Bullet Weld

[Seabeeken]

While moving, I found about 50 rounds of 270 Win that was loaded perhaps 8-10 yrs ago. Since that rifle was rebarreled, the 270 never got shot. Yesterday, I thought I's pull the bullets to salvage the primers. Never before have I had a bullet that my collet puller couldn't pull. These bullets are welded. I'm going to have to seat them a bit deeper to break the weld before pulling them. Ive since those days started lubing necks.

 

[PddPdd]

Seabeeken,

Do you remember how you were cleaning your brass back when you originally loaded those rounds?

 

[Hard rock]

Seabeeken,

Do you remember how you were cleaning your brass back when you originally loaded those rounds?

I'll send some pictures , a couple weeks ago I was trying too pull bullets on some old 270 rounds and was pulling the neck and bullets off the case . I kind of wondered if you fired them what would happen.

 

[PddPdd]

Hard Rock,

I personally would not risk one of my rifle's chambers to find out what would happen. If that case neck separated due to a round firing it might lodge the bullet and case neck in the chamber throat and cause an over-pressure of your action.

 

[Hard rock]

Hard Rock,

I personally would not risk one of my rifle's chambers to find out what would happen. If that case neck separated due to a round firing it might lodge the bullet and neck in the chamber throat and cause an over-pressure of your action.

That's the reason I'm pulling bullets on those old rounds . I was surprised that the entire neck and bullet stayed together separating from the case shearing off at the shoulder . My question is if you fired them , which I wouldn't do , would the neck expand and release the bullet , or would it cause the round too over pressure.

 

[Hugnot]

Stuck bullets are common in old ammo. As mentioned seating them a bit deeper fixes the problem. Like hear them POP. I have notied that this problem never occurs with bullets seated in new clean brass. Cleaning the inside of case necks with a bronze brush seems to help. My guess is that powder/primer residues make for corrosion between bullet & brass neck & cause a bond. This is not "cold welding" where a bond develops between like clean contacting metals due to intermingling of atom particles like in a vacuum. Stuck bullets are not good for accuracy, worse than inconsistent neck tension. The neck portion can be separated & can be stuck in the chamber. I carry a some larger size bronze brushes that can be shoved thru any stuck neck then yanked out with the stuck neck.

 

[Hard rock]

Stuck bullets are common in old ammo. As mentioned seating them a bit deeper fixes the problem. Like hear them POP. I have notied that this problem never occurs with bullets seated in new clean brass. Cleaning the inside of case necks with a bronze brush seems to help. My guess is that powder/primer residues make for corrosion between bullet & brass neck & cause a bond. This is not "cold welding" where a bond develops between like clean contacting metals due to intermingling of atom particles like in a vacuum. Stuck bullets are not good for accuracy, worse than inconsistent neck tension. The neck portion can be separated & can be stuck in the chamber. I carry a some larger size bronze brushes that can be shoved thru any stuck neck then yanked out with the stuck neck.

Excellent Reply

 

[Seabeeken]

Seabeeken,

Do you remember how you were cleaning your brass back when you originally loaded those rounds?

I was cleaning in a vibratory with corn cob back then. I did find one split neck after pulling. I was using H-450 powder back then and i suspect that was the last of it in those cases. I now use graphite or lee case lube in the necks with no issues.

 

[RedsideMT]

How fast can corrosion happen? I saw what looked like corrosion inside some necks on some 223 brass, but I don't think it was loaded for more than a week before shooting. Could it be corrosion in between loadings? Not that those particular shells were not loaded for very long either.

 

[Dragoon300]

This condition is not from powder or any other residue in the case neck or on the bullet, infact carbon residue actually keeps this from occurring. It happens when the brass and copper jackets are clean, very clean as in new brass or highly cleaned inside the case used brass and no lube, and it can happen in as little as four months, I know because I have had it happen to me. Perhaps humidity durring loading could be a factor.

 

[Doom2]

This condition is not from powder or any other residue in the case neck or on the bullet, infact carbon residue actually keeps this from occurring. It happens when the brass and copper jackets are clean, very clean as in new brass or highly cleaned inside the case used brass and no lube, and it can happen in as little as four months, I know because I have had it happen to me. Perhaps humidity durring loading could be a factor.

It's actually quite likely that the bullet and case are galling during seating. This is likely to occur when the bullets and case neck are very clean. It is very unlikely to be corrosion or related to humidity. It would be interesting to see pictures of the bullets when removed.

 

[Seabeeken]

While that could be possible, I think it may be electrolysis which happens when dissimilar metals are in contact. Similat to what happens when outboard aluminum motors and steel parts. I sacrificial anode is required in this case to prevent it. As already said, it is worse with very clean metals.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I understand the several replies that state it is from very clean metals (as in new brass), but in the several times I have had it happen, it is with once or twice fired brass, and of course new bullets. I have NEVER had it happen with factory loads (where both case and bullet are new and clean). Nor have I had it happen when loading new brass. I would think the carbon and residue from inside a fired case would help prevent the weld, but that isn't the case in my situation.

 

[Doom2]

Copper jacket and cartridge brass are not subject to galvanic corrosion.