[AlamoCity]

Kind of a reloading question: Has anyone here had experience with pulling bullets from Bulgarian 7.62 ammo? I have a few hundred rounds of 50's bulgy that unfortunately has a lot of corrosion on the cases and around the primers. I figured I'd pull the bullets and use them for .303 reloads.

I'm using a press mounted bullet extractor (hornady I think) but can't get the bullets to budge from the brass. I've got the rounds in a shell holder and locked down with the puller collet and can't get any movement on the rounds. Are they sealed to the cases??

Any suggestions or help are much appreciated.

T

 

[Heavy Metal 1]

I have no experience in what you are doing, but have read similar threads and what has been advised is to try to seat the bullet deeper before pulling them as it breaks the seal and makes them easier to pull out.

 

[jjjxlr8]

They come right out with a kinetic bullet "pulling" hammer. I've only done a couple though, and wouldn't want to do a few hundred that way!

 

[darkd0r]

I have no experience in what you are doing, but have read similar threads and what has been advised is to try to seat the bullet deeper before pulling them as it breaks the seal and makes them easier to pull out.

Definitely do this! Don't seat them very much deeper, quit when you feel the seal break.

 

[milprileb]

Definitely do this! Don't seat them very much deeper, quit when you feel the seal break.

It only takes a nudge to break this seal so follow the advice above. To address use of such bullets for 303 reloading, I have done so for a few years. My loads for Enfields in 303 British caliber are fine for 300 yd shooting using these bullets. Fine is defined as 6 inch or below sized groups at 300 yds with iron sights. There is heavy ball and light ball Bulgarian 54R ammo. Use reloading data for the right weight bullet and you should have satisfactory results in hand loads. Not match performance but definitely far better than out of spam can 54R ammo performance.

 

[Heavy Metal 1]

to darkd0r the advice wasn't to seat them deeper and use them, rather seat them deeper just to break the seal and then ​pull them.

 

[Ronbo6]

I find that using a kinetic puller is a lot quicker (AND a lot more exercise) than using a collet puller, but in EITHER case, it will pay you to 'nudge' the bullet a bit before you try pulling it.

 

[darkd0r]

Sorry if my previous reply was not clear. I was concerned that someone might push the bullet into the case so far that the pulling collet couldn't get a grip on the bullet. The powder in the case might or might not stop the bullet from getting too deep.

 

[mto7464]

Just the opposite for me, the collet puller is faster and more reliable.

 

[AlamoCity]

Thanks for all the advice. I couldn't remember the name, but I am using a collet puller. And I can tell you, these are not coming loose with the collet puller on a press, so there is no way a kinetic hammer is going to work (and I did try kinetic first anyway!).

I'll give it go with the bullet seating slightly. Probably my only hope of pulling these bullets, at this point.

These are light ball Bulgarian, which IIRC is pretty close to a 174 gr and should approximate closely with 303 loads for that weight.

T

 

[Ronbo6]

Just the opposite for me, the collet puller is faster and more reliable.

What brand collet puller are you using?

I use an old C&H puller that needs to have the jacking screw and the collet removed from the sleeve so the bullet can be pushed out of the collet (and then everything needs to be reassembled) EVERY time you pull a bullet. Best I can do with this puller is a rate of maybe 40 bullets an hour, and to do that, I REALLY need to be humping along.

I tried. There's no other way to get the bullet out.

It also has problems puling spire pointed bullets that start their ogive pretty close to the case mouth. Round noses are usually no problem.

Give me a 'hammer puller' ANY day.

 

[mto7464]

What brand collet puller are you using?

I use an old C&H puller that needs to have the jacking screw and the collet removed from the sleeve so the bullet can be pushed out of the collet (and then everything needs to be reassembled) EVERY time you pull a bullet. Best I can do with this puller is a rate of maybe 40 bullets an hour, and to do that, I REALLY need to be humping along.

I tried. There's no other way to get the bullet out.

It also has problems puling spire pointed bullets that start their ogive pretty close to the case mouth. Round noses are usually no problem.

Give me a 'hammer puller' ANY day.

Wow, that would be a PITA. I use the hornady and it is quick and easy, the kinetic pullers just don't work for me on surplus ammo.

 

[me26245]

I've used both the kinetic and collet type bullet pullers.
To date I can only remember using the collet puller (Forster) on surplus 5.56x45 and I didn't have to set back the bullet to get them to come out and most of it had the tar type sealant.
I once used a kinetic puller to pull 400 rounds of 7.5x54 French that I had loaded using 6.5x55 Swedish brass so I could turn the brass back into 6.5x55 Swedish.
I use a lot of Ball type powder and despise how when using the kinetic puller you get powder that fly's out the end of the puller. To stop that from happening I just put masking tape over the end of the puller cap.
Each type puller has it's advantages. I'll use the kinetic if I only have a few cartridges to break down, but if I'm going to be pulling a lot of bullets of the same kind I'll set up the collet pullet.
I've got several battle-packs of Swedish blanks to disassemble when I've time, but neither of these bullet pulling tools will work for that from what I've read on the boards.
Just enjoy what your doing and know that the end product will give you satisfaction.

 

[AlamoCity]

Hmm, maybe I need to double check how I was using the collet puller. Its a Hornady that fits into turret press discs. I could not get the bullets to even move a little and I was pretty sure I had the collet well seated around the base of the bullet, just above the neck. Anyway, I'll try the seating 'trick'.

Thanks all.

 

[LMyer]

Is the collet puller slipping off the bullet, or is it that it just doesn't move at all when you pull on the press handle?


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[ammolab]

I have EASILY pulled many Bulgaran 54R bullets with my RCBS collet puller, both light ball (148gr) and heavy ball (182gr). No seating/break was required.

Are these bullets corroded to the case necks? Or....

Some issue with the OPs equipment or procedure is suspected.

 

[MJ]

Well over ten years ago I bought 400 pulled 147g Bulgarian bullets from a company who made blanks. I tried to batch them by weight but they were so all over the chart from 142g to 152g with a few 139s for grins. I think I still have about 100 of them. Performance was poor as I recall in the Enfield around 5" to 7" at 100 yards just a bit better at 300 yards but that is just the nature of the Enfield. Measure the diameter and see what you get but with out my notes I think they were .307" to .3082" your mileage my vary. I never did load them into my Lapua 7.62R cases. I those days there plentiful stocks and I could not justify the effort after the first hundred. You may find otherwise today. Good luck.