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stuck gas check in case neck

1fisher1fisher Member Posts: 1,012 ✭✭
edited October 2009 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Hi-
I asked this over in the Experts forum also, but thought I'd put it here also.

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 primed 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. You can see that the neck expander was too small for the cast bullet used.

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 (and has a shorter barrel.)

Thanks
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Comments

  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,438 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Pull the bullets. If you get any stuck gas checks, just shoot them out. The primer alone will dislodge them, and you'll likely get a mess of unburned powder. Point the muzzle down (do this at the range, of course!) and be ready to push a patch through the bore from the breech end to clean out any powder.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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  • 1fisher1fisher Member Posts: 1,012 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks Rocky!

    I was wondering about shooting them with the gas check but no bullet. Might be a heck of a fireball out of the muzzle!
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  • hunter86004hunter86004 Member Posts: 1,222 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Done this myself! I pushed the gas ckeck in, dumped the powder, shook the shell until the GC was laying somewhat in its original position, and fired it into a cardboard box so I'd know if the GC was expelled from the barrel. Some were and some weren't, but a cleaning rod took care of those that weren't.
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  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,438 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think you'll get more of a "POP - Fizzzzzzz" than a fireball. Hardly any of the powder will burn.

    Report back if I'm wrong.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
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