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View Full Version : 30.06 bullet tips cut off... ??


Mirac
09-21-2014, 6:38 PM
I have some 30.06 ammo that the tips of the bullets have been clipped off and/or ground down. I'm thinking it had something to do with fitting in a magazine or something.
This would not be safe to shoot, Correct? as none of them would be the same weight and who know how much powder is in it.

I should pull the bullets, toss the powder ( don't know what kind it is ) and use the brass and primer for a new reload recipe? check the case length too ?

or am I way off base...

ihasacookie
09-21-2014, 6:48 PM
I'm assuming that these are someone else's reloads? I wouldn't shoot them, too many unknown variables. Pull them.

highpower790
09-21-2014, 6:50 PM
Missing tips tips will have no effect on being able to shoot the bullets.Performance will vary,best to use for short range practice.Not worth worrying about changing a load either.

Mirac
09-21-2014, 7:25 PM
I believe they are reloads.

I'll try and post up a pic or two tomorrow so you'll have a better judge of how much they have been cut and ground.
Thanks for the answers so far.

OldShooter32
09-21-2014, 7:29 PM
Unknown reloads need to be returned to kit form and reassembled to known standards.

bohoki
09-21-2014, 7:31 PM
homemade softpoints

2shotjoe
09-21-2014, 7:32 PM
homemade soft points, i got a handful of those from grandpa.

Bumslie
09-21-2014, 7:32 PM
Are these lead projectiles? Or are they jacketed?

Jeff213
09-21-2014, 7:36 PM
I would not shoot them, pull them down for components. If they were FMJ bullets it could have an exposed lead base and an exposed lead point. It could separate in the barrel and cause serious problems.

If ever in doubt if something is safe to shoot, DON'T SHOOT IT! better to waste some components than blow yourself up.

mchava
09-21-2014, 8:04 PM
I would question the fact that they are reload, but not the tips being clipped. I know bench rest shooters will do the same to bullets to keep them all uniformed. The federal gold metal match ammo a bought was the same way. This is what I am talking about

http://www.bullettipping.com/images/meplattrimmer_detail/meplattrimmer_338.jpg

71MUSTY
09-21-2014, 8:11 PM
Back in the day milsurp jacketed ammo was cheap and easy to come by. Lead tipped hunting loads not so much. It was pretty common for people to grind the tip off milsurp brass jacketed ammo to expose the lead and then use it for cheap hunting ammo.

Mirac
09-21-2014, 8:13 PM
homemade softpoints

homemade soft points, i got a handful of those from grandpa.

Yes, I believe that was exactly the thought behind this.

Are these lead projectiles? Or are they jacketed?

I found one of the same in the group as FMJ.


If ever in doubt if something is safe to shoot, DON'T SHOOT IT! better to waste some components than blow yourself up.

I knew this... Just trying to justify the work in breaking them down.
none of them are the same length. maybe they were not even clipped.. Just put to a grinder with "that should do it/ Close enough"

I'll get some pics tomorrow. Thanks Again.

71MUSTY
09-21-2014, 8:30 PM
Just put to a grinder with "that should do it/ Close enough"

Yep. FWIW I'd shoot them as long as the lead police weren't around. I don't think they are reloads just ground down military surplus.

w55
09-21-2014, 8:57 PM
Bit off topic, but wasn't this done to make the bullet tumble and make a nasty wound? I just vaguely recall a WW2 era teacher telling me about making dum-dum rounds like that.***Just did some reading and found where Dum Dum came from.

Pauliedad
09-21-2014, 9:22 PM
My first thought was the projectile just got lighter so they're probably safe if it was a verified load but I have yet to shoot someone else's reloads. Heck, I don't even like shooting factory any more. If they are factory and seemingly consistent, I'd give them a whirl at paper targets.

Mirac
09-22-2014, 6:34 PM
Pictures... I forgot to get a count of how many I have.. .
they look Military as mentioned too right?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/theotherbigjoe/Misc083.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/theotherbigjoe/Misc084.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y293/theotherbigjoe/Misc082.jpg

would you shoot these or knock them down to the components ?

highpower790
09-22-2014, 6:44 PM
Made in Korea,quality is questionable!I have seen this ammo split the case when fired...pull for components!

71MUSTY
09-22-2014, 6:44 PM
As I said I'd shoot them, course I have a vintage .06 that's not going to come apart and has shot worse. They were not cut down to make a dumdum bullet per say. They were cut down to expose lead so they would spread for hunting. Before it became illegal to hunt with lead it was required in most states to hunt with soft tipped bullets. The idea was to avoid cruelly wounding an animal by increasing the likelihood of kill shots, not unlike our current self defense loads.

Prom the pictures it looks to me like someone was attempting to determine how far to cut it back to get the best spread, but that is just a guess on my part.

Mirac
09-22-2014, 7:26 PM
The only thing I have to shoot these with is a Rem 7400. not gonna do that.
I'll hang on to them for awhile, maybe trade them for something I need, or break them down and start over for my gun.

bigedp51
09-22-2014, 7:33 PM
Mirac

I live and hunt in the woods of Pennsylvania now where 40 yards is a long shot. And I have seen farmers and other "thrifty" hunters do what you see in your photos all the time and they take their limit.

These people get their hunting rifles out once a year, dust them off and fire a few practice rounds at a tin can, rusted out bucket etc, and bring home the venison every year. The old farmer down the road from our family home has an old M-1917 Enfield 30-06 rifle and hunts with this type ammo and he kills more dear than any of us with our "fancy new scoped rifles" and "high tech" reloaded ammo.

And Mirac I hunted with a Remington 760 pump and have fired this type home brewed ammo. As long as the bullet was not pulled and the powder charge changed the pressure generated by this type ammo will be under normal 30-06 factory ammo because the bullet weight was lowered With your gas operated 7400 the worst thing that could happen is a failure to eject.

Your facing the problem that in a reloading forum you will not find any "thrifty" old farts that ever did this. If this was the 1930s during the depression you would have experts telling you how much to file off the tip for chipmunks to bull moose and elephants.

Use you best judgment and just check the military bullet crimp for being original.

gunboat
09-23-2014, 12:03 AM
Well, I am old enough to remember this practice and also to remember it has been addressed in the past --

From the oct 1976 American rifleman -- not the earliest source -
" this practice can lead to jackets stuck in the bore"
" there atre many verified instances of this happening"

The article goes on to say the practice of cutting the tip off of military bullets is removing the thickest and strongest part of the jacket -
It also explains the poor ballistic performance and killing power --
This was written up by the NRA tech staff --

So - shoot them at your possible peril -- a shed jacket in the bore could ruin your day --
an old guy's tuppence

bigedp51
09-23-2014, 12:36 AM
Well, I am old enough to remember this practice and also to remember it has been addressed in the past --

From the oct 1976 American rifleman -- not the earliest source -
" this practice can lead to jackets stuck in the bore"
" there atre many verified instances of this happening"

The article goes on to say the practice of cutting the tip off of military bullets is removing the thickest and strongest part of the jacket -
It also explains the poor ballistic performance and killing power --
This was written up by the NRA tech staff --

So - shoot them at your possible peril -- a shed jacket in the bore could ruin your day --
an old guy's tuppence

What did the 1976 American rifleman say about bullets with a solid copper base "without" any exposed lead in the base. Meaning you can't blow the lead center out of a bullet if it has a solid copper base

And yes I forgot to mention to pull a bullet and check for this, so good call. "BUT" the smart old farmers already knew this along with smart old Airedale Navy Chiefs.

Mssr. Eleganté
09-23-2014, 1:34 AM
Just an FYI but those KA 73 primers are corrosive. If you shoot them in any of your firearms be sure to clean the bore promptly with a water based cleaner to dissolve the salts, then clean as normal.

sealocan
09-23-2014, 2:04 AM
circumsized ammo?

;-)

gunboat
09-23-2014, 12:50 PM
big ed --
I believe that this is the point -- military jacketed bullets have an exposed base - the lead core is put into a cup and mashed, forming the closed point and open base -
a commercial jacket is generally just the opposite , the cup and core is mashed to form a closed base and open point -
You certainly could safely modify the point of a commercial closed base bullet.
how well it performs is another story --
my tuppence

Pauliedad
09-23-2014, 1:29 PM
So at this point doesn't is seem a better bet to just lose these?
Bullet no good. Powder, old and unknown. Brass, old brittle and crimped.

Game over.

Mirac
09-23-2014, 7:03 PM
I have 230 +/-
Definitely not gonna shoot them.. might not be worth my time to monkey with them trying to make the brass work.
hmm..

Thanks for all you help guys !