Pulled bullets accuracy

[Xmark1]

I had a batch (40) of 338LM 300grain NCC's that I pulled because I thought I might have overcharged them.

I noticed my reloading balance beam setting on 110 grains a few days after reloading. Since my desired charge is 102 grains, I decided to play it safe. I pulled all the bullets and weighed the charges - they were all correct @ 102 grains. I figure I must have bumped the scale sometime after reloading. So now I have a new reloading Protocall - I take a picture of my balance beam settings to include with load documentation.

Anway, I went out shooting today and my performance was poor. My Christiansen long range mesa usually shoots sub-moa but today I was 1 to 4 moa after I shot all 40 rounds.

The only variable that changed was the pulling of the bullets. I used a RCBS collet puller. Do you think using pulled bullets is what messed up my accuracy?

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[TTSX]

No, I think your changed neck tension did that, unless you resized the neck before putting the bullet back on. When I've done that, I notice the bullets tend to seat much easier and less consistently than if I hadn't pulled.

Unless you REALLY clamped down on your bullets with that collet puller and dented them up big time, I don't see a sub MOA gun magically becoming a 4 MOA gun due to pulled bullets

 

[DizzyJ]

As mentioned, neck tension is affected when you pull a bullet.

Additionally, if any damage occurred to the base of the bullets upon re-seating, the accuracy will suffer greatly.

 

[Xmark1]

No, I think your changed neck tension did that, unless you resized the neck before putting the bullet back on. When I've done that, I notice the bullets tend to seat much easier and less consistently than if I hadn't pulled.

Unless you REALLY clamped down on your bullets with that collet puller and dented them up big time, I don't see a sub MOA gun magically becoming a 4 MOA gun due to pulled bullets

I did a neck resize before reseating. Neck tension was as normal.

 

[Xmark1]

As mentioned, neck tension is affected when you pull a bullet.

Additionally, if any damage occurred to the base of the bullets upon re-seating, the accuracy will suffer greatly.

I did notice scratches on the shank of the pulled bullets. And I did have to clamp them pretty hard to pull them.

 

[ma96782]

Is all of the brass from the same lot #?
Have you done a case capacity test on every case?
Have you "spun" bullets?
Do you, anneal?
So.....you notice the "pull marks". What were you expecting at that point?
Etc.....etc......

There is a "limit" with most everything when speaking of precision/accuracy. Then not to mention, that everyone is a "Superb, Accurate, Ransom Rest of a Shooter and have the equipment to boot."

Nah.......IMHO, Just have FUN. Don't sweat the "small stuff".

Aloha, Mark

PS......
BTW......you didn't even mention the part about......

"How much of a difference, did you observe"?

 

[Xmark1]

Is all of the brass from the same lot #?
Have you done a case capacity test on every case?
Have you "spun" bullets?
Do you, anneal?
So.....you notice the "pull marks". What were you expecting at that point?
Etc.....etc......

There is a "limit" with most everything when speaking of precision/accuracy. Then not to mention, that everyone is a "Superb, Accurate, Ransom Rest of a Shooter and have the equipment to boot."

Nah.......IMHO, Just have FUN. Don't sweat the "small stuff".

Aloha, Mark

Well - I did pike to Boont an horn a ski of beer wit thm posytweeds!

 

[Xmark1]

Same Brass. Third re-load. No need to anneal.

 

[ma96782]

.338
BUT WAIT......

Yeah, I can think of even more questions about the setup to this thread.

So then anyway.....
Leaving you with some ENCOURAGEMENT.


Aloha, Mark

 

[Xmark1]

View attachment 1217223

.338
BUT WAIT......
View attachment 1217224
Yeah, I can think of even more questions about the setup to this thread.

So then anyway.....
Leaving you with some ENCOURAGEMENT.
View attachment 1217225

Aloha, Mark

 

[thorborg]

Sounds like one you will have to add to the cold case files. Definitive answer not likely to be found.
I've pulled many, though never had issues with pulled bullets. I doubt it makes a difference, but I'm an inertia guy, and you are not. as an aside; After all these years, and as hard as I've had to pound to budge some, I'm still amazed I've not had a room full of plastic splinters, so I continue to use a face shield..

 

[Xmark1]

Sounds like one you will have to add to the cold case files. Definitive answer not likely to be found.
I've pulled many, though never had issues with pulled bullets. I doubt it makes a difference, but I'm an inertia guy, and you are not. as an aside; After all these years, and as hard as I've had to pound to budge some, I'm still amazed I've not had a room full of plastic splinters, so I continue to use a face shield..

338LM to big for my inertial puller. Will not fit. big shaft, Small hole.

Some good ideas here but I thought of all those already. Been reloading 15 years. But my 338LM is a fairly new acquisition. Case in point - I usually jump ~.015 off the lands for most rifle loads. Not so with this beast! Jump is between .050 and .120 per SAAMI! So far in my load development .103 jump produces sub - moa results.

Was hoping for someone with specific experience in the arena of using pulled bullets.

I did speculate that the first seating, before pulling, squished the shank a bit smaller - should have measured the pulled bullet shanks? Re -seating might have squished the shank even more. I have had this happen with pulled .40/10mm. as well as 9mm.

 

[thorborg]

Who of thought, my 45-70 albeit some .040 smaller dia fits my RCBS inertia puller with room to spare.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It seems to me you'd have to shoot some pulled bullets to find out.
O wate.

 

[Xmark1]

Who of thought, my 45-70 albeit some .040 smaller dia fits my RCBS inertia puller with room to spare.

It's just too big, for my RCBS.

 

[Xmark1]

It seems to me you'd have to shoot some pulled bullets to find out.
O wate.

I'm returning to my control group. If they shoot straight - problem solved!

Now all I need is for the sun to cooperate, but the weatherman says rain till July?

 

[Xmark1]

I really had to crank this beast to grip the bullets enough to pull them out. I thought I was going to bend the case rim on the downstroke!

I used a straight edge to make sure the case heads were not compromised.