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Silver Bullets?

wiz1997wiz1997 Member Posts: 1,051 ✭✭
edited April 2014 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
More French Military Ammunition questions. Picked up a box of reloading stuff at estate sale. Found French military ammunition that the previous owner had pulled the bullets and replaced them with copper FMJBT's. The pulled bullets were part of the deal. They appear to be full metal jacketed, boat tailed ,147 grain. Black paint stripe (brass also) around cannelure area. Cannelure slopes into the bullet. Bullets are silver in color, nickel maybe? Should the paint be completely removed from the bullets or is it OK to reload and shoot as is. Minimal scratches on some from pulling. Anything special about these and what might they be worth?
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    jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Almost certainly cupro nickle clad ball bullets. Very little value, but may shoot ok. Paint doesn't have to come off per se. It was sealant to waterproof the round. Load em up and shoot em.
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    AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,164 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yours is probably not the same stuff but I've had bad experiences with French .30/06 military ball cartridges. The cases perforate near the head on firing. I soon discontinued shooting them, pulled the bullets, transferred the powder and reseated the bullets in US military cases.
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    wiz1997wiz1997 Member Posts: 1,051 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    These are 7.62X51 caliber fabricated in 1973. I have not seen any problems with the brass but these have only been fired once by me. The original primers are crimped in so I know they have not been reloaded. The previous owner did sort of the opposite. Pulled the nickle stuff and replaced with copper. Not sure why one would take the time to replace the bullet. That is the primary reason I was asking about the value. Thought maybe the scrap price is why they were pulled.
    I have found out (earlier question and now experience)that the primers are a pain to get out. Think I'll move the unfired ones to the when the SHTF box.
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    richardaricharda Member Posts: 405 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Cupro-nickel jacketed bullets at the velocities of 7.5x54 French, 7.62 NATO, and .30-06 create metal fouling of the bore consisting of 'lumps' of jacket materiel deposited in the grooves.

    Only good use is in loads developing less than 2000 fps.
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