Cannibalizing reloads for components

rufrdr

rufrdr

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Anyone else taking reloads apart to get the powder and primers for a different caliber? I ran out my supply of 7.5 Swiss reloads but I have .30-06 reloads with plenty of factory .30 ball on hand so I've pulled those reloads apart to get the powder and primers. I can recall during the last component drought that shooters were pulling CMP .30 ball apart to get components to reload .308. Is this what it has come to, wide-spread cannibalism? 😆
 
Haven’t got to that point yet, hope it doesn’t come to that.


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Come 2022, we may very well be grinding charcoal and match heads.

I haven't reached a point where I'm taking reloads apart. Considering the time it took to make them, and the time I'd spend taking them apart, then putting it all into something else, I think I'd just shelf the gun I didn't have ammo for. Its a mixed blessing and curse that my work schedule has kept me from the range for much of 2020.
 
I cannibalize rounds for bullets and brass but not for burnable components. I will only seat a primer once and will only put powder into one round. That might change if components become unobtainable for a very long time, but I doubt that I will live long enough to shoot all the ammo I already have loaded.
 
I took apart a bunch of reloads my dad gave me from 1989. The brass was brittle and corroded and so I just used the bullets. Now I’m thinking I should have kept the powder and primers!
 
How do you get the primer out without setting it off or messing up the anvil?
 
I have never worried about setting one off when I have removed live primers but have been concerned about messing up the anvil. That is why I never salvage primers that have already been seated into one case.
 
I ease the case into the die very slowly and the primer pops out with no problem. The only primers that have ever been damaged are crimped primers in military cases.
 
Kinda sorta. Several years back I loaded some 38spl+P's with 125gr JHPs and I don't know what powder. I've pulled the bullets to load in .357 Magnum and dumped the powder. I'll reload the .38s with 158gr SWC and fresh powder and use them as target loads.
 
rufrdr said:
I hope not that long but the Obama drought went for multiple years
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And because of it I laid in the primers, powder, and all. I even went so far as bullet moulds for everything I shoot. I can shoot but choose to sit and watch.

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bkv said:
Kinda sorta. Several years back I loaded some 38spl+P's with 125gr JHPs and I don't know what powder. I've pulled the bullets to load in .357 Magnum and dumped the powder. I'll reload the .38s with 158gr SWC and fresh powder and use them as target loads.
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I've been keeping a log for my reloads and put a piece of paper with each container of reloads with the pertinent information including the date done. in 2020 I started recording the primer lot number because of the WW LR and LP primer failures I had from primers from 2012 that cracked and pitted the face of a slide and bolt face. The reloads were about 8 years old so no recourse to go back to WW since I didn't have lot numbers.
 
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rufrdr said:
I've been keeping a log for my reloads and put a piece of paper with each container of reloads with the pertinent information including the date done. in 2020 I started recording the primer lot number because of the WW LR and LP primer failures I had from primers from 2012 that cracked and pitted the face of a slide and bolt face. The reloads were about 8 years old so no recourse to go back to WW since I didn't have lot numbers.
Click to expand...
This particular batch of reloads is the only one I have that doesn't have a label with the reload data. Thank goodness there was only 100 of them.
 
It would have to get pretty near impossible to find components for me to even consider cannibalism. That applies to people too.
 
PXL_20210103_014035545.jpgNotice the primer on the right has the anvil sticking above the top of the cup while the one on the left has the anvil flush with the top of the cup. Both are live primers, but the one on the left was just taken from a reload of unknown origin while the one on the right is fresh out of a box of WLP primers and has never been seated in a case. I do not think removing a primer from a case is much of a problem but am concerned that seating a primer twice may cause problems.

I suppose I could do a science experiment by seating and removing the same primer multiple times to see if problems could occur. That sounds like a project for 2021.PXL_20210103_014035545.jpg
 
I seated, removed, seated, removed, seated, ...
a dozen large pistol primers 8 times and tried them today. I put the primer cases into a 45 Colt Blackhawk to fire them. All fired. They did seat a little easier after one or two times putting them into a primer pocket.
 
I've pulled a bunch of 38spec lrn that someone gave me. The lead went into the melting pot, burned the powder, and reloaded new powder and cast hollow points in the brass. Only have a very few of those left now.
 
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