out that this load you are working up with this powder will only be relevant for this batch. If you buy the “same load” from federal in the future, pulled the bullets, then reloaded it with the same load data you’re creating now,
it likely won’t turn out the same as this batch.
It is worth noting that major ammunition manufacturers like Federal oftentimes don’t use powders that are available to the general public. Federal contacts whichever manufacturer they’re using and requests a specific burn rate, then the powder manufacturer ships them hundreds or thousands of pounds of that powder. I mention this to point out that this load you are working up with this powder will only be relevant for this batch. If you buy the “same load” from federal in the future, pulled the bullets, then reloaded it with the same load data you’re creating now,
it likely won’t turn out the same as this batch.
std7mag
Well-known member
How do you know what powder it is?
Mtnhunter1
Well-known member
Same as starting from scratch.....start low and work up.
Same. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work.
"Mexican match" used to be a term folks used for surplus ammo where the bullets were pulled and a new bullet of the same weight was loaded.
Depending on what bullet you were wanting to load, I'd have just seated the new bullets without dumping and measuring the powder assuming they were 115gr or lighter.
Depending on what bullet you were wanting to load, I'd have just seated the new bullets without dumping and measuring the powder assuming they were 115gr or lighter.
Don Fischer
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I wouldn't re-use the powder!
Bgriffith
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Honestly I wouldn’t do it. The powder is really an unknown here. I don’t know about federal but I remember reading somewhere that some companies use special proprietary powder and could be specially formulated for that bullet and the pressure curves they were seeing with that specific projectile. Changing projectiles could potentially distinctly change the pressure curve. Or it couldn’t but is that something you’re willing to gamble with? I for one would be showing the kids why we don’t play with gun powder… not that the flames and such from such display fazed me much as a kid 
Dakotakid
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To the op, when you say you bought a few boxes, is that 3 or a larger quantity?
If only 3 I am not sure you can make it pencil out, even setting aside the unknown untested off book powder question.
About the time you found a perfect load you would be down to just a few and unable to repeat.
Now if by few you mean a few hundred rounds then maybe.
If a large enough sample I would think replacing with a Nosler ballistic tip might work. Looking at Noslets load data, federal powder doesn’t really match any Nosler powders-52.4
You may be better off trading what you have for what components you want.
If only 3 I am not sure you can make it pencil out, even setting aside the unknown untested off book powder question.
About the time you found a perfect load you would be down to just a few and unable to repeat.
Now if by few you mean a few hundred rounds then maybe.
If a large enough sample I would think replacing with a Nosler ballistic tip might work. Looking at Noslets load data, federal powder doesn’t really match any Nosler powders-52.4
You may be better off trading what you have for what components you want.
I mean quite a few. I have 300 and that’s a ton of powder. I was planning on using partitions in them again, the SD’s were just wack when I chrono’d them so I thought I’d get them more precise than what Federal does. Plus they shot in vertical strings which is indicative of them not checking their charges.
Basically I’m just redoing their job to make a better end product
I just like to tinker. I’m well within the threshold of safe with whatever I do, so I’m not too worried that things would go wrong. I posted this just to see if anyone had done it before.
Sorry I worded things badly. Same bullet, just redoing their work
Yep I have done this with .223 bulk ammo. Pulled the FMJ bullets out and put same weight Nosler BT in place. Shot great and blew up pasture poodles just fine.
deer_shooter
Well-known member
If understand correctly from post 15, you are planning to pull the bullet and reseat it? I doubt that will have any effect and will likely shoot the same. I think you are better off selling the ammo and buying something else.
Pull the bullet and remeasure the powder charges. They’ve weighed slightly different in some of them so far so I’m going to make them all uniform
Dakotakid
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Weight probably won’t have an effect but seating depth might.
The crono should give you safe pressure.
The crono should give you safe pressure.
