gas check stuck in case neck

1fisher

I have an interesting problem:
I was given two boxes of reloaded 30-40 Krag cartridges with cast bullets, and I am leery about whoever loaded them. The fellow I got them from casually said "bring a brass rod with you because some of these are really light loads and the bullet might not leave the barrel". So I would like to pull the bullets and at least re-use the primered case.

With that in mind, I first tried an inertia bullet puller (hammer style) with no results - the bullet would not move.

When I used a bullet puller in my reloading press, it pulled the bullet - but NOT the gas check. It is still stuck in the case neck.

Any ideas?? I really don't think I want to be drilling through it with a load of powder underneath, and I don't want to ruin the brass.

If nothing else, I will probably just shoot them in my Ruger #3 and watch for stuck bullets. At least that rifle should be able to take any over-charged cartridge better than my Springfield Krag.
Thanks for any help you can give me.

countryfarmer

I guess you could pull the bullet and then fire the cartridge. If the gas check didn't make it out the barrel you could punch it out with a dowel rod of some type.

jonk

Plus one on the above. I usually shoot the check out. Your other option would be to punch it in, open the neck up with a larger sizer (like 8mm) and dump it out, then resize the case.

Mobuck

Push the gas check back into the case and dump the powder. Now hold the case neck down and reach up inside the neck with a pair of forceps(every body keeps a couple of pair for emergencies-right?) and pull the gascheck out. With old lead bullet loads you have not idea what condition the powder might be in and I wouldn't shoot one for all the cases you could carry.

v35

Shoot the gas check out.
An inertia puller has to work. You have to hit the hammer harder on a hard surface.